Vatopedi Monastery abbot meets with US State Department officials

The abbot of the Vatopedi Monastery on Mount Athos, Ephraim, was in Washington on Monday, where he met with Eugene Fishel, division chief of the US Department of State's Bureau of Intelligence and Research, and special adviser to Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Wess Mitchell and George Kent, the deputy assistant secretary for Europe.

According to a report in the Greek-American National Herald newspaper, the meeting between Archimandrite Ephraim and the American officials addressed various issues pertaining to the Greek Orthodox Church, the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the operation of the seminary in Halki.

They also talked about the persecution of Christians in various parts of the world.