Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople

Who is Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople?

Patriarch Bartholomew I is the Archbishop of Constantinople, New Rome and Ecumenical Patriarch, and thus "first among equals" in the Eastern Orthodox Communion, since 2 November 1991.

Bartholomew's tenure has been characterized by inter-Orthodox cooperation, inter-Christian and inter-religious dialog, as well as by formal trips to Orthodox and Muslim countries seldom previously visited. He has exchanged numerous invitations of Church and State dignitaries. His efforts to promote religious freedom and human rights, his initiatives to advance religious tolerance among the world’s religions has been widely noted. Among his many positions, he currently sits on the Board of World Religious Leaders for the Elijah Interfaith Institute