Elenie Huszagh, President of the National Council of Churches, discusses a point with His All Holiness Bartholomew I, Archbishop of Constantinople, Ecumenical Patriarch and leader of 300 million Orthodox Christians worldwide, while other members of a U.S. peace delegation look on. (photo by Jim Wetekam)

The Armenian Patriarch of Istanbul and All Turkey, His Beatitude Archbishop Mesroh II Mutafyan, met with Dr. Bob Edgar, General Secretary of the NCCCUSA, and a delegation of American church leaders on April 17, 2002, in Istanbul, Turkey. (photo by Jim Wetekam)

The Rev. James Forbes, Senior Minister of Riverside Church in New York City, and the Armenian Patriarch of Istanbul and All Turkey, His Beatitude Archbishop Mesrob II Mutafyan, talk together.  (photo by Mark Brown)

His Eminence Archbishop Mor Cyril Aphrem Karim, Metropolitan and Patriarchal Vicar of the Archdiocese of the Syrian Orthodox Church of Antioch for the Eastern United States, talks with the Armenian Patriarch of Istanbul and All Turkey, His Beatitude Archbishop Mesrob II Mutafyan.  (photo by Mark Brown)

The Syrian Metropolitan, His Eminence Mor Filksinos Yusuf Cetin, Patriarchal Vicar of Istanbul and Ankara, welcomed Dr. Bob Edgar (center), His Eminence Cyril Aphrem Karim (left), and the U.S. religious delegation to Istanbul with a service of prayer and lunch with Syrian priests and laity. (photo by Jim Wetekam)

Dr. Bob Edgar, General Secretary of the National Council of Churches, lights a candle for peace during a visit to the Church of St. George after the delegation's meeting with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew II. (Photo by Mark Brown)

Bishop Vicken Aykazian, Executive Director of the Ecumenical Office of the Armenian Church of America, points out a person to Elenie Huszagh during dinner at the Armenian Patriarchate in Istanbul. (Photo by Jim Wetekam)

The Rev. Mark Brown, Assistant Director for International Affairs and Human Rights at the Washington, DC office of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, shared information about the Ecumenical Accompaniment Program in Palestine and Israel (EAPPI) of the World Council of Churches with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew II.  The Rev. Janet Arbesman, Vice-Moderator of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), looks on.  (photo by Jim Wetekam)

The Syrian Metropolitan, His Eminence Mor Filksinos Yusuf Cetin, Patriarchal Vicar of Istanbul and Ankara, presents a gift to Dr. Bob Edgar and Elenie Huszagh of the NCC. (photo by Jim Wetekam)

The high-level delegation of U.S. church leaders is visiting the Middle East April 17-27 to express solidarity with Christian churches there and to support calls for an end to the violence and the protection of human rights in Israel and Palestine.  The delegation is scheduled to meet with political and religious leaders in Turkey, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Palestine and Israel.

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