Bartholomew I, the spiritual leader of the world’s Orthodox Christians, will attend Pope Francis’ installation Mass — the first time a patriarch from the Istanbul-based church has attended a papal investiture since the two branches of Christianity split nearly 1,000 years ago.

Bartholomew said he is doing that to underscore the importance of “friendly ties” between the churches and expectations that the new pontiff will advance rapprochement efforts that began decades ago.

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