Orthodox confirm invitation to pope to visit Turkey in November

Published: 2005-07-13

ISTANBUL, Turkey (CNS) -- The Ecumenical Orthodox Patriarchate of Constantinople confirmed that Patriarch Bartholomew has invited Pope Benedict XVI to visit Turkey in November. Dositheos Anagnostopoulos, the patriarchate's spokesman, said July 12 that the invitation was extended in early May, just weeks after Pope Benedict's April 19 election. The spokesman said the pope has not said whether he would be able to travel to Istanbul, the seat of the patriarchate, for the Nov. 30 celebration of the feast of St. Andrew, the patriarchate's patron saint. The Vatican and the patriarchate send official delegations to each other's patronal feast days. Pope John Paul II visited the patriarchate for the November feast in 1979.

Copyright (c) 2005 Catholic News Service /U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the prior written authority of Catholic News Service .