Patriarch and Pope Historic Meeting in Jerusalem

The visits by the leaders of the Orthodox and Roman Catholic churches, who represent billions of Christians throughout the world, coincide with the 50th anniversary of a meeting in Jerusalem between Pope Paul VI and Ecumenical Patriarch Athenagoras in the Basilica of the Holy Sepulcher.

In preparation for the visit, the city has been decked out with the flags of Israel, the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the Jerusalem Patriarchate and the Vatican, especially in the areas where the two religious leaders are expected to visit.

According to ANA-MPA, in prominent places throughout the city, authorities have raised massive banners depicting both Patriarch Vartholomeos and Pope Francis.

Authorities have also imposed stringent security measures to ensure the safety of the two religious leaders, including a total ban on all traffic in the old city and many central streets in Jerusalem on Sunday, the first day when Patriarch Vartholomeos and Pope Francis are scheduled to meet.

The Ecumenical Patriarch will be accompanied by the Archbishop of America Demetrios and a large delegation of metropolitans, archmandrites, two archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate - Theodoros Aggelopoulos and Panteleimon Vigas - and the board chairman of Coca-Cola Turkey Muhtar Kent.

Also in Jerusalem for the meeting between the Pope and Patriarch are a large group of Greek-Americans and other pilgrims. Vartholomeo's programme upon arrival is to visit the Holy Sepulcher for a mass conducted alongside Jerusalem Patriarch Theophilos, after which they will receive the public in the Patriarchate throne room and give them their blessing.

The meetings with Pope Francis will take place on Sunday and Monday, the anniversary of a historic meeting between their predecessors, and were proposed by Patriarch Bartholomew to the then newly-elected Pope Francis in March 2013 during their meeting in Rome.

The Jerusalem Christian Information Centre has launched a photography exhibition on the historic meeting between Patriarch Athenagoras and Pope Paul VI in 1964.