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Patriarch Bartholomew I




Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I (born '''Demetrios Archontonis''' on February 29 , 1940 ) has been the Patriarch Of Constantinople , and thus " First Among Equals " in the Eastern Orthodox Communion , since November 2 , 1991 .

He was born on Gökçeada (Imvros to its Greek inhabitants), an island in the Aegean Sea belonging to Turkey . By citizenship he is Turkish, but belongs ethnically to the small remnants of the Greek community in Turkey (see Istanbul Pogrom ).

As Ecumenical Patriarch , he has been particularly active internationally. One of his first focuses has been on rebuilding the once-persecuted Eastern Orthodox Church es of the former Eastern Bloc following the fall of Communism there in 1990 . As part of this effort he has worked to strengthen ties amongst the various national Churches and Patriarchates of the Eastern Orthodox Communion. He has also continued the reconciliation dialogues with the Roman Catholic Church started by his predecessors, and initiated dialogues with other faiths, including other Christian , Muslim , and Jew ish sects.

Perhaps most unusually, he has gained a reputation as a prominent Environmentalist , putting the support of the Patriarchate behind various international environmental causes. This has earned him the nickname "the Green Patriarch".


EXTERNAL LINKS



  Before unknown
  Title Metropolitan of Philadelphia
  Years 1973 - 1990


  Before Meliton (Hadjis)
  Title Metropolitan of Chalcedon
  Years 1990 - 1991


  Before Demetrius I
  Title Patriarch Of Constantinople
  Years 1991 - present