Elpidophoros' visit to the State Department: Halki and the promotion of religious freedoms in focus

The meeting took place at the invitation of the American official and focused more broadly on the protection of religious freedoms and the rights of religious communities. Particular reference was made to the efforts to reopen the Theological School of Halki, with the Archdiocese speaking of “particularly promising developments” in this direction.

For his part, Archbishop Elpidophoros emphasized that the issue of Halki does not concern only the Ecumenical Patriarchate and Orthodoxy, but is more broadly linked to religious freedom and the protection of human rights.

The meeting also examined the situation of Christian communities in the Middle East. The two sides discussed the need to protect the security and religious freedom of the historical Christian communities of the region, emphasizing the preservation of the Christian presence in places where it dates back to apostolic times.

As noted, the aim is to ensure the conditions so that these communities can live, freely practice their worship and continue their work in security and peace.