Welcoming His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew to the United States

Floor Speech

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Mr. HAMADEH of Arizona. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to offer a warm welcome to His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, the spiritual leader of 300 million Orthodox Christians throughout the world and the current Archbishop of Constantinople, serving in one of the oldest sees in Christendom. This month, Patriarch Bartholomew will visit Washington, D.C., where he will be recognized as this year's recipient of the prestigious Templeton Prize, an award that has been garnered in the past by great historical figures such as Mother Teresa, the Dalai Lama, and Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

In his previous visits to the United States, His All Holiness has had visitations with five Presidents, he has spoken to both houses of Congress and has been awarded the Congressional Gold Medal; the highest award that civilian Congress can bestow. His next trip will maintain that longstanding tradition of friendship between the United States and the Ecumenical Patriarchate.

It is Patriarch Bartholomew's life that embodies ethical and principled leadership and the patriarch's perseverance that became proverbial. Fluent in seven languages and a holder of several doctorates in Canon Law, he has tirelessly championed the cause of religious freedom, inter-faith dialogue and environmental responsibility--earning the endearing nickname ``the Green Patriarch'', by stating that damaging God's creation is a sin.

At a time when religious persecution, catastrophes and tensions among religious communities seem to be dominating news headlines, Patriarch Bartholomew presents an alternate vision: ``War in the name of religion is war against religion,'' he tells us. He calls on people of faith of all traditions to be ``peacemakers'' and protectors of the Earth.

There are thousands of Greek-Americans living in Arizona's 8th Congressional District, including the hundreds of faithful at St. Haralambos Greek Orthodox Church in Peoria. They, and Orthodox Christians throughout our land, welcome this visit with joy. My constituents are particularly proud of the fact that Patriarch Bartholomew has been an outspoken defender of human dignity and has reached out to Jewish and Muslim leaders throughout the world.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in welcoming His All- Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew to Washington, D.C., and in paying tribute to his decades of ministry for peace, reconciliation and environmental stewardship. May God continue to bestow his example as a guide to defend religious freedom, choose cooperation over conflict, and secure a healthier, safer America for future generations.

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