CHP’s Istanbul mayoral candidate visits Christian religious leaders for Christmas

ISTANBUL

Ekrem İmamoğlu, the main opposition Republican People’s Party’s (CHP) mayoral candidate for Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, visited Christian religious leaders for Christmas on Dec. 25 in Istanbul.

İmamoğlu and a committee from the CHP visited Fener Greek Orthodox Patriarch Dimitri Bartholomew, the Patriarchal Vicar of the Syriac Orthodox Church Metropolit Filiksinos Yusuf Çetin and Apostolic Administrator of the Armenian Archeparchy of Istanbul Archbishop Levon Zekiyan.

“We live in a very meritorious city. This morning we were at Eyüp Sultan [mosque] and now we are in the Greek Patriarchate for the Christmas ceremony. I want to live and feel every moment of Istanbul’s citizens. I hope that from now on, we will live in such an Istanbul, together,” İmamoğlu told reporters before his visit to Patriarch Bartholomew.

“Istanbul is the city of interreligious dialogue and we must know its value,” said İmamoğlu.

“We are going to listen to everybody. Everyone in Istanbul has opinions and ideas. We have a sense of rule that values everyone’s opinions,” he added.

During the visit, Bartholomew congratulated İmamoğlu for his candidacy.