Istanbul (AsiaNews) - The Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople Bartholomew I welcomed the election of Pope Francis with a warm message of congratulations. "I want to express - he said - the hope and the certainty that the Holy Father will contribute to the peace of an already battered humanity, the poor and the suffering."
As was the case with John Paul II and Benedict XVI, for which he has always expressed
deep appreciation for their commitment to continue the relationship with the Orthodox
Church, Bartholomew I, points out that Pope Bergoglio "will give a new impetus
to the two Churches' journey towards unity. "