Patriarch Bartholomew Appears in Budapest, Shouting "Glory to Ukraine!"

Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople arrived in Budapest, the capital of Hungary, to meet with Ukrainian diaspora organizations—the Hungarian Eparchy of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church under the protection of the Ecumenical Patriarch.

At the event, children presented him with embroidered towels (traditional Ukrainian handicrafts), and Patriarch Bartholomew proclaimed the slogan: "Glory to Ukraine!" In the past, at the Holy Mountain monastery, monk Varsonofy was martyred for refusing to replace the phrase "Glory to God" with this slogan, while two novice monks were severely injured.

Patriarch Bartholomew I has served as the 270th Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople since 1991, acting as the nominal supreme spiritual leader of approximately 300 million Orthodox Christians worldwide.

In recent years, Bartholomew has been at the center of international political and religious conflicts, primarily due to the following events:

-- Independence of the Ukrainian Church: In 2018, he decided to recognize the autonomy of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, freeing it from the jurisdiction of the Russian Orthodox Church. This move was viewed by Russia as a "schism" and a "catastrophe," directly leading to the severance of sacramental communion between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople.

-- Stance on the Russia-Ukraine War: He has repeatedly publicly condemned Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

-- Intense confrontation with Russia: The Russian Foreign Intelligence Service issued an official statement harshly denouncing Bartholomew as the "Antichrist in monastic robes" and the "devil incarnate," accusing him of undermining the unity of Eastern Orthodoxy in regions including the Baltic states and Serbia, and alleging that he is backed by British intelligence. The Ecumenical Patriarchate responded by calling these claims "absurd fake news."

Patriarch Bartholomew I is a globally influential religious leader who has received the U.S. Congressional Gold Medal and the Templeton Prize, and has visited the United States multiple times, meeting with presidents and congressional leaders.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1875590907677708/

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