On the evening of Thursday, March 27, 2025, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew traveled to Ankara by air at the invitation of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to attend an iftar dinner hosted at the Beştepe Presidential Palace.
The dinner was held in honor of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of the Federal Republic of Somalia, who is on an official visit to Turkey, as well as in the presence of religious leaders of minority communities in Turkey.
In a notable gesture, the Ecumenical Patriarch was seated to the left of President Erdoğan, a placement that was captured in official photographs from the event.
Approximately thirty distinguished guests attended the dinner, including senior Turkish officials such as the Ministers of National Defense, Interior, and Culture and Tourism, the Head of the National Intelligence Organization (MIT) and the President of Religious Affairs (Diyanet), among others.
Shortly before the conclusion of the dinner, President Erdoğan delivered a brief address, warmly greeting the attendees and extending heartfelt wishes to their respective communities through the religious leaders present.
During the evening, Patriarch Bartholomew held a cordial private conversation with President Erdoğan, during which he raised issues concerning the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Greek Orthodox community in Turkey. President Erdoğan listened attentively and expressed interest in the matters discussed.
The Ecumenical Patriarch returned to Constantinople close to midnight.
