When the Templeton Foundation announced last April that it would honor Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew at a ceremony in New York in September, a channel of communication and coordination was activated between the Phanar, the Archdiocese of America, and the White House.
It was clear from the outset that Bartholomew’s visit to the other side of the Atlantic would include a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump.
“The White House’s stance toward the Ecumenical Patriarchate is consistent. It remains high on the agenda, and the President of the United States always welcomes the Ecumenical Patriarch with joy and due honors,” a source familiar with the communications said.
The meeting
The Archdiocese of America undertook the consultations, and the same source emphasized that precisely because of the high regard in which the Ecumenical Patriarchate is held—and the importance the American side places on maintaining this relationship—there was an immediate response to the proposal for a visit to the White House.
“The challenge,” the source noted, “was finding an available date amid President Trump’s demanding schedule. For this reason, the Ecumenical Patriarch extended his stay in the United States to a total of eleven days, as the only available date close to his award ceremony—scheduled for September 25—was September 15.”
When the Ecumenical Patriarch crossed the threshold of the White House, the members of his delegation could not have imagined what would follow.
On the American side, the meeting included President Donald Trump, Vice President J.D. Vance, the head of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, Michael Kratsios, and former White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus.
Accompanying the Ecumenical Patriarch were Archbishop Elpidophoros of America, Metropolitan Theodoritos of Laodicea, Metropolitan Maximos of Sylivria, and the Grand Ecclesiarch and Director of the Patriarchal Office, Father Aetios.
“We went into the meeting knowing that President Trump had little knowledge of our Church or the history and role of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. So, we had prepared an introductory statement to explain all of this,” said a senior member of the delegation accompanying Bartholomew.
Vance’s intervention
As the discussion began to drift into excessive detail and analysis, the American Vice President intervened. “He interrupted and explained to President Trump that the Ecumenical Patriarch is to the Orthodox Church what the Pope is to the Catholic Church.
He added that Rome and Constantinople are the two main pillars of Christianity,” the same source noted.
This intervention by J.D. Vance proved crucial in underscoring the significance of the meeting and the visit, helping steer the discussion toward its core purpose. President Trump then asked to be informed about the challenges and concerns of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, saying, “What can I do to help you?”
The Ecumenical Patriarch briefly outlined the key issues facing the Patriarchate. When the matter of the Halki Theological School arose, it was emphasized that every American president has expressed support and monitored developments closely, yet the desired outcome has not been achieved. President Trump promptly reiterated his support and appeared optimistic that his intervention could yield results.
His subsequent public statement on the reopening of Halki, made during his meeting with Recep Tayyip Erdoğan a few days later, confirmed his genuine interest. Sources close to the Patriarchate noted that Erdoğan’s immediate response appeared to have been preceded by related discussions in preparation for the meeting.
Those close to Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew described the meeting with the American president as particularly positive, characterizing it as “warm and cordial.”
Vice President Vance’s intervention proved crucial. As noted, he is a devout Catholic who closely follows the dialogue between the Catholic and Orthodox Churches. “He was the last politician to meet Pope Francis shortly before his death and the first to meet the new Pope, Leo,” it was said, highlighting his close relationship with the Catholic Church and his personal interest in matters concerning the Christian faith.
What they expect
In the wake of recent developments across the Atlantic, the Phanar is now awaiting the next moves of the Turkish leadership, which faces criticism and pressure from extremist circles and the opposition over its stance on the Halki issue.
However, the fact that the matter of reopening the Theological School was raised in April 2024 — through a statement by the Turkish Minister of Education and on Turkey’s own initiative — is seen as a clear indication of political will. Still, it is understood that steps are being taken cautiously, in order to limit reactions and allow public debate on the issue to gradually subside.
Meanwhile, restoration work on the School’s facilities continues so that they may meet the standards and needs of a modern educational institution of international stature. As noted by sources, “ideally, the completion of the renovation works could coincide with the announcement of the decision to reopen.”
Source: Kathimerini tis Kyriakis
