Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew visits the White House/ The situation in the Middle East was discussed

2025-09-15 22:54:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew visits the White House/ The situation in the

Today, His Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew paid a visit to the White House where he met with President Donald Trump.

In an announcement made by the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, it is stated that the meeting lasted about 30 minutes and Trump showed great interest in the various ministries of the Ecumenical Throne.

During his visit to the White House, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew expressed his condolences to President Trump on the passing of activist Charlie Kirk.

Full announcement

On Monday, September 15, 2025, His Holiness, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, met at the White House with His Excellency Donald J. Trump, President of the United States of America.

The meeting in the Oval Office, which lasted more than half an hour, took place in a very cordial atmosphere, where His Excellency the President expressed great interest in the various initiatives and ministries of the Ecumenical Throne and in the life of Christians in Turkey.

During the discussion, His Holiness congratulated His Excellency the President for his initiatives and efforts in general for establishing peace in the world and in Ukraine in particular. They also discussed the situation of Christians in the Middle East.

Also mentioned was the upcoming visit of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV to Turkey, with the aim of commemorating with His Holiness the 1700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea this year. The Vice President, His Excellency Mr. J.D. Vance, who is a Roman Catholic Christian, showed great interest in the meeting.

The Patriarch expressed his condolences to the US President for the murder of his friend and associate Charlie Kirk and thanked him for the warm welcome and for his pleasant gift.

At the meeting in the Oval Office, His Holiness was accompanied by the Honorable Archbishops of America, Mr. Elpidophoris, of Laodicea, Mr. Theodoritos, and of Silibria, Mr. Maximos, His Holiness the Great Ecclesiarch, Mr. Aetios, Director of the Special Patriarchal Office, and the Honorable Protopresbyter of the Ecumenical Throne, Mr. Alexander Karloutsos.

The Honorable President was accompanied by the Vice President, as well as the Honorable Reince Priebus, a member of the President's Advisory Committee on Intelligence, and Michael Kratsios, Science Advisor to the President.