On 20 November 2025, the Working Group of the European People’s Party (EPP) on Intercultural and Religious Dialogue visited Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew at the Phanar, in a delegation organized by Greek MEP and co-chair of the group, Evangelos Meimarakis. During the meeting, the European parliamentarians extended an invitation to the Ecumenical Patriarch to visit the European Parliament.
Welcoming the EPP delegation to the Ecumenical Patriarchate—“the first see of the global Orthodox Church and the spiritual center of Orthodox Christianity for seventeen uninterrupted centuries”—Patriarch Bartholomew highlighted the profound significance of this year for the Church of Constantinople.
“This year marks a symbolic milestone and an important reminder of the ancient roots of our Church of Constantinople, as the Christian world celebrates the 1700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council in Nicaea, which articulated the original Creed of the Faith,” he said.
The Patriarch also noted that in just a few days Pope Leo XIV, in his first journey outside Rome, will arrive in Constantinople to jointly honor this anniversary as well as the Thronal Feast of St Andrew of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. “He follows the tradition of his immediate predecessors—Pope Francis, Pope Benedict XVI, and Pope John Paul II—who visited the Ecumenical Patriarchate shortly after their enthronement,” he added.
In his remarks, Patriarch Bartholomew underlined the deep connection between ecological responsibility and human solidarity.
“The urgent need for the protection of Creation cannot be separated from the importance of dialogue. What we do for the Earth is closely linked to what we do for people—whether in the realm of human rights, or in international politics regarding poverty, social justice, and global peace,” he said.
He emphasized that the mission of the Ecumenical Patriarchate has always had a pan-Christian and interreligious dimension: “There is no doubt in our minds that, especially in our time, religious principles and values are experiencing a tremendous revival and play an essential role in securing peaceful coexistence among different peoples and cultures.”
Patriarch Bartholomew observed that many priorities outlined in the EPP manifesto align closely with the concerns of the Ecumenical Patriarchate:“Human rights and freedom, solidarity with the poor and vulnerable, the promotion of values related to family, education and health, as well as the protection and integration of migrants,” he listed.
“These,” he stressed, “are precisely the ideas and ideals that politicians must support and promote—especially in a world as fragile and divided as ours.”
Speaking after the meeting, MEP Evangelos Meimarakis described the encounter as both timely and highly insightful, coming just days before the Patriarch’s meeting with Pope Leo XIV.
He noted that this visit followed the delegation’s earlier trip to the Pope, and said the exchange with Patriarch Bartholomew was “as interesting as every discussion with him.”
Meimarakis highlighted the issues raised by the Patriarch: “He referred to many matters that concern us greatly at this moment—such as the reopening of the Halki Seminary, outreach to the younger generation, and the cooperation we seek with other Christian communities, and not only them, but also with other religions, so that in this turbulent period we may find solutions that help us live in peace, social justice, and development.”
