Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople

His All Holiness

Bartholomew
Archbishop of Constantinople-New Rome and Ecumenical Patriatch
Bartholomew in 2023
ChurchPatriarchate of Constantinople
DioceseConstantinople
SeeIstanbul
Installed2 November 1991
PredecessorDemetrios I
Orders
Ordination19 October 1969
Consecration25 December 1973
Personal details
Born
Dimitrios Arhondonis (Δημήτριος Αρχοντώνης, Dimítrios Archontónis)

(1940-02-29) 29 February 1940 (age 84)
Agioi Theodoroi (Zeytinliköy), Imbros (Gökçeada), Turkey
NationalityGreek
DenominationEastern Orthodox
ResidenceFener, Istanbul, Turkey
Parents
  • Chrḗstos Archontṓnēs (father)
  • Merópē Archontṓnēs (mother)
Alma materPatriarchal Theological School (Halki seminary)
SignatureBartholomew's signature
Coat of armsBartholomew's coat of arms
Styles of
Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople
Reference styleHis All Holiness
Spoken styleYour All Holiness
Posthumous styleN/A

Bartholomew (Greek: Βαρθολομαῖος, Bartholomaĩos; Turkish: Bartholomeos; born 29 February 1940) is the 270th Archbishop of Constantinople, since 2 November 1991.[1] In accordance with his title, he is regarded as the primus inter pares (first among equals) in the Eastern Orthodox Church, and as a spiritual leader of the Eastern Orthodox Christians worldwide.[a]

Bartholomew was born as Dimitrios Arhondonis (Greek: Δημήτριος Αρχοντώνης, Dimítrios Archontónis), in the village of Agios Theodoros (officially called Zeytinliköy) on the island of Imbros (later renamed Gökçeada by the Turkish government). After his graduation, he held a position at the Patriarchal Theological Seminary of Halki, where he was ordained a priest. Later, he served as metropolitan of Philadelphia and Chalcedon and he became a member of the Holy Synod as well as other committees, prior to his enthronement as Patriarch.

Bartholomew's tenure has been characterized by intra-Orthodox cooperation, intra-Christian and inter-religious dialogue, such as formal visits to Roman Catholic, Old Catholic, Oriental Orthodox and Muslim leaders previously visited by an patriarch. He has exchanged numerous invitations with church and state dignitaries. His efforts to promote religious freedom and human rights, his initiatives to advance religious tolerance among the world's religions, as well as his efforts to promote ecology and the protection of the environment, have been widely noted, and these endeavors have earned him the title "The Green Patriarch".[19][20] Among his many international positions, he currently sits on the Board of World Religious Leaders for the Elijah Interfaith Institute.[21] In 2018 the Moscow Patriarchate broke communion with the Patriarchate as a result of disputes over his decision to grant autocephaly to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine.[22][23]

  1. ^ John Meyendorff, John Chapin, Nicolas Lossky(1981), The Orthodox Church: its past and its role in the world today, Crestwood, N.Y. : St Vladimir's Seminary Press, p.132 ISBN 0-913836-81-8
  2. ^ Fitzgerald, Thomas E. (1998). The Orthodox Church. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 117. ISBN 978-0-275-96438-2. THE VISIT OF THE PATRIARCH Patriarch Dimitrios I of Constantinople, together with a delegation that included five Metropolitans made an unprecedented visit to the United States 2–29 July 1990. Among the delegation was the present patriarch, Bartholomew, who succeeded Patriarch Dimitrios in 1991. Although other Orthodox patriarchs had visited this country in the past, this was the first visit of the Patriarch. His visit had a special significance because he is viewed as the first bishop of the Orthodox Church. As such, the Patriarch is frequently looked upon as the spiritual leader of the 300 million Orthodox Christians throughout the world
  3. ^ Holt, Andrew P.; Muldoon, James (2008). Competing Voices from the Crusades. Greenwood World Pub. p. xiv. ISBN 978-1-84645-011-2. ...one made during a visit to Greece in 2001 for the crusaders' sack of Constantinople in 1204. Three years later, Patriarch Bartholomew I, the spiritual leader of the world's 300 million Orthodox Christians, finally accepted the Pope's
  4. ^ Eastern Churches Journal: A Journal of Eastern Christendom. Society of Saint John Chrysostom. 2004. p. 181. His All Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew is the 270th successor to the Apostle Andrew and spiritual leader of 300 million Orthodox Christians worldwide.
  5. ^ Stewart, Dona J. (2013). The Middle East Today: Political, Geographical and Cultural Perspectives. Routledge. p. 71. ISBN 978-0-415-78243-2. Bartholomew I, the Patriarch of Constantinople, spiritual leader of 300 million Orthodox Christians worldwide.
  6. ^ W. El-Ansary; D. Linnan (26 November 2010). Muslim and Christian Understanding: Theory and Application of "A Common Word". Springer. p. 82. ISBN 978-0-230-11440-1. Patriarch Bartholomew is the 270th Archbishop to the 2,000-year-old Church of Constantinople (Istanbul), "first among equals" of Orthodox bishops worldwide, and spiritual leader to 300 million faithful.
  7. ^ Jewish Political Studies Review. Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs. 2001. p. 8. Bartholomew I, the Patriarch of Constantinople, the spiritual leader of an estimated 300 million Orthodox Christians around the ..
  8. ^ Moore, Kathleen Dean; Nelson, Michael P. (15 April 2011). Moral Ground: Ethical Action for a Planet in Peril. Trinity University Press. p. 133. ISBN 978-1-59534-105-1. Bartholomew I, the Patriarch of Constantinople, spiritual leader of 300 million Orthodox Christians worldwide.
  9. ^ The Living Church. The Living Church by Morehouse-Gorham Company. 1997. p. 3. the Patriarch of Constantinople, Bartholomew I, is now touring 14 cities on his first visit to the United States. The 57-year-old leader of 300 million Orthodox Christians wore a gold and crimson mandya with train and tinkling bells
  10. ^ Marshall, Katherine; Keough, Lucy (2005). Finding Global Balance: Common Ground Between the Worlds of Development and Faith. World Bank Publications. p. 119. ISBN 978-0-8213-6247-1. Bartholomew I, the Patriarch of Constantinople, spiritual leader of 300 million Orthodox Christians worldwide.
  11. ^ Bassett, Libby; United Nations Environment Programme (2000). Earth and Faith: A Book of Reflection for Action. UNEP/Earthprint. p. 16. ISBN 978-92-807-1915-4. Bartholomew I, the Patriarch of Constantinople, spiritual leader of 300 million Orthodox Christians worldwide.
  12. ^ Fairchild, Mary. "Christianity:Basics:Eastern Orthodox Church Denomination". about.com. Archived from the original on 5 June 2016. Retrieved 22 May 2014.
  13. ^ Taylor, Bron (10 June 2008). Encyclopedia of Religion and Nature. A&C Black. p. 158. ISBN 978-1-4411-2278-0. The spiritual leader of the over 300 million Orthodox Christians worldwide, Patriarch Bartholomew – who has widely ...
  14. ^ "The Patriarch Bartholomew". 60 Minutes. CBS. 20 December 2009. Retrieved 11 January 2010.
  15. ^ "Quick facts about the Patriarch of Constantinople". Patriarch of Constantinople. Retrieved 18 June 2011. His All Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew serves as the spiritual leader and representative worldwide voice of some 300 million Orthodox Christians throughout the world
  16. ^ "Biography – The Patriarchate". Patriarchate.org. Retrieved 25 February 2017.
  17. ^ "Pope Francis Bows, Asks For Blessing From Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew In Extraordinary Display Of Christian Unity". HuffPost. 1 December 2014. Archived from the original on 1 December 2014. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
  18. ^ "Who is the Patriarch? – Apostolic Pilgrimage of Pope Francis and Patriarch Bartholomew to Jerusalem". Apostolicpilgrimage.org. Archived from the original on 13 January 2021. Retrieved 25 February 2017.
  19. ^ Simons, Marlise (3 December 2012). "Bartholomew I of Constantinople's Bold Green Stance – The New York Times". The New York Times. Retrieved 25 February 2017.
  20. ^ "The Green Patriarch – Apostolic Pilgrimage of Pope Francis and Patriarch Bartholomew to Jerusalem". Apostolicpilgrimage.org. Archived from the original on 15 January 2017. Retrieved 25 February 2017.
  21. ^ "Elijah Interfaith – Sharing Wisdom Fostering Peace". Elijah-interfaith.org. Retrieved 25 February 2017.
  22. ^ "Russian Orthodox Church breaks "Eucharistic communion" with Patriarcate of Constantinople - Vatican News". www.vaticannews.va. 16 October 2018. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  23. ^ MacFarquhar, Neil (15 October 2018). "Russia Takes Further Step Toward Major Schism in Orthodox Church (Published 2018)". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 16 November 2020.


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