The Doubling Down of Pat. Bartholomew
A look at the “apostolic visit” that at times felt more like a business trip in which Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew stood firm on all the wrong things.
It was a great blessing to be able to cover the visit of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew to the U.S. for UOJ-USA last month. Make no mistake — regardless of any opinions one might hold (on any bishop for that matter), being able to see a Patriarchal Divine Liturgy, spend time in beautiful churches, and talk with Orthodox faithful from around the country makes for an extremely powerful experience. That doesn’t make certain things that were a part of the trip any less unsettling, and sometimes, downright alarming.
Because of this, and because of some reaction I anticipate this piece could receive, I am going to get some things out of the way right off the bat:
- I am a lifelong member of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America.
- The Ecumenical Patriarch is my Patriarch, for whom I have love and respect.
- One can criticize the individual actions of the Patriarch and still have respect and recognition for the Ecumenical Patriarchate itself.
- I believe that there are figures surrounding Pat. Bartholomew who bear much responsibility for recent errors of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and who, to a certain extent, shield His All-Holiness from seeing the truth of these errors.
- Pat. Bartholomew is the successor to St. Andrew the First-Called Apostle, my patron saint and heavenly intercessor, which, in a sense, provides added gravity to the situation for me personally.
This may seem a bit "confessional." However, there are those who assume that anyone who breathes a word of criticism about Pat. Bartholomew must hate him personally — if not the entire Greek Orthodox Church. I'm here to say, that isn't true.
The role of Fr. Alexander Karloutsos
The itinerary for the visit included two groups: the Patriarchal Party (those in Pat. Bartholomew’s “entourage” from Constantinople) and the members of the Holy Eparchial Synod (bishops of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America). Despite being Proistamenos of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary Church in Southampton, N.Y., Fr. Alexander Karloutsos was listed as part of the Patriarchal Party.
Due to Karloutsos’ position within both the EP and GOARCH and his historical relations to the Mother Church, this wasn’t much of a surprise. However, it is important to know that he organizes, fundraises, and generally sets the itinerary for these trips. He has maintained relations with every presidential administration from Jimmy Carter to now. He also played a hand in building two of the churches that services were held in during the visit: St. Nicholas National Shrine in New York City and his own parish, which has been mentioned already.
With all of this being said and understood, it is essential to note that, while we can certainly assess what Pat. Bartholomew chooses to do and say in a meeting, he is generally following an agenda set by Karloutsos. And Karloutsos was rewarded handsomely for opening all those doors for the Ecumenical Patriarchate: following the Liturgy at his parish, he was elevated to Grand Protopresbyter of the Ecumenical Throne and his parish was elevated to the status of cathedral.
Karloutsos has done many commendable things for the Church. He has secured permits and repairs for the Phanar when it was crumbling due to Turkish oppression, assisted with the restoration of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, and helped arrange the visit of Pat. Alexei II of Moscow to the U.S.
Unfortunately, his role as political liaison for the Church has extended far beyond what it should be. We all understand the persecution the EP faces from the Turkish government, and that due to this, there is a need to maintain good relations with the U.S. government, with Karloutsos himself brokering this “protection.” This has been taken much too far in recent years, as we have seen with the creation of a schismatic church in Ukraine, at the behest of Washington and Kyiv.
The trickle-down effect is obvious. Pat. Bartholomew could have spent his visit meeting with the Orthodox faithful, catechumens, and inquirers alike. This would have had a powerful effect, especially at this historic moment, when Orthodoxy is booming in the United States. Instead, he spent the whole trip in meetings and banquets with “VIPs” — politicians, businessmen, academics, NGO heads, and the like — who could care less about our Church. His All-Holiness had a chance to impart real pastoral wisdom directly to the faithful in the United States. Instead, several speeches he gave were full of platitudes aimed at officials whose approval the Phanar is apparently in need of.
With this in mind, let us begin.
Meeting with Trump and Vance
It has been reported by UOJ and other outlets that, while meeting with President Donald Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance in the nation’s capital, His All-Holiness was pressed by Vance in particular about the ongoing persecution of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC). He was also questioned about his ties to former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and the granting of the Tomos of Autocephaly to the schismatic Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU).
If you didn’t know, Pompeo is set to receive the Athenagoras Human Rights Award from the Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate today, Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025, which is certainly an interesting decision.
While the reporting on what allegedly took place behind closed doors was interesting enough, one thing was very clear to me. In what appeared to be a quickly arranged press conference in which Pat. Bartholomew only spoke Greek to a very small number of handpicked reporters, he and Abp. Elpidophoros didn’t exactly appear to be happy campers exiting a friendly meeting with U.S. officials.
During this press conference, Pat. Bartholomew shared that he had reminded Trump about the granting of autocephaly to the OCU, which he said “they” had been requesting for some time. It is important to know that the actual church of Ukraine, the UOC, made no such request. If anyone contacted the Phanar, it would have been the two factions of schismatics who now make up the OCU — schismatics who Pat. Bartholomew declared part of the Church with no repentance on their part and no authority of his own to do so.
He also spoke about atrocities suffered under Stalin, particularly the Holodomor. Apparently, Pat. Bartholomew was attempting to link the canonical UOC to the crimes against humanity committed by the godless Soviet regime. Not only is this blatantly incorrect, but these remarks sounded more like grasping at straws after losing an argument. Does anyone really think Trump and Vance aren’t educated on these historical matters?
Finally, he affirmed his belief that Moscow, and Russia overall, has established itself as the “enemy” of the Ukrainian people. In the past, he has condemned the War in Ukraine as one that is “fratricidal.” It seems that Pat. Bartholomew cannot make up his mind on whether or not this is a war between brothers or natural enemies. More importantly, it is inappropriate to conflate these matters with the ecclesiological life of the Orthodox Church, especially as even the United Nations has condemned the use of pointed language to justify the persecution of the UOC.
While this press conference may have seemed like nothing to some, it is my opinion that it was hastily thrown together after a meeting that didn’t go well. It also set the tone for the visit as a whole.
Private events over public ministry
We all understand that Orthodoxy in America is having a moment. What was once dubbed as the country’s “best kept secret” is now being discussed in every major newspaper and on every popular podcast. Because of this, it would have been fitting for this “renaissance” to be incorporated into the visit somehow.
While His All-Holiness did grant an audience with Young Adult Leaders (YAL), and Fr. Barnabas Powell gave a great speech about the convert surge, I couldn’t help but feel unsatisfied with the overall tone of the visit. This feeling was augmented by talks that Pat. Bartholomew gave over the course of his time spent in the U.S. and private dinners held with figures like wealthy Archon John Catsimatidis. Even receiving a key to New York City from Mayor Eric Adams seemed like a forced photo-op.
At a private event held with the Council on Foreign Relations, His All-Holiness was quoted by the Orthodox Observer in this way:
“The Orthodox Church of Russia has given its ringing endorsement to the invasion of Ukraine and the murder of fellow Orthodox Christians,” he said, denouncing the church’s embrace of the imperial doctrine of Rússkiy Mir. In 2019, he granted the Ukrainian Orthodox Church independence from Moscow, framing it as the realization of “the freedom of conscience they desired.”
This talking point was more than just a talking point: it was the focal point of several speeches and conversations Pat. Bartholomew held over the course of the visit. While there was some space left for speaking of things of the Kingdom of Heaven, there was far too much time spent endlessly harping on this topic. It further gave the impression that Pat. Bartholomew was on a political visit rather than a spiritual one. He seemed less like a spiritual father visiting his children and more like a politician stumping for a certain foreign policy agenda.
While at a dinner hosted by John Catsimatidis and his wife, the Archon presented to Pat. Bartholomew an advertisement that he took out welcoming His All-Holiness for the visit. Complete with a photo of Pat. Bartholomew and Pope Leo, it read:
“TWO PILLARS OF FAITH. ONE CHRISTIAN FOUNDATION.”
And slightly further down the page:
“Together with His Holiness Pope Leo XIV, standing as equals in faith, unity, and leadership for all of Christianity.”
Now, Catsimatidis may be some kind of naive ecumenist. But I don’t think so. I think he’s a practical businessman who was trying to sell Pat. Bartholomew’s visit as something akin to a visit from the Pope. Either way, it reeked of desperation and was, quite frankly, rather disgusting.
While several parishes did get to witness a Patriarchal Doxology and hold receptions, and one was able to host Vespers, Orthros and Liturgy with the Patriarch, far too much time was spent in settings like this one than with the faithful.
People everywhere are seeking truth, and many are finding it in Holy Orthodoxy. A much better job could have been done of incorporating opportunities for these individuals into the visit.
Meeting with President Zelenskyy
“Slava Ukraini!”
This is the phrase Pat. Bartholomew greeted Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelenskyy with, which translates to “Glory to Ukraine!” The connotations to this phrase have been pointed out here, but really, it just came across as another desperate instance of Bartholomew doubling down on his errors. For me personally, it was quite weird to see a hierarch of the Church raise his staff and greet a head of state in such a way.
To be clear, “Slava Ukraini” is not only a political but also a military greeting. The Ecumenical Patriarch is signaling his unconditional support, not for peace and reconciliation, but for the Republic of Ukraine and its armed forces. He is declaring his loyalty to Kyiv as though he were an ordinary Ukrainian. Can there be any doubt that his political ideology influenced his decision to grant “autocephaly” to the OCU?
The relationship between Pat. Bartholomew and Pres. Zelenskyy is one of a political nature. Making sure to schedule a meeting with the Ukrainian head of state had nothing to do with a shared love for the Orthodox faith, but rather the continuation of a purely political partnership.
As more of the world becomes aware of the persecution of the UOC and Pat. Bartholomew and Pres. Zelensky’s roles in it, the decision to hold a photo-op in New York City was a curious one. It seemed almost calculated to emphasize that Bartholomew is a political figure—that the reason he was given such a glowing reception in the United States is because he and Zelensky have worked so well together, helping the U.S. State Department to counter “Russian influence.”
With Abp. Elpidophoros and Fr. Alex Karloutsos smiling as Pat. Bartholomew greeted Pres. Zelenskyy, this GOARCH parishioner was left wondering what the point of all this is supposed to be.
Further attempts to legitimize the Slavic Vicariate
During a patriarchal audience with priests, presbyteras, and monastics, a short chunk of time was given to Alexander Belya of GOARCH’s Slavic Vicariate to speak and offer a gift to Pat. Bartholomew.
This past July, UOJ reported on GOARCH “receiving” a defrocked priest of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia (ROCOR) into the Slavic Vicariate. As written in the article:
This is not the first time the Greek Archdiocese has “received” defrocked ROCOR clergy. Indeed,the Slavic Vicariate was erected for just such a purpose. Its leader, Alexander Belya, was laicized by ROCOR after insisting upon his right to be consecrated a bishop, amid serious allegations of wrongdoing. Belya sued the late Metropolitan Hilarion (Kapral), then First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad.
Metropolitan Hilarion was successfully defended by the Becket Fund. “Priests don’t get to drag their former churches to trial over internal disciplinary deliberations,” said Diana Thomson, senior counsel at Becket. “The court’s ruling ensures this remains true and protects churches’ freedom to live, teach, and govern without being sued for how they communicate internally about clerical decisions.”
Despite the fact that Metropolitan Hilarion was vindicated by both the Holy Synod of ROCOR and the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, the Greek Archdiocese received Belya into its ranks. He was appointed vicar of the newly-formed Slavic Vicariate. The Archdiocese then moved to consecrate Belya as bishop of the Vicariate, but the Assembly of Canonical Bishops threatened to disband if Archbishop Elpidophoros went through with Belya’s elevation.
Belya’s father, the former archpriest Alexander Belya, followed his son out of ROCOR and into the Vicariate. The Belyas were also joined by the former archpriest Ioann Spasyuk, who was defrocked by the Belarusian Orthodox Church in the 1990s and spent three decades moving from one schismatic group to the next.
Upon introducing him, Abp. Elpidophoros referred to the “head” of the Slavic Vicariate as “His Grace Bishop-Elect Alexander Belya.” This insistence on continuing to grant Belya the honorific title when he will likely never be made a bishop reflects the precarious position that GOARCH and the EP are in. Would it require too much humility from the Exarch of the “First Throne of Orthodoxy” to admit a mistake and move on from someone who was laicized, or must we all continue to play pretend?
But, of course, Belya was able to stand in front of the patriarch’s throne and, with a translator, speak to Pat. Bartholomew for a few minutes before presenting him with a gift to “remind him of the Slavic Vicariate.”
Visit to Fordham
Ordinary members of GOARCH — laymen, priests, and monastics — are also tired of Public Orthodoxy and “Fordhamites.” Hellenic College and the Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology, the Archdiocese’s only seminary, are just a few hours’ drive away from New York City. And yet, can you guess which school got a visit from Pat. Bartholomew?
Yes, Fordham University is in the Bronx. Yes, it is easier to fit into the itinerary. Yes, seminarians traveled to New York and took part in the Patriarchal visit. Regardless, this was an endorsement of a genuinely subversive force in Orthodoxy.
If you aren’t familiar with the work that comes out of Fordham, here are the titles and links to just a few recent articles:
- Ordination and Second Marriage: A Striking Change on a Forbidden Topic
- Dancing to the Ban: The Ukrainian Government is Preparing to Liberate Ukrainian Orthodoxy from “Moscow Devils”
- Multiple articles from Dr. Carrie Frost about the need to ordain “deaconesses”
- We Need to Talk About Trans People (with a response published by UOJ here)
I’m a journalist, and UOJ is a media outlet. We understand that different opinions can be represented on one platform. However, there is a consistent subversive message coming from Public Orthodoxy and the Orthodox Christian Studies Center at Fordham University – a message that our Patriarch should not be supporting with his presence.
Receipt of the Templeton Prize
I’m not foolish enough to think that every hierarch of the Orthodox Church will be a simple monk who has no interest in receiving awards. I don’t even believe that receiving an award is bad in and of itself. What gets me are the things one is expected to participate in as part of receiving the award.
This was on full display at the purpose for the Ecumenical Patriarch’s visit: the receipt of the Templeton Prize. This recognition has been given to such figures as Mother Teresa, the Dalai Lama, and Jane Goodall, who gave introductory remarks for His All-Holiness before her recent passing.
At the event, Goodall, former Vice President Al Gore, and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis gave remarks. To close out the evening, Sean Rowe, the presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church, gave the benediction. As the Ecumenical Patriarch gave the opening blessing, it seems it would have been unfair for the Orthodox hierarch to do both. So, a participation award in the form of prayer was given to the heterodox, which was hardly anything new.
In his acceptance speech, Pat. Bartholomew hit on many of his past talking points in regard to Christian responsibility to the environment. The next day, he returned to Turkey.
Most of the time that was spent in a church during His All-Holiness’ visit was beautiful. I’m sad to say there just wasn’t much of it.
