CWN - Pope Francis sent his greetings to the Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew on November 30, the feast of St. Andrew, the patronal saint of the Constantinople see.

During his regular public audience, the Pope said that he was offering the Ecumenical Patriarch his “best wishes for all possible goods, for all the blessings of the Lord, and a warm embrace.”

In what has become a regular tradition, the Vatican sent a delegation to join Patriarch Bartholomew in the celebration of the feast—just as the Orthodox Patriarch each year sends a delegation to Rome for the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul. The Vatican delegation, led by Cardinal Kurt Koch, the president of the Pontifical Council for Christian Unity, joined the Orthodox prelate in the Divine Liturgy before meeting with the Patriarch and his staff.

References:

• Pope: Message to Ecumenical Patriarch for feast of St Andrew (Vatican Radio)