Vice President Biden Visits Ecumenical Patriarchate in Istanbul

Vice President Joe Biden lights a candle with His All Holiness Ecumenical 

Patriarch Bartholomew at the Church of St. George at the Ecumenical Patriarchate 

in Istanbul, Turkey; December 3, 2011. (Official White House Photo by David Lienemann)

On December 3rd Vice President Biden met with His All Holiness Ecumenical 

Patriarch Bartholomew at the Greek Ecumenical Patriarchate in Istanbul.

Following their meeting, the Vice President and the Ecumenical Patriach were joined by 

members of the Holy Synod, Metropolitans, and Greek community leaders for continued 

discussions – not to mention an abundance of the local dessert of choice, Turkish Delight.

Vice President Biden then had the opportunity to tour the Church of St. George at the 

Patriarchate with His Eminence Archbishop Demitrios Trakatellis, Primate of the Greek 

Orthodox Church of America, with whom the Vice President recently met in New York City. 

A beautiful day in Istanbul, the tour included a stroll through the Church’s mosaic adorned 

courtyard. It was a special honor to later light a candle at the Church with the Ecumenical Patriarch.