Cardinal Grech meets Patriarch Bartholomew: Let us build bridges

A fraternal meeting—marked by an embrace reminiscent of those often exchanged with Pope Francis—took place on the afternoon of June 17 at the Phanar between Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople Bartholomew I and Cardinal Mario Grech, Secretary General of the Synod, who is currently in Istanbul for the meeting of the General Secretaries of the Bishops’ Conferences of Europe (CCEE).
During the gathering, Cardinal Grech presented to all participants the process accompanying the implementation phase of the Synod. His itinerary also included a stop in Nicaea, present-day Iznik—the site of the First Ecumenical Council, whose 1700th anniversary is approaching, and where a visit by Pope Leo XIV is anticipated, continuing the intention of his predecessor, Francis.
In his address to the participants of the CCEE meeting, Patriarch Bartholomew recalled Pope Francis and expressed his “great anticipation” for a possible visit by Pope Leo XIV. First, the Patriarch conveyed his gratitude “for the personal friendship and the unwavering commitment of Pope Francis” (whom he described as “a true friend of Orthodoxy”), noting that his pontificate “has been a time of warmth and mutual encouragement.”
Patriarch Bartholomew dedicated significant attention to the theme of dialogue—ecumenical and interreligious—especially in “a time marked by divisions, fear and violence” when “we are called to be builder of bridges, not walls.” In particular, he underlined the importance of the relationship with the Roman Catholic Church, and the theological dialogue that resumed nearly half a century ago following the revocation of mutual anathemas in 1965.
This relationship is essential to pursue “a steady and serious path of encounter”—a journey that, while not without challenges, is also “marked by moments of grace, deepening understanding, and a sincere desire for the unity that Christ wills.”