PM Mitsotakis – Patriarch Theophilos meeting: Safeguarding Holy Land status quo and Orthodox Christians in the Middle East

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Monday received Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem at the Maximos Mansion.

According to sources, discussions focused on cooperation between the Greek state and the Patriarchate of Jerusalem, as well as developments relating to the status quo of the Holy Sites, including the protection of the Patriarchate’s historical rights and ancient privileges.

They discussed the security issues in the Middle East in light of recent regional escalation, as well as the challenges faced by Christian communities. The Patriarch’s visit comes within the framework of close and ongoing cooperation between the Greek state and the Patriarchate of Jerusalem, and follows repeated visits by the Prime Minister and members of the government to the Holy Land.

The Greek Premier said he and the government were particularly concerned with safeguarding the special status quo of the Holy Sites, as well as protecting Orthodox Christian populations in the Middle East, who he said were also being tested amid wider geopolitical turmoil.

He added that he was keen to hear the Patriarch’s views, as well as his assessment of a recent meeting with US President Donald Trump, who he said also attached great importance to these issues.

Mitsotakis also expressed satisfaction over a recent agreement signed with the Ministry of Culture, saying it demonstrated the Greek state’s commitment to protecting the Patriarchate’s relics and its cultural heritage, which he said must be preserved and passed on intact to future generations.

Patriarch Theophilos III said there was interest from the Greek state and the Prime Minister in safeguarding Christians in the Holy Land.

He said the issue was also of concern to the US State Department and to US President Donald Trump, adding that the matter had been raised in their recent discussions, particularly regarding the preservation of the status quo in Jerusalem, including the pilgrimage arrangements, and the presence of Christians in the Middle East.

The Patriarch said he had held a very positive meeting and conveyed greetings from President Trump, adding that the US president, he said, had expressed a willingness to visit Greece during a forthcoming trip to the region. He also thanked the Prime Minister for the memorandum signed with Culture Minister Lina Mendoni, describing it as a historic moment for the Patriarchate. He said it demonstrated in practice the relationship between the Patriarchate and Greece, which he described as the “nurturing mother” of priests serving in the diaspora and at the Patriarchate of Jerusalem.

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