Bartholomew I, Archbishop of Constantinople-New Rome and Ecumenical Patriarch, spiritual leader of 300 million Orthodox Christians worldwide, visited Fordham University on Sept. 23. 

He was honored with the Presidential Medal and was welcomed with a concert by the renowned Capella Romana in the University Church.

This marked the Patriarch’s second visit to Fordham, making it the only higher education institution he has visited twice. This return acknowledges Fordham’s effort in advancing Orthodox Christian studies on campus.

“Bringing him here is really a kind of validation,” said George Demacopoulos, co-director of the Orthodox Christian Studies Center. “That we are doing work that is valued by the institutional church even though we are independent.” 

The 6 p.m. evening Church mass featured addresses from University President Tania Tetlow, Demacopoulos and a performance by the Capella Romana. It concluded with public and private receptions in the McShane Campus Center.

The Patriarch was awarded the Presidential Medal Award. “You model for us faith in action,” Tetlow said. “As a theologian and an inspiring public figure, your message of profound faith cuts through the noise of political rationalization and of nationalism.”

The Patriarch, often known as the “Green Patriarch” for his outspoken environmental advocacy, toured the northeast from Sept. 15 through Sept. 25, meeting with leaders including President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and New York City Mayor Eric Adams.

The Patriarch’s visit to Fordham connects with future plans for a new Orthodox Christian Studies Center that is being built in front of Faculty Memorial Hall with plans to complete construction by fall 2028. It will serve as a hub for students in the Orthodox Christian Studies minor and a space for interreligious discourse, being a “beacon of the church in this country,” Tetlow said.

Jayson McArdle, FCRH ’29, who attended the Patriarchal visit, believes the center “promotes an interfaith dialogue … that’s constructive at the end of the day.” 

Even though students may not be Christian Orthodox, the Patriarch’s visit signifies Fordham’s openness toward other faiths. A Catholic student in attendance, Jackson Cutrone, FCRH ’29, called it “a great opportunity to hear one of the most holy figures in our world speak and feel his presence.” 

The attendees consisted of students from other New York universities, parents of Fordham students and members of the Focolare movement of the Catholic Church.

At Fordham, the Cappella Romana performed “A Time for Life” — a 50-minute environmental oratorio — in honor of the Patriarch’s ecological work, and received a standing ovation. “Their intention was to highlight the environmental initiatives of our patriarchy,” the Patriarch said. “Which for decades have been most raising global awareness and geological consciousness.”

“I thought it was really special how one of the singers … [came] closer to us,” Antoni Mamouzellos, a SUNY student, said. The Patriarch praised the performance, sharing that it was “deeply moving and has such diverse and meaningful sources.”

The performance was interpreted differently by Cutrone, who said the sweeping vocals reminded him of “the extended edition of ‘Lord of the Rings: Return of the King.’” 

Stratos Mandalakis, FCRH ’84, a sub-deacon under the Patriarch, said that “the Orthodox Church is like the best kept secret in the United States.” He hoped that the event would “bring a little bit of notoriety to [it].”

Following the church ceremony, the guests attended receptions in McShane. There was a public reception, alongside a smaller, high-security private dinner held in the Patriarch’s honor.

This unique event offered a chance to witness a religious ceremony most had never experienced before. McArdle said students shouldn’t “be afraid to go to events just because it’s a different religion, or we’re not sure if we’ll be accepted.” Noting that it was a welcoming environment.

“It’s kind of like having the pope come to campus,” said Demacopoulos, who wanted students to come away feeling inspired.