The Ecumenical Patriarch said today he hoped for a continuing exchange of Orthodox and Anglican students to aid the two Churches’ relationship. His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew was speaking today during his welcome of the Anglican Communion’s spiritual head Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby. He said, “In the past, the rapprochement between our two Churches has been greatly assisted by the exchange of students, and we trust that this will continue. Our Theological School at Halki used to offer scholarships to Anglicans, and when it is reopened we shall certainly wish to revive this tradition. These exchange students have frequently gone on to become leaders in their respective Churches, and their early inter-Church experience has enabled them to further the cause of Christian unity in highly constructive ways.”
His All-Holiness also made reference to the shared theological dialogue the International Commission for Anglican-Orthodox Theological Dialogue whose drafting committee are coincidentally meeting together in the Anglican Communion Office in London this week. Archbishop Welby has said he hopes the visit will help to develop greater fellowship between the two churches and contribute to the goal of Christian unity.