On Sunday, March 2, 2014, His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew traveled to Hungary for a two-day official visit at the invitation of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. The Patriarchal delegation included Metropolitans Emmanuel of France and Arsenios of Austria, Patriarchal Deacon Nephon Tsimalis and Mr. Simeon Francilacioglu.
On Monday morning, March 3, His All-Holiness was received by Hungarian President János Áder. Later that afternoon, he visited and addressed His Eminence Péter Erdő and members of the Hungarian Catholic Bishops’ Conference. In the afternoon, he delivered a lecture at the Hungarian Academy of the Sciences and afterward met with the Hungarian Orthodox community.
On Tuesday, March 4, His All-Holiness met with Prime Minister Viktor Orbán in the Nandorfehervari Hall of the Hungarian Parliament. An Agreement was signed between the Government of Hungary, represented by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, and the Ecumenical Patriarchate, represented by His All-Holiness as its First-Hierarch. Following, both issued a statement and addressed the Press. During the visit, His All-Holiness also met with Greek Ambassador Dimitris Giannakakis and Turkish Ambassador Sakir Fakili.