9 Feb Tuesday

A restored mosaic in the famous St. Sophia Church, Istanbul.

A restored mosaic in the famous St. Sophia Church, Istanbul.

The famous Blue Mosque, Istanbul.

The St. Sophia Church, Istanbul, was a Christian Church, converted into a mosque hundreds of years ago. Today it is being restored and is a museum.

A restored mosaic in the famous St. Sophia Church, Istanbul.

The Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, world Orthodox leader, addresses the ELCA delegation at a farewell lunheon Feb. 9 in Istanbul. ELCA Presiding and LWF President Bishop Mark Hanson, to the patriarch's right, looks on.

Mitzi Budde, a member of the 2010 ELCA Ecumenical Journey, Virginia Theological Seminary, Alexandria, with Orthodox Bishop Makarios of Lamsakos, Geneva, and Nikolaos Manginas, a journalist who works with the Ecumenical Patriarchate, Istanbul. All three attended a farewell luncheon for the ELCA delegation in Istanbul Feb. 9.

The Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, seated at the head of the table to the right, hosted the ELCA delegation at a farewill luncehon Feb. 9 in Istanbul.

The Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, left, hosted a farewell luncheon for the ELCA delegation Feb. 9 in Istanbul. With him is the Rev. Susan Langhauser, Olathe, Kan., a member of the ELCA Church Council and the delegation.