Bartholomew I of Constantinople

Bartholomew I (Greek: Πατριάρχης Βαρθολομαῖος Αʹ, Patriárkhēs Bartholomaĩos A', Turkish: Patrik I. Bartholomeos; born 29 February 1940) is the 270th and current archbishop of Constantinople and ecumenical patriarch, 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 the spiritual leader of the Eastern Orthodox Christians worldwide.[lower-alpha 1]

His All Holiness

Bartholomew I
Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople
ChurchEcumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople
DioceseConstantinople
SeeConstantinople
Installed2 November 1991
PredecessorDemetrios I
Personal details
Birth nameDimitrios Arhondonis (Δημήτριος Αρχοντώνης, Dēmḗtrios Archontṓnis)
Born (1940-02-29) 29 February 1940
Agioi Theodoroi (Zeytinliköy), Imbros (Gökçeada), Turkey
NationalityTurkish
DenominationEastern Orthodox
ResidenceFener, Istanbul, Turkey
ParentsChrḗstos (father) and Merópē (mother) Archontṓnis
Alma materPatriarchal Theological school (Halki seminary)
Signature

Bartholomew I was born as Dimitrios Arhondonis (Greek: Δημήτριος Αρχοντώνης, Dimítrios Archontónis), in the village of Agios Theodoros on the island of Imbros (later renamed Gökçeada by Turkey). 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 ecumenical patriarch.

Bartholomew's tenure has been characterized by intra-Orthodox cooperation, intra-Christian and inter-religious dialogue, and formal visits to Roman Catholic, Old Catholic, Orthodox and Muslim leaders seldom previously visited by an ecumenical 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".[20][21] Among his many international positions, he currently sits on the Board of World Religious Leaders for the Elijah Interfaith Institute.[22] Since 2018, several Orthodox Churches led by the Moscow Patriarchate have broken communion with the Ecumenical Patriarchate as a result of disputes over his decision to grant autocephaly to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine.[23][24]

Early life and background

Bartholomew I was born in the village of Agioi Theodoroi on the island of Imbros (now Gökçeada, Turkey), son of Christos and Merope Archontónis. His secular birth name is Dimitrios Arhondonis (Δημήτριος Αρχοντώνης, Dimítrios Archontónis).

Dimitrios Archontonis attended elementary school in his native Imvros and continued his secondary education in the famous Zographeion Lyceum in Istanbul. Soon afterwards, he studied Theology as an undergraduate at the Patriarchal Theological school or Halki seminary, from which he graduated with highest honours in 1961, and was immediately ordained deacon, receiving the name Bartholomew. Bartholomew fulfilled his military service in the Turkish army as a reserve officer between 1961 and 1963. From 1963 to 1968, Bartholomew pursued his postgraduate studies at the Pontifical Oriental Institute in Rome, the Ecumenical Institute of Bossey in Switzerland and the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich in Germany. His doctoral research was on the Canon Law. The same year he became a lecturer in the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome.

After returning to Istanbul in 1968, he took a position at the Patriarchal Theological Seminary of Halki, where he was ordained a priest in 1969, by Ecumenical Patriarch Athenagoras I. When Demetrius I became ecumenical patriarch in 1972 and established the Patriarchal Office, he selected Bartholomew as its director. On Christmas of 1973, Bartholomew became metropolitan of Philadelphia, and was renamed as director of the patriarchal office until his enthronement as Metropolitan of Chalcedon in 1990. From March 1974 until his enthronement as ecumenical patriarch, he was a member of the Holy Synod as well as of many Synodical Committees.

He speaks Modern Greek, Turkish, Italian, German, French and English; he is also fluent in classical Greek and Latin.

Bartholomew I was the target of an assassination plot which was planned to take place on May 29, 2013.[25] One suspect was arrested and there is an ongoing search for two others.[25]

Ordinations and ecclesiastical appointments

Patriarchate
Bartholomew with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and Patriarch Kirill

As ecumenical patriarch, he has been particularly active internationally. One of his first focuses has been on rebuilding the once-persecuted Eastern Orthodox churches of the former Eastern Bloc following the fall of Communism there in 1990. As part of this effort he has worked to strengthen ties among the various national churches and patriarchates of the Eastern Orthodox Church. He has also continued the reconciliation dialogue with the Roman Catholic Church started by his predecessors, and initiated dialogue with other faiths, including other Christian sects, Muslims, and Jews.[26][27]

United States President Barack Obama meets with Bartholomew I
Pope Francis and Patriarch Bartholomew in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem

Environmentalism
Further information: Christian views on environmentalism § Orthodox Churches, and Religion and environmentalism

He has also gained a reputation as a prominent environmentalist, putting the support of the Ecumenical Patriarchate behind various international environmental causes. This has earned him the nicknames of "the Green Patriarch" and "the Green Pope",[28][29][30][31] and in 2002 he was honored with the Sophie Prize for his contribution to environmentalism. He has also been honoured with the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest award which may be bestowed by the Legislative Branch of the United States government.

Turkey

Bartholomew I, after his attempts to celebrate the liturgy in remote areas of Turkey, thereby renewing the Orthodox presence, which was absent since before 1924, has now come under intense pressure from Turkish nationalist elements. The patriarchal Seminary of Halki in the Princes' Islands remains closed since 1971 on government orders.

In an interview published on 19 November 2006 in the daily newspaper Sabah, Bartholomew I addressed the issues of religious freedom and the then upcoming papal trip to Turkey. He also referred to the closing of the Halki seminary by saying: "As Turkish citizens, we pay taxes. We serve in the military. We vote. As citizens we do everything. We want the same rights. But it does not happen... If Muslims want to study theology, there are 24 theology faculties. Where are we going to study?" He also addressed the issue of his ecumenical title and it not being accepted by the Turkish government: "We've had this title since the 6th century... The word ecumenical has no political content. [...] This title is the only thing that I insist on. I will never renounce this title."[32][33]

Ecumenical dialogue

During his trip to Turkey in November 2006, Pope Benedict XVI traveled to Istanbul on the invitation of the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople Bartholomew I. The Pope participated in the feast day services of St. Andrew the First Apostle, the patron saint of the Church of Constantinople. This was the third official visit to the Ecumenical Patriarchate by a pope (the first being by Paul VI in 1967, and the second by John Paul II in 1979). He attended the Papal inauguration of Pope Francis on 19 March 2013, paving the way for better Catholic–Orthodox relations. It was the first time that the spiritual head of Eastern Orthodox Christians had attended a papal inauguration since the Great Schism in 1054.[34][35] After, he invited Pope Francis to travel with him to the Holy Land in 2014 to mark the fiftieth anniversary of the embrace between Patriarch Athenagoras and Pope Paul VI. Pope Francis was also invited to the Patriarchate for the feast day of Saint Andrew (30 November).[36]

Support of refugees, reunification and peace

On 16 April 2016 he visited, together with Pope Francis and Archbishop Hieronymus, the Moria Refugee Camp in the island of Lesbos, to call the attention of the world to the refugee issue.[37] In December 2018, he visited the Korean DMZ and prayed for permanent peace and unification on the Korean Peninsula.[38][39]

Autocephaly of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine
Main articles: Autocephaly of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine and 2018 Moscow–Constantinople schism
Bartholomew I with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, 3 November 2018

In October 2018 the synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate agreed to grant autocephaly (independence) to the Orthodox Church in Ukraine, to reestablish a stauropegion of the ecumenical patriarch in Kyiv, to revoke the legal binding of the letter of 1686 which led to the Russian Orthodox Church establishing jurisdiction over the Ukrainian Church, and to lift the excommunications which affected clergy and faithful of two then unrecognized Orthodox churches in Ukraine, the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church (UAOC) and the Ukrainian Orthodox Church – Kyiv Patriarchate (UOC-KP). In response, the Russian Orthodox Church announced it was cutting ties with the Ecumenical Patriarchate, which marked the beginning of the 2018 Moscow–Constantinople schism.[40]

On 5 January 2019, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew granted autocephaly to the newly founded Orthodox church of Ukraine.[41]

Possession of Vatican St. Peter Bone Fragments

On 2 July 2019, it was announced that Pope Francis had given Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew possession of nine bone fragments believed to belong to St. Peter and which were publicly displayed by Pope Francis in November 2013 during a Vatican 'Year of Faith' Mass.[42] Bartholomew, who also gained possession of the bronze reliquary which they are displayed in,[42] described the Pope's gesture as "brave and bold."[42]

Titles
Styles of
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople
Reference styleHis All Holiness
Spoken styleYour All Holiness
Religious styleEcumenical Patriarch
Posthumous styleN/A

Full title:

His Most Divine All Holiness, Bartholomew I, Archbishop of Constantinople, New Rome, and Ecumenical Patriarch

in Greek:

Η Αυτού Θειοτάτη Παναγιότης ο Αρχιεπίσκοπος Κωνσταντινουπόλεως Νέας Ρώμης και Οικουμενικός Πατριάρχης Βαρθολομαίος Α'

Title recognized by the Republic of Turkey:

Bartholomew I, Patriarch of the Phanar Roman Orthodox Patriarchate in Istanbul

in Turkish:

İstanbul Fener Rum Patriği Birinci Bartholomeos

Distinctions

Orders

Academic

He has been awarded honorary doctorates by a number of universities and educational institutions around the world, among them: National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, University of Patras, TEI of Kavala, Democritus University of Thrace, University of Crete, University of Ioannina, University of the Aegean, University of Western Macedonia and University of Thessaly in Greece, Moscow State University in Russia, University of Bucharest and University of Iaşi in Romania, City University of London, Exeter University and University of Edinburgh in the United Kingdom, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven in Belgium, St. Sergius Orthodox Theological Institute and Université de Provence Aix-Marseille I in France, Izmir University of Economics in Turkey, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies in South Korea, Flinders University in Australia, Adamson University in the Philippines, St. Andrew's College and Sherbrooke University in Canada, Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology, Georgetown University, Tufts University, Southern Methodist University, Yale University, Saint Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary in the United States.

He received an honorary PhD. from The Hebrew University in Jerusalem on 6 December 2017.[49]

In October 2009, he received an honorary doctorate from Fordham University in the United States.[50]

In December 2018, he received an honorary doctorate from the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy in Ukraine.[51][52]

Other

On December 3, 2013, he received the Global Thinkers Forum 2013 Award for Excellence in Peace and Collaboration.

In 2012 he received the Four Freedom Award for the Freedom of Worship[53]

In 1997, Bartholomew received the Congressional Gold Medal. The Congressional Gold Medal and the Presidential Medal of Freedom are the highest civilian awards given by the United States.[54]

In 2002, he received the Sophie Prize for his work on the environment.[55]

In April 2008, he was included on the Time 100 most influential people in the world list.[56] In 1999 he was awarded the Grand Cross of the Order of the Star of Romania; in 2004, by Federal President Thomas Klestil, the Great Golden Medal with Ribbon for Services to the Republic of Austria and on 13 March 2007, the third anniversary of the death of Cardinal Franz König, Bartholomew was awarded in Vienna's St. Stephen the "Cardinal König Prize" Foundation "Communio et Progressio".

See also

Notes
  1. See:[2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19]

References
    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. Thomas E. Fitzgerald (1998). The Orthodox Church. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 117. ISBN 978-0-275-96438-2. THE VISIT OF THE ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH Ecumenical 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, 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 Ecumenical Patriarch. His visit had a special significance because he is viewed as the first bishop of the Orthodox Church. As such, the Ecumenical Patriarch is frequently looked upon as the spiritual leader of the 300 million Orthodox Christians throughout the world
    3. Andrew P. Holt; James Muldoon (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, Ecumenical 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 Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew is the 270th successor to the Apostle Andrew and spiritual leader of 300 million Orthodox Christians worldwide.
    5. Dona J. Stewart (2013). The Middle East Today: Political, Geographical and Cultural Perspectives. Routledge. p. 71. ISBN 978-0-415-78243-2. Bartholomew I, the Ecumenical 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. Ecumenical 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 Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, the spiritual leader of an estimated 300 million Orthodox Christians around the ..
    8. Kathleen Dean Moore; Michael P. Nelson (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 Ecumenical 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 Ecumenical 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. Katherine Marshall; Lucy Keough (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 Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, spiritual leader of 300 million Orthodox Christians worldwide.
    11. Libby Bassett; 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 Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, spiritual leader of 300 million Orthodox Christians worldwide.
    12. Fairchild, Mary. "Christianity:Basics:Eastern Orthodox Church Denomination". about.com. Retrieved 22 May 2014.
    13. Bron Taylor (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, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew – who has widely ...
    14. "The Patriarch Bartholomew". 60 Minutes. CBS. 20 December 2009. Retrieved 11 January 2010.
    15. "Quick facts about the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople". Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople. Retrieved 18 June 2011. His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew serves as the spiritual leader and representative worldwide voice of some 300 million Orthodox Christians throughout the world
    16. "Biography – The Ecumenical Patriarchate". Patriarchate.org. Retrieved 2017-02-25.
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    18. Finding Global Balance. World Bank Publications. p. 119. Retrieved 2 August 2015. His All Holiness is the spiritual leader of 300 million Orthodox Christians worldwide
    19. "Who is the Ecumenical Patriarch? – Apostolic Pilgrimage of Pope Francis and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew to Jerusalem". Apostolicpilgrimage.org. Retrieved 2017-02-25.
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    22. "Elijah Interfaith – Sharing Wisdom Fostering Peace". Elijah-interfaith.org. Retrieved 2017-02-25.
    23. "Russian Orthodox Church breaks "Eucharistic communion" with Patriarcate of Constantinople - Vatican News". www.vaticannews.va. 2018-10-16. Retrieved 2020-11-16.
    24. MacFarquhar, Neil (2018-10-15). "Russia Takes Further Step Toward Major Schism in Orthodox Church (Published 2018)". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-11-16.
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    26. Patriarch Bartholomew I: Texts and Speeches (1991–1992) (1998) George C. Papademetriou; Journal of Ecumenical Studies 35
    27. Recent Patriarchal Encyclicals on Religious Tolerance and Peaceful Coexistence (2002) George C. Papademetriou Journal of Ecumenical Studies, 39
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    30. Orthodox Leader Deepens Progressive Stance on Environment December 3, 2012 The New York Times
    31. "Οικουμενικό Πατριαρχείο". Archived from the original on |archive-url= requires |archive-date= (help). Retrieved Jan 29, 2021.
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    33. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2006-11-19. Retrieved 2006-11-19.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
    34. Pope sets tone for humbler papacy, calls for defense of the weak. Reuters. Published: 19 March 2013
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    37. Pope Francis visits Lesbos. The Guardian. Published: 16 April 2016
    38. "Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch hoping that North Korea will give up its nuclear weapons and to bring true peace". Yonhap News Agency. Retrieved 8 December 2018.
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    48. "Патриарх Константинопольский Варфоломей награжден орденом "Золотое руно" — высшим орденом Грузии для иностранных граждан". Patriarchia.ru. Retrieved 12 November 2019.
    49. "Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew Doctor Honoris Causa of the Hebrew University in Jerusalem". Dec 11, 2017. Retrieved Jan 29, 2021.
    50. "Ecumenical Patriarch Receives Honorary Degree". Fordham.edu. 28 October 2003. Archived from the original on 9 September 2014. Retrieved 3 September 2013.
    51. "Вселенскому патриарху Варфоломею присвоено звание почетного доктора Национального университета "Киево-Могилянская академия"". Интерфакс-Украина (in Russian). 26 January 2019. Retrieved 2019-01-26.
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    56. Bartholomew I Archived 2012-09-12 at Archive.today by Archbishop Rowan Williams Time Retrieved on 1 May 2008
    Eastern Orthodox Church titles
    Preceded by
    Unknown    		 Metropolitan of Philadelphia
    1973–1990    		 Succeeded by
    Meliton Karas
    Preceded by
    Meliton (Hadjis)    		 Metropolitan of Chalcedon
    1990–1991    		 Succeeded by
    Joachim (Neradjoulis)
    Preceded by
    Demetrius I    		 Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople
    1991–present    		 Incumbent
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