POPE FRANCIS MEETS WITH ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH BARTHOLOMEW

Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity

Soon after the “Faith and Science: Towards COP26” meeting in Rome on 4 October 2021, Pope Francis met in a private audience with the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. 

The Ecumenical Patriarch was accompanied during the meeting by Metropolitan Emmanuel of Chalcedon, Reverend Archimandrite Gregorios Frankakis, Secretary of the Holy Synod, and Reverend Barnabas Gregoriadis, Patriarchal Deacon.

The joint appeal they issued yesterday together with other religious leaders follows the deep concern expressed by the Holy Father and the Ecumenical Patriarch over the years on the safeguarding of creation. In their Common Declaration in 2014 they affirmed: “Together, we pledge our commitment to raising awareness about the stewardship of creation”. In September 2021, with Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, they issued a “Joint Message for the Protection of Creation” stressing the importance of cooperation and sustainability over short-term advantages as the essential aspects of the response of humanity to the threat of climate change and environmental degradation.

The programme of the Ecumenical Patriarch during his visit to Rome also includes his participation in the "Science and Ethics" workshop at the Vatican Academy of Sciences, the Global Compact on Education promoted by the Congregation for Catholic Education, an academic act at the Pontifical Lateran University on "Ecologia e ambiente", and an interreligious conference organized by the Sant'Egidio Community.

 

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