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==Archbishop of America==
[[Image:Athenpaul.jpg|thumb|Ecumenical Patriarch Athenagoras I (left) with Pope Paul VI]]
In 1930, [[Metropolitan Damaskinos]], after returning from a trip to the [[Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America]], recommened to Patriarch [[Photius II of Constantinople|Photios II]] that Athenagoras be appointed Archbishop of America. Damaskinos felt that Athenagoras was best suited to fix the many problems of the archdiocese, and Photios made the appointment on [[August 30]], 1930.
==Patriarchate==
[[Image:AthenagorasIwPaulVI.jpg|thumb|Athenagoras I and Paul VI]]
On [[November 1]], 1948, Athenagoras was elected Patriarch of [[Constantinople]], and was flown to Istanbul in the personal airplane of then-president US President Harry Truman. As patriarch, he was actively involved with the [[World Council of Churches]] and improving relations with the [[Pope]]. His long reign ended with his died in Istanbul on July 7, 1972.
His 1964 meeting with [[Pope Paul VI]] in [[Jerusalem]] led to the mutual lifting of the Bulls of [[Excommunication]] that resulted in the [[Great Schism]] of 1054. This was a significant step towards restoring communion between Rome and Constantinople. It produced the [[Catholic-Orthodox Joint Declaration of 1965]], which was publicly read on [[December 7]], 1965, simultaneously at a public meeting of the [[Second Vatican Council]] in Rome and at a special ceremony in Istanbul. The declaration did not end the schism, but showed a desire for greater reconciliation between the two churches. Nevertheless, not all Orthodox shared this sentiment, resulting in one hierarch, [[Philaret (Voznesensky) of New York|Metropolitan Philaret]], writing a response to the patriarch that same year.
