Coptic Pope Visits Phanar, Leads EP Bishops in 'Official Prayer'

Pope Tawadros and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. Photo: ec-patr.org

ISTANBUL — Pope Tawadros II of the Coptic Orthodox Church visited the Ecumenical Patriarchate on April 25, where he was received at the Phanar before meeting Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. According to the Coptic Church, the “Polychronion” (“Many Years”) was sung in his honor upon arrival, and he concluded the opening prayer, saying, “O Lord our God, we thank You for gathering us in this blessed meeting.”

In his address to Pope Tawadros, Patr. Bartholomew emphasized that, “Your presence at the Ecumenical Patriarchate is a blessing and a sign of hope." He went on to say that "through sincere and patient dialogue, we have rediscovered that what unites us immeasurably surpasses what once divided us. The Christological agreements reached in recent decades have revealed our common faith in the mystery of the Incarnate Word, expressed in distinct theological formulations, yet firmly rooted in the apostolic tradition of the undivided Church.”

On April 26, the Ecumenical Patriarch presided over the Patriarchal Divine Liturgy for the Sunday of the Myrrh-bearing Women at the Patriarchal Church of St. George. Pope Tawadros attended the service from the antithrone and recited the Lord’s Prayer in Arabic, while hierarchs, clergy, diplomats, and faithful gathered for the celebration. At the conclusion, the two primates exchanged greetings, and the Patriarchal choirs sang the Polychronia as they blessed the congregation, followed by an official luncheon and later visits to the Monastery of Valoukli for memorial prayers.

In his address, Patr. Bartholomew claimed there is growing convergence between the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox Churches, calling for unity to move “from dialogue to life,” while also urging prayer for peace and the protection of human dignity. 

According to a release from the Coptic Church which paraphrased Patr. Bartholomew’s sentiment, he added that, "Through decades of patient and sincere theological dialogue, they have increasingly realized that their confession of the mystery of the Incarnation is, in essence, one and the same. The divisions of past centuries, he noted, arose not from differences in faith in Christ, but from historical circumstances, linguistic distinctions, and cultural misunderstandings."

During his visit, Pope Tawadros also met with the faithful at St. Mark Coptic Church in Istanbul, offering a pastoral address and inquiring about the community’s well-being. The visit formed part of a broader international tour and included meetings with representatives of other Christian communities, as well as the official engagements with the Ecumenical Patriarchate.

Previously, the UOJ reported that Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelensky met with the Ecumenical Patriarch at the Phanar.

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