Antiochian Patriarch announces Vatican visit and meeting with Pope
Patriarch John X, Primate of the Antiochian Orthodox Church, has announced a visit to the Vatican at the end of this week. In Rome, Patriarch John will meet with Pope Leo XIV and senior Vatican officials.
The Patriarch’s itinerary includes talks with Cardinal Kurt Koch, Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity, and Cardinal Claudio Gugerotti, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Eastern Churches. The Antiochian primate will also meet with representatives of the Community of Sant’Egidio.
The visit will take place within the framework of the traditional ties between Antioch and Rome and will focus on the Christian presence and the challenges facing the Middle East. The two sides are expected to pay particular attention to protecting Christians from conflict, displacement and economic hardship.
The Antiochian Patriarchate also regularly raises the painful issue of the 2013 abduction of two Metropolitans of Aleppo – Metropolitan Paul Yazigi and Archbishop Youhanna Ibrahim. The visit is intended to strengthen the common witness of the two ancient sees in support of peace and coexistence among the peoples of the Middle East.
As the UOJ previously reported, the Patriarch of Antioch discussed the regional situation with the U.S. ambassador to Lebanon.
