On Tuesday, 28 April, His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew warmly and fraternally received His Beatitude Patriarch John X of Antioch, who is visiting the Seat of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
His Beatitude, who in the preceding days had been in southeastern Turkey as part of a pastoral visit to regions under the jurisdiction of the Patriarchate of Antioch, wished to travel to Constantinople in order to convey personally to His All-Holiness his Paschal greetings, also responding to earlier invitations extended by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew.
Upon the arrival of the Primate of the ancient Patriarchate of Antioch at the gates of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, he was received by the clergy of the Patriarchal Court, while the bells rang festively.
After venerating in the venerable Patriarchal Church, he proceeded to the Patriarchal Residence, where he was awaited by the Ecumenical Patriarch.
A meeting between the two Primates followed, attended by Their Eminences Elder Metropolitan Emmanuel of Chalcedon, President of the Synodal Commission on Inter-Orthodox Affairs, and Metropolitan Gregorios of Ankara, Protosyncellus, as well as members of His Beatitude’s delegation: Metropolitan Ephraim of Aleppo, Bishop Paul of Tarsus, and Archimandrite Parthenios Allati, Private Secretary to the Patriarch of Antioch.
Immediately thereafter, His All-Holiness hosted a dinner in honour of His Beatitude and his entourage.
His Beatitude Patriarch John X will remain in Constantinople until midday on Thursday.
Photos: Nikos Papachristou