Patriarch of Jerusalem Meets with President of Turkey

ISTANBUL — On September 14, 2025, Pat. Theophilos III of Jerusalem met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Istanbul. The meeting highlighted the "Covenant of Omar,"established in the seventh century between Patriarch Sophronios and Caliph Omar ibn al-Khattab, which is supposed to protect Christian holy sites.

Patriarch Theophilos noted that this covenant, later formalized under Ottoman rule as the status quo, ensures Jerusalem’s diverse religious communities coexist peacefully. He praised Erdogan for recognizing the importance of preserving the Church’s patrimony in Turkey, underscoring its role as a living testament to faith and history.

Quoting Apostle Paul’s call to “live at peace with everyone” (Romans 12:18), Theophilos stressed the need for renewed cooperation to safeguard Jerusalem’s sacred heritage. He acknowledged Muslim leaders, particularly the Hashemites, as key custodians of Christian and Muslim holy sites, emphasizing their shared duty to foster unity and hope across the region’s diverse faiths.

The following day—September 15—Pat. Theophilos hosted a diverse group of visitors at his offices in Jerusalem, the Orthodox Times reports.

These included Serbian pilgrims, the Greek Consul General Dimitrios Angelosopoulos, a Jewish delegation from Montenegro, Belgium’s new Consul General Anick Van Calster, and Fr. Nathanael, the new Archbishop of the Ethiopian Church in Jerusalem. 

Fr. Nathanael expressed eagerness to collaborate with the Patriarchate, which Theophilos reciprocated, aiming to resolve tensions between the Ethiopian and Coptic Churches at the Monastery of Abraham. 

The Patriarch also blessed the construction start of the Myrrh-Bearing Women’s chapel at St. James Cathedral.

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