Ecumenical Patriarch puts the brakes on Jerusalem Patriarch’s ambitions

By Efi Efthymiou

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew has invited the Patriarchs of Alexandria, Antioch and Jerusalem to a fraternal gathering at the Phanar on November 30 , the feast day of Apostle Andrew, patron saint of the Church of Constantinople.

The invitation was extended in a recent letter written in English, proposing a meeting of the four ancient Patriarchates — Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch and Jerusalem — to address important and urgent challenges currently facing the Church and the faithful.

The Ecumenical Patriarch’s initiative is particularly significant given its timing. In addition to the Ukrainian issue, which has caused tensions within the Orthodox Church in recent years, there is growing concern over Christian populations in the Middle East.

The dramatic developments in the region where Christianity was born and spread remain at the center of international attention, particularly because of the risks and challenges facing its steadily shrinking Christian communities.

Through this meeting, the Ecumenical Patriarch seeks to convey a message of cohesion and unity among the Churches, particularly at this critical time and amid tensions that have…