CBS 60 Minutes segment on Orthodox Christianity and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew to repeat this Sunday

The CBS 60 Minutes program on Orthodox Christianity featuring His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, the spiritual leader of 300 million Orthodox Christians who constitute the second largest Christian church in the world, which first aired on Sunday, December 20, 2009 will be repeated this Sunday, August 8 at 7 p.m. ET/PT. The segment focuses on the Orthodox Church, the most ancient Christian church, and its development from its earliest years to modern times in what is now the Republic of Turkey.

The Ecumenical Patriarch is in a unique position as a Christian leader in a Muslim environment. His All Holiness is the 270th successor to the see of St. Andrew the Apostle, who founded the 2000-year-old church of Constantinople (ancient Byzantium, modern Istanbul). Despite hostility from some elements of Turkish society, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew has been an outspoken supporter of Turkey's modernization and acceptance into the European Union. He has also worked for reconciliation among Christian churches and cooperation among Christianity, Islam, Judaism, and indeed all faith communities.

His All Holiness brought about Muslim leaders' first condemnation of the 9/11 attacks on America as anti-religious acts. He was named 11th among the world's 100 most influential people by Time magazine and was awarded the US Congressional Gold Medal for his efforts to promote human rights and religious tolerance. He is the first international environmental leader recognized by the United Nations as a Laureate Champion of the Earth for his pioneering work to protect the environment. Affectionately known as "the Green Patriarch," Patriarch Bartholomew has called upon leaders of all religious traditions to join him in this effort, noting simply "If life is sacred, so is the entire web that sustains it."

His All Holiness made an historic extended visit to the U.S. last fall, where he participated in an environmental symposium in Mississippi, ministered to the five million Orthodox faithful in America, and met with President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and national religious leaders. He is the author of Encountering the Mystery (Doubleday) and In the World, Yet Not of the World (Fordham).

60 Minutes is the pre-eminent investigative television news show in the United States and has run on CBS since 1968. The show will also be broadcast on the 60 Minutes website: www.60minutes.com. A preview is available at this link.

More information about His All Holiness's work for religious freedom, human rights, environmental conservation, and the Ecumenical Patriarchate as well as texts of his addresses may be found at: www.patriarchate.org

Source: www.goarch.org