The Patriarch of Constantinople, Bartholomew I, was hospitalised yesterday morning in the American Hospital in Istanbul because of a bad flu, but he might be discharged tonight since his health has improved already. The news - first relayed by the press agency "Romfea.gr" (the news agency of the Orthodox world) - has been confirmed to SIR by the Archimandrite Elpidophoros, Head of the Secretariat of the Holy and Sacred Synod of the Patriarchate of Constantinople, who is keen on explaining that the Patriarch's health is not "bad at all. It was just a case of the flu, so there's nothing to worry about. It was a flu that had been going on for three weeks, during which the Patriarch could take no rest. So it did not go away. So it was decided that the only way to make him rest and above all to make him stop was to hospitalise him, otherwise his health would never improve. That was the real problem". Also according the agency "Romfea.gr", the Patriarchate of Constantinople has suspended - because of the Patriarch's health - the meeting of the Holy Synod. The Archimandrite Elpidophoros points out: "I have not talked about that with the Patriarch yet. I will ask him tomorrow".

© SIR