The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, will travel to Istanbul on Monday (13th January) to visit His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. As Archbishop of Constantinople and New Rome, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew occupies the First Throne of the Orthodox Christian Church.

Responding warmly to Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew’s invitation to visit, Archbishop Justin noted the important contributions His All-Holiness has made to the world Church and to society at large, and recognised all that unites the Anglican Church and the Orthodox Church.

The intensive two-day visit will include a private meeting with His All-Holiness, an official reception in the Chamber of the Throne, and a discussion with the Synodical Committee for Inter-Christian Affairs.

Archbishop Justin hopes that the visit will help to develop greater fellowship between the two churches and contribute to the goal of Christian unity.