 Because of the work of Ecumenical Patriarch Dimitrios, who established September 1 as the day for the protection of the environment, and especially the ongoing work of the current patriarch, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew has been given the title, "Green Patriarch".Thus, the person of Bartholomew and by extension the position of the ecumenical patriarch is now being viewed as a religious spokesperson on environmental issues and the "green" spiritual leader in the world.The (arch)bishopric of Constantinople has had a continuous history since the founding of the city in AD 330 by Constantine the Great.