Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at the Presidential Palace in Ankara.
The Patriarch raised the issue of the situation of Christians in Syria and asked Mr. Erdoğan to use all his influence there to protect the lives and safety of Christians and all minorities in Syria, referring to the close historical ties between the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the ancient Patriarchate of Antioch.
Patriarch Bartholomew further thanked the Turkish President for the order he gave for the reopening of the Halki Theological School and urged him to expedite the relevant procedures. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan promised to provide his full support.
The planned celebrations next year for the 1700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea (325-2025) and Pope Francis’s visit to Turkey for this purpose were also discussed.
The Ecumenical Patriarch was accompanied to Ankara by Metropolitan Emmanuel of Chalcedon and Panteleimon Vigas, Grand Archon Chartoularios and active community leader of the Greek diaspora.