His All Holiness Archbishop Bartholomew I was born Dimitrios Arhondonis in 1940 in Istanbul, Turkey. He studied theology at the Patriarchal Theological Seminary on the island of Halki. After graduation, Arhondonis was immediately ordained and took the name Bartholomew. Between 1961 and 1963, he did his military service in the Turkish army as a reserve officer. Between 1963 and 1968, Bartholomew studied at the Pontifical Oriental Institute in Rome, the Ecumenical Institute of Bossey in Switzerland and at the Ludwig Maximilians University in Munich. In 1968, he became a professor at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. Patriarch Athenagoras I of Constantinople ordained Bartholomew a priest in 1969.

His All Holiness Archbishop Bartholomew I is known as one of the main leaders of the environmental movement. He has been called the Green Patriarch. For His all Holiness, saving our planet is a moral issue, not just technological. He committed to peace with the Roman Catholic Church, the Anglican Communion and other communities by engaging in dialogue. Because of His all Holiness Archbishop Bartholomew I's commitment to freedom of religion and human rights and peace between religions, he is seen as an apostle of love and restoration of peace. This includes his work for international peace and protection of the environment.

Archbishop Bartholomew I has held the following positions:

• Diaconate
• Priesthood
• Episcopacy
• Metropolitan

He is featured in the documentary 'Bartholomew: 30 Years of Patriarchal Ministry'.