Ambassador Samuel Brownback, Head of the US Department of State’s Office for International Religious Freedom, visited the See of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in the Phanar on Friday, January 17, 2020.

Ambassador Brownback, who had earlier visited the Monastery of the Holy Trinity of Halki, where the historic holy Theological School is located, discussed with His All-Holiness issues related to the life and ministry of the Mother Church, at its headquarters and all over the world, regarding the Diaspora (Omogeneia), as well as regarding the situation of Christians in Turkey.

The Ecumenical Patriarch, for his part, referred to his visit to America in May and his planned meeting with President Trump.

The meeting was attended by the US Consul General in Istanbul, Ms. Daria Darnell, along with associates of the Ambassador and the Consul General, while on the side of the Mother Church there were present the Metropolitan Maximos of Selyvria, the Patriarchal Deacon Iakovos and the Archon Didaskalos of the Nation (Genous) Konstantinos Delikostantis, director of the First Patriarchal Office. (Photos by N. Manginas)