Patriarch Bartholomew to visit Annapolis

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, the global leader of the 300 million-member Orthodox Christian Church, will visit Sts. Constantine and Helen Church in Annapolis next month as part of his sixth visit to the United States.

Styled "The Green Patriarch," the ecologically aware Bartholomew was to arrive in New Orleans on Tuesday to preside over the eighth Religion, Science and the Environment Symposium around the subject of "Restoring Balance: The Great Mississippi River." He is to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the enthronement of Archbishop Demetrios of America as the primate of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America next week in New York.

In Annapolis on Nov. 2, Batholomew will mark his 18th year as ecumenical patriarch in a Doxology service at Sts. Constantine and Helen.

"Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew's visit comes at a time of spiritual rejuvenation for our Holy Metropolis and his presence among us will inspire us to continue serving our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ with all of our hearts, minds, souls and strength," Metropolitan Evangelos of New Jersey, whose Metropolis includes Maryland, said in statement. "I am confident that all of our pious Orthodox faithful appreciate and realize the great honor that His All Holiness bestows upon us once again by visiting us during the his visit to the United States."