Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and Pope Francis will sign a joint declaration, which includes eight sections, in Jerusalem.

According to information from the Athens News Agency, the declaration among other things:

A. will emphasize on the fact that both look forward to the day that there will be a full communion between the Orthodox and the Roman Catholic Church

B. will note the importance of continuing theological dialogue , respect for God’s creation by protecting the natural environment

Also, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and Pope Francis, according to the information of ANA -MPA , will commit to offer common witness in the service of humanity .

In the Joint Declaration , the heads of the two Churches will express their anxiety and concern about the situation of Christians in the Middle East.

Archbishop Demetrios of America and Metropolitan John of Pergamon , Emmanuel of France , as well as the Cardinal Pietro Parolin , Bishop Kurt Koch and Jerusalem Nuncio Giuseppe Lazarati will be attended in the signing of the joint declaration.

This morning, Ecumenical Patriarch performed religious service together with Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem at the church of Resurrection and with the participation of prelates and clerics from both churches. The Consulate General of Greece, George Zacharioudakis, was also present .

Speaking before his meeting with Pope Francis , Patriarch Bartholomew said that the meeting will assess the progress made since the dialogue of 1964 – when their predecessors had met, Paul VI and Athenagoras , – between Orthodoxy and Roman Catholicism.

The Ecumenical Patriarch stressed that hope today is :

-Firstly, maintaining the faith with God’s help through weaknesses , sins and threats

– Secondly , safeguarding of the accomplishments of the Christian faith.

– Thirdly , preserving the status of Holy Shrines in the Holy Land

– Fourth, the testimony of faith to all people regardless of what they believe in

– Fifth, following the will and command of God

The Ecumenical Patriarch offered symbolically to the Patriarch of Jerusalem, a silver chalice and a paten for the service of the Divine Liturgy.

Shortly after 11 am, the church of the Resurrection was evacuated and police launched a special security measures plan in view of the meeting Patriarch Pope.