Metropolitan Emmanuel of Chalcedon led the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople’s delegation to the Vatican for the celebration of the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul. He is the second-ranking hierarch in the Ecumenical Patriarchate.

Referring to the two most recent papal encyclicals ( Laudato si’ and Fratelli tutti), Metropolitan Emmanuel said that he sees “in these two texts of Pope Francis an opportunity for dialogue, but above all for ecumenical cooperation. Christian unity is about protecting the environment and caring for others.”