Patriarch visit for archbishop
Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomaios, the spiritual leader of Orthodox Christians, put his differences with Archbishop Christodoulos aside as he visited the head of the Church of Greece in hospital on Saturday. Vartholomaios said it was his «brotherly duty» to visit Christodoulos, pointing out that the archbishop had twice visited the patriarch on his nameday. The Istanbul-based patriarch said that Christodoulos was in good spirits and the two discussed religious matters during the visit. Christodoulos has been in the hospital for nine days. He underwent an operation on his intestine last week. Vartholomaios and Christodoulos have in the past disagreed on church issues. In March, the patriarch accused the archbishop of trying to extend his influence over Orthodox Christians.