The Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople visited the tomb of the late Pope Francis at the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, where he laid white flowers and offered prayers for the pontiff’s soul. Speaking to reporters afterward, the Orthodox leader shared fond memories of his 12-year friendship and collaboration with Pope Francis, rooted in shared visions for Christian unity and global peace. Patriarch Bartholomew also said that he and Pope Leo XIV will undertake a joint pilgrimage to Iznik (a

“To commit a crime against the natural world is a sin!” This famous quote by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, the spiritual leader of over 300,000,000 Orthodox Christians around the globe, was only a small part of why former U.S. Vice-President and staunch environmental advocate Al Gore dubbed him “the Green Patriarch.” ECOS - Earth Friendly Products honoring the Patriarch’s lifetime advocacy and commitment to our planet presented his All-Holiness with the ECOS Award 2019 at a special ceremony