Fish are disappearing, crystalline waters become choked with green algae, the beaches and harbors are badly polluted and its beauty is soiled by the hand of man. Bartholomew, seeking to instill an environmental ethic in his faith, strongly believes an alliance between scientists and religious leaders could create a potent ecological force. The Black Sea, cradled in the north by Orthodox nations, may be the first test of his endeavor. In September, more than 300 researchers, professors and activists joined a trip around the Black Sea led by the patriarch. Science seeks the perfect truth.
Religion seeks a perfect world.
In Batumi, Georgia, a quaint but decaying port on the eastern tip of the Black Sea, only a few people still try to eke out a living from fishing. Georgia's minister of the environment, Nino Chkhobadze, laments the lost connection in a place rich with maritime tradition and lore. Many mythologists believe Batumi to be the spot where Jason and Argonauts landed in their search for the golden fleece. Mount Ararat, where the Bible says Noah's Ark came to rest, lies just to the south in Turkey. You can't fish anymore because there are no fish.