Cordial meeting held between Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and Pope Leo XIV

His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew met in person with His Holiness Pope Leo XIV on Monday, 19 May 2025, at the Vatican.

During their cordial meeting, His All-Holiness congratulated the new Pope in person on his election and in the discussion they had, among other things, he emphasised the importance of continuing to promote and deepen the theological dialogue between the two Churches, Orthodox and Roman Catholic, as well as their cooperation on issues of social interest, such as the restoration and prevalence of peace in the world, the support of our suffering fellow human beings and the protection of the natural environment. He also referred to the fraternal communication and cooperation he had with the late Pope Francis, with whom he met with more than ten times.

Pope Leo XIV expressed his gratitude to His All-Holiness for his presence at the ceremony for the official beginning of his papal ministry, and he also stressed the importance of promoting inter-Christian dialogue and cooperation. He assured him of his strong desire to visit Turkey, within the current year and at a time to be determined, in order to commemorate together with the Patriarch this year’s 1700th anniversary of the convening of the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea. It is recalled that the Ecumenical Patriarch had invited the late Pope Francis for this purpose, and renewed his invitation to his successor Pope Leo.

The Ecumenical Patriarch offered Pope Leo XIV an icon of the Panagia Hodegetria (The Directress), painted for this purpose on Mount Athos, incense prepared by Athonite monks, as well as his own books. The Pope offered His All-Holiness an artistic representation of the Baptism of the Lord.

Subsequently, in the Clementine Hall of the Vatican, the Pope welcomed and spoke to the representatives of the Churches and other religions, who attended yesterday’s Mass for his enthronement, and greeted all the delegations in turn.

Early in the afternoon, the Ecumenical Patriarch and his entourage visited the Embassy of the Republic of Turkey near the Quirinal Palace, where they were welcomed with honour and cordiality by Ambassador Ms. Elif Çomoğlu Ülgen and her associates.

From there, the Ecumenical Patriarch went with his entourage to the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, where he prayed and left white roses at the tomb of Pope Francis, and then made relevant statements to the media, in Italian, Greek and Turkish.

The Patriarch then with great emotion, visited the adjacent Pontifical Institute of Oriental Studies, where he had studied during the years 1963-1966, specialising in Canon Law.

Photographs: L’Osservatore Romano