America's Hopeful to Home Patriarch: We reflect the light of the Lanterntranslated

The anniversary of the election and enthronement of His Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Mr. Bartholomew brought the Most Reverend Archbishop of America Elpidophoros and the Lords of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople to Constantinople. They arrived on a pilgrimage jointly organized by the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America and the Order of Saint Andrew the Apostle, which runs from October 20 to 25, 2026.

His Holiness spoke first. Reviewing three and a half decades of patriarchal ministry, he singled out the Ecumenical Patriarch's initiatives for the unity of Orthodoxy, his dialogue with the wider Christian world and his long-term work for the protection of the environment. A ministry like this, the Archbishop said, should be measured by its quality and reach as much as by its duration, and he admitted that its achievements were difficult even to enumerate.

He then conveyed the love and support of the Greek-American faithful. "Holiness, in America you have wonderful people, all loyal to you," he said. "They admire you, love you, respect you, pray for long life and health...