Patriarch Bartholomew tests positive for coronavirus

The infection was noticed during a routine medical examination in Istanbul. According to the office of the archbishop of Constantinople, the Ecumenical Patriarch is showing mild symptoms. His general condition, according to the press release, is good.

Bartholomew urged fellow Christians to get vaccinated against the virus. He himself, being fully vaccinated, encouraged people to follow the recommendations of doctors and specialists, "as well as those who have not yet been vaccinated, to do it for the good of themselves and of society as a whole."

In November, the ecumenical head of the Orthodox Church was operated in the United States. During a visit to the States, the patriarch felt unwell. After a medical check, doctors decided to place a stent. This was reported earlier by the French Catholic newspaper La Croix.