Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew will spend the night in hospital for monitoring and he is expected to be released Monday morning, according to an update by the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America.
His All Holiness was taken to the George Washington University Hospital “for observation” on Sunday morning, after feeling unwell as he was preparing to leave for the Divine Liturgy at the St. Sophia Cathedral in Washington, DC.
His doctor advised him to rest and he is being kept under medical observation.
Patriarch Bartholomew has scheduled meetings with President Joe Biden, Secretary State Antony Blinken and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi.
Due to His All-Holiness’s hospitalization, Metropolitan Emmanuel of Chalcedon presided over the Divine Liturgy at the historic St. Sophia Cathedral on Sunday morning and inducted the newly appointed Senators of the Greek Orthodox Church in America.
A Pan-Orthodox Luncheon with the St. Sophia Community followed.
The arrival
The Ecumenical Patriarch was joyously welcomed by His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America on Saturday afternoon at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland.
Also in attendance to greet His All-Holiness and the Patriarchal Delegation were Acting Chief of Protocol Asel Roberts, Ambassador of Cyprus to the U.S., Marios Lysiotis, Ambassador of Australia to the U.S., Arthur Sinodinos, Ambassador of Greece to the U.S. Alexandra Papadopoulou and Ambassador of Ukraine to the U.S. Oksana Markarova, Vicar General Fr. Alex Karloutsos and clergy.
An official welcoming ceremony was held outside the St. Regis Hotel with All-Holiness offering greetings:
“With a heart filled with gratitude and great enthusiasm, we speak words of blessing and benediction for all of you, and for the great American Nation.
It has been twelve years since we last visited the Holy Archdiocese of America, her devout clergy and the many friends in government that have become close to us during our Thirty-Year Patriarchal tenure.
“We begin again, as we did in 1997, and we come with the same message we imparted on that day, October Nineteenth: “We come to you in love, beholding you as the newly planted branch of the ancient vine of Christ’s first called disciple Saint Andrew. You, our most beloved daughters and sons, have transplanted the faith of the Apostles upon this blessed continent.
America recognizes your deep commitment to living that faith fully, for she has enshrined in her Constitution the fundamental principles upon which the lasting qualities of the Church are founded.”
In his welcoming remarks to His All-Holiness Archbishop Elpidophoros stated, “We, the devout children of the Mother Church of Constantinople, welcome You with open hearts into our midst for the seventh time in Your historic and renowned Patriarchal ministry…We are overcome with deep emotion and much joy, because we behold in Your venerable person the embodiment of the Holy Great Church of Christ, which You have now led for thirty years — the longest Patriarchal tenure in history.
Indeed, we await with great eagerness Your sage guidance, paternal wisdom and wise Patriarchal counsel, as we strive to live the life of our Orthodox Christian faith in the very heart of America. The coming days will certainly hold many experiences that we will all cherish, and which will inform our vision of the life of Christ in this land”.
After the official welcome, a dinner was hosted by Ambassador Alexandra Papadopoulou in honor of the Ecumenical Patriarch at the Greek Ambassador’s Residence in Washington.
