The Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew was present at the dinner hosted by Turkish President Tayyip Erdoğan for Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
Photographs show the three men in an informal huddle, with Mr. Mitsotakis showing the Ecumenical Patriarch his komboloi.
According to protothema.gr, the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew also has a komboloi, so the conversation revolved around it, with Erdoğan showing keen interest.
Notably, Mr. Erdoğan spoke at length not only with Mr. Mitsotakis and the Ecumenical Patriarch but also with Elder Metropolitan Emmanuel of Chalcedon, who accompanied the Ecumenical Patriarch to Ankara.
The atmosphere at the dinner was described as “warm,” and the event lasted slightly more than one hour. The Turkish presidency also arranged for an orchestra to play well-known Greek and Turkish songs.
Translated by Ioanna Georgakopoulou
