Donald Trump has shared a post on his social media platform Truth Social claiming that an Orthodox Patriarch is urging world leaders to visit Jerusalem's Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the way Trump and JD Vance have already done, describing the site as the "heartbeat of our faith."
What the Post Says
The post, shared from Trump's account (@realDonaldTrump), is headlined as an "exclusive" claim that an Orthodox Patriarch is encouraging all world leaders to follow Trump and Vance in visiting Jerusalem's Church of the Holy Sepulchre, calling the church the heartbeat of the Christian faith. The post does not name which Patriarch made the statement, nor does it say when Trump and Vance's own visit took place.
Why the Church of the Holy Sepulchre Matters
Located in Jerusalem's Old City, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre is regarded as one of Christianity's holiest sites. Tradition holds it as the location where Jesus Christ was crucified and buried. Millions of Christian pilgrims and visitors travel to Jerusalem every year to see the church, which is considered a shared site of faith among Roman Catholic, Orthodox and other Christian communities.
Orthodox Patriarchs Frequently Appeal to World Leaders
In recent times, patriarchs across the Orthodox Christian world have repeatedly addressed leaders and governments on public platforms, at times appealing for the protection of communities in conflict zones and at other times weighing in on social and moral issues. This shows that Orthodox patriarchs play an active role not just as religious heads but also in global diplomacy and public discourse. The latest post falls into that same pattern, with a Patriarch reportedly encouraging leaders to visit a religious site.
What Trump Said
Trump did not add any separate commentary of his own in the post, instead sharing the claim, tagged as "exclusive," with his followers. According to the post, the Patriarch's statement calls the Church of the Holy Sepulchre the "heartbeat of our faith" and urges other world leaders to follow in Trump and Vance's footsteps by visiting it.
