After Criticism from National Herald, GOARCH Shares Public Schedule of Pat. Bartholomew
Questions had previously been raised about the Patriarch of Constantinople's upcoming visit to the U.S., which initially had a schedule of meetings that was seemingly restricted to the more privileged members of the archdiocese.
BOSTON — Following criticism from The National Herald last month regarding Patriarch Bartholomew's upcoming visit to the U.S. this fall, the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America has posted a list of public events in which "non-privileged" community members will be able to see him.
The article, which was titled "Why Are the School and the Ordinary Faithful Left Out?" addressed concerns "over the limited access for the Greek-American community to the upcoming Patriarchal visit of His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew."
Pat. Bartholomew will be visiting America to receive the Templeton Prize, and he will also meet with President Donald Trump and have medical check-ups in New York.
The July 10 article from The National Herald, responding to initial reports of His All-Holiness' schedule while stateside, said:
“Nor have I seen any indication thus far of an intention to give ordinary members of our Greek-American community—at least in New York—an opportunity to see the Patriarch in person. These are the real ‘archons’: those who, with their pious donations, their volunteer labor, and their sweat over community festival grills roasting lambs, pigs, souvlaki, and gyros, raise funds to maintain churches and schools (what few remain), to pay their priests’ salaries, and to cover the Archdiocese’s mandatory ‘levy’ for its so-called ministries—not to mention the salaries, insurance, and other benefits of clergy and lay employees, along with the ceaseless propaganda of Archbishop Elpidophoros’ media ‘organ.’
Among these ‘ministries’ is also the contribution to the Mother Church to support its many needs—philanthropic and otherwise. The painful question is: how is there time for everything else except a few symbolic hours at the School, or an open reception for the ‘non-privileged’ members of the Greek-American community?”
GOARCH recently corrected course, sharing a schedule with public events which provide "opportunities to receive (Pat. Bartholomew's) blessing and participate in worship services."
A list of those events can be found in the Orthodox Observer article bluntly titled, "These are the events open to the public during the Ecumenical Patriarch’s September visit to the U.S."
Reporting from The National Herald also states that Protopresbyter Alexander Karloutsos has been in charge of the organization and financing of the visit. Fr. Alexander is also the spiritual advisor to the Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, whose photographer will cover the events of the visit.
Fr. Alexander Karloutsos receives the Presidential Medal of Freedom from former President Joe Biden in 2022. Photo: AP
"This arrangement is due to an Archdiocesan policy prohibiting the use of any photographs without prior written permission from its Communications Department, led by Mr. Safioleas, with potential legal consequences for unauthorized use," The National Herald reported.
In the initial critical column, columnist Theodore Kalmoukos raised issue with Pat. Bartholomew receiving the Templeton Prize on September 24 and returning to Constantinople a day later:
"Let us not overlook the detail that the primary reason for the visit is to receive this award — and its accompanying benefits. Of course, he also seeks to meet with President Trump, as well as to offer some visible support to his favored spiritual son, Archbishop Elpidophoros, and publicly congratulate him in person for the 'excellent' work he is carrying out here. As the saying goes, 'you laugh, I laugh — that’s how time passes,' always timely and ever-convenient.
And so the Patriarch will return to Constantinople the next day, Thursday the 25th, laden with the Templeton Prize and its attendant perks, photo-ops with President Trump, the familiar 'doxologies' of the Archon Order’s leadership and associates, and the assurances of his spiritual child — the kind that go, 'Don’t listen to them, Your All-Holiness, everything here is going wonderfully.' After ten days of lavish and costly breakfasts, lunches, and dinners, His All-Holiness will return joyfully to Constantinople."
Previously, UOJ reported that this October, the Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate will present the 2025 Athenagoras Human Rights Award to former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
