Pope Tawadros II visits the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Turkey

Written by: Mohamed Ragab

In a move that carries profound spiritual and ecclesiastical significance, pope Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, paid an official visit to the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Constantinople (the Phanar) for the first time since his enthronement on the See of St. Mark more than thirteen years ago. Visit In order to strengthen fraternal relations between the Orthodox churches and to consolidate the spirit of love and Christian unity.

Official reception ceremony

The Ecumenical Patriarchate announced on its official website that Pope Tawadros will arrive tomorrow evening, Saturday, April 25, at 6:30, accompanied by a high-level church delegation.

He will be officially received at the Patriarchate headquarters, where the Doxology (praise) service will be held in the Patriarchal Church, presided over by Metropolitan Emmanuel, Metropolitan of Chalcedon.

This will be followed by an official reception in the throne room by Patriarch Bartholomew I, in the presence of a number of members of the Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, in a scene that reflects the depth of relations between the two churches.

Festive Divine Liturgy

The following day, the second Sunday of the Holy Fifty Days, Patriarch Bartholomew presided over the solemn Divine Liturgy at the Patriarchal Church, with the participation of a number of bishops of the Church, and in the presence of Pope Tawadros II and his accompanying delegation.

Bishop Alexios, Metropolitan of Drinopolis, Bogonia and Konitsa, is scheduled to deliver a sermon, and the service will conclude with an exchange of formal words between the two churches and their heads, in a scene that embodies the spirit of unity and rapprochement.

This is Pope Tawadros' first visit to Türkiye since the structural lottery was cast on him in 2012, making it a significant milestone in the path of church dialogue and spiritual rapprochement between the Orthodox churches.

Promoting the values of love and cooperation among Christian denominations

This comes at a time when the world is witnessing an increasing need to promote the values of love and cooperation among Christian denominations, and this step represents a clear message about the importance of communication and openness between churches.

The visit has dimensions that go beyond the protocol aspect, as it represents an opportunity to exchange views on common church issues and to enhance cooperation in spiritual and theological fields.

It also emphasizes the pivotal role of the Church in spreading the values of peace and love, and consolidating Christian unity in the face of the challenges of the age.