Bartolomeo I

His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, Archbishop of Constantinople, New Rome, and Ecumenical Patriarch, was born on the island of Imbros on February 29, 1940. After earning his degree from the Theological School of Halki in Constantinople, he was ordained a Deacon on August 13, 1961. Between 1963 and 1968, he pursued postgraduate studies at the Pontifical Oriental Institute of the Gregorian University in Rome, the Ecumenical Institute of Bossey (Switzerland), and the University of Munich. He obtained a doctorate from the Oriental Institute in Rome.

Upon his return to Constantinople in 1968, he was appointed Vice-Rector of the Theological School of Halki. He was ordained a Priest on October 19, 1969. On Christmas Day 1973, he was elected and ordained Metropolitan of Philadelphia, while also serving as Director of the Private Patriarchal Office. In January 1990, he was unanimously elected Metropolitan of Chalcedon.

Since March 1974, he has been a member of the Holy Synod, and for fifteen years a member—and for eight years Vice-Chairman—of the “Faith and Order” Commission of the World Council of Churches. He has represented the Ecumenical Patriarchate at numerous inter-Orthodox and inter-Christian conferences, as well as in official delegations. He has published numerous articles, studies, and homilies, and has lectured in various cities around the world.

On October 22, 1991, he was unanimously elected Archbishop of Constantinople-New Rome and Ecumenical Patriarch by the Holy Synod, and was enthroned on November 2. He has paid official visits to all Orthodox Churches and major other Churches and Christian denominations, many Heads of State and Government, and various international institutions. He has officially received at the Phanar all the Primates of the local Orthodox Churches and nearly all the leaders of other Churches and Christian confessions, as well as numerous Heads of State and institutional representatives. He has presided over seven Synaxes of the Primates of the Orthodox Churches.

He has been awarded honorary doctorates by numerous universities. He has organized and participated in various initiatives aimed at promoting peace and protecting creation. In 2014, he officially received His Holiness Pope Francis at the Phanar.