Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew left white roses at the tomb of the late Pope Francis

On 17-19 May 2025, His Eminence Metropolitan Job of Pisidia accompanied His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew to the Vatican on the occasion of the enthronement of Pope Leo XIV which took place at the Basilica of Saint Peter on 18 May 2025.

Besides the Ecumenical Patriarch, also present were His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem and delegations of the Ancient Patriarchates of Alexandria and Antioch as well as of the Holy Orthodox Churches of Russia, Serbia, Roumania, Bulgaria, Georgia, Cyprus, Greece, Albania, Czech Lands and Slovakia, and Ukraine. Also present were representatives of other Christian Churches and other religions.

On 19 May, His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew had a cordial meeting with Pope Leo XIV during which they discussed, among other things, the importance of the theological dialogue between the two Churches, of which Metropolitan Job of Pisidia is the Orthodox Co-President, as well as the 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. They also discussed the future visit of the Pope to Turkey, within the current year and at a time to be determined, in order to commemorate together with the Ecumenical Patriarch this year’s 1700th anniversary of the convening of the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea.

Later that day, the Ecumenical Patriarch made his way with his entourage to the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, where he prayed and left white roses at the tomb of the late Pope Francis.