A meeting between the US President, Joe Biden, and the Ecumenical Patriarch, Mr. Bartholomew took place in the White House.
According to a post posted on social media by the Archbishop of America, Mr. Elpidoforos, His Holiness raised with Mr. Biden the need for immediate action by the political leadership in the climate crisis, the promotion of vaccines against COVID-19 but also the developing countries but also the reopening of the Halki School.
The two men exchanged warm conversations, as the excellent personal relationship they maintain is known.
Before Bartholomew went to the White House, where he was welcomed by the US President and he also met with the US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken.
I was honored to meet His All-Holiness, @EcuPatriarch Bartholomew to discuss the U.S. commitment to supporting global religious freedom. We value our partnership with the Orthodox Christian community worldwide and religious minorities in Turkey and the region. pic.twitter.com/2CWFCY5E4W
— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) October 25, 2021
Mr Blinken praised the Ecumenical Patriarch and recalled his visit to Constantinople in 2011 with then-Vice President Joe Biden, where His Holiness had welcomed them.
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He then reiterated the US Government’s firm commitment to defending the right to religious freedom, both in foreign policy and at home, referring to the role of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
“The United States strongly supports the principle of religious freedom and we do so through our foreign policy, as well as in our own country”, Mr Blinken stated .
For his part, the Ecumenical Patriarch thanked Mr. Blinken for the long-standing US support to the Ecumenical Patriarchate, while reviewing his previous visits to Washington and the State Department.
