His Holiness Moran Mor Dr. Samuel Theophilus Metropolitan Meets His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros in New York

His Holiness Moran Mor Dr. Samuel Theophilus Metropolitan had the distinct honor of meeting His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, Archbishop of Constantinople-New Rome and Ecumenical Patriarch, together with His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, during his visit to the United States.

He also had the privilege of attending the prestigious Templeton Prize Ceremony in New York, where His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, the spiritual father of nearly 300 million Eastern Orthodox Christians worldwide, was awarded the 2025 Templeton Prize for his lifelong dedication to the environment—an honor that has earned him the title “Green Patriarch.”

The evening was attended by more than 300 dignitaries and distinguished guests, including Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis of Greece, former U.S. Vice President Al Gore, world-renowned primatologist and conservationist Dr. Jane Goodall, and several past Templeton Prize laureates.

His Holiness Theophilus Metropolitan was also among the specially invited hierarchs at the commemorative dinner, where he had the privilege of personally felicitating His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew on receiving the Templeton Prize.

Accompanying His Holiness Metropolitan Theophilus were Rev. Fr. Dr. Daniel Johnson, Secretary General of Believers Eastern Church, and Rev. Fr. Joby Kurien Thomas, Executive Secretary to the Department of Theological Training.