Bartholomew I

Bartholomew I, 1940–, Orthodox patriarch of Constantinople, b. Imvros, Turkey, as Dimitrios Archondonis. He attended theological seminary in İstanbul and later studied in Rome, Switzerland, and Germany. Chief adviser and administrator for Patriarch Dimitrios I, he was elected patriarch after his predecessor's death (1991). Prior to his election, he was metropolitan of Chalcedon from 1990 to 1991. Bartholomew has advocated contacts with other Christian churches, while strongly opposing efforts of some of them to win converts in traditional Orthodox lands in E Europe; he also has attempted to aid Orthodox Eastern churches in E Europe.

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