Welcoming Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew to Washington, D.C.

Floor Speech

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Mr. RYAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to welcome Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople to Washington, D.C. as he receives the Templeton Prize for his lifetime of work curating harmony between science and faith.

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew not only serves as the spiritual leader to the upwards of 300 million Orthodox Christians around the globe, he serves as a model for us all, having dedicated his life to peacemaking, environmental advocacy and conservation, and facilitating inter-faith dialogue around the globe.

Leading the Church since 1991, His All-Holiness has shepherded our world through tumultuous shifts in national borders, been instrumental in orchestrating peace between adversaries, and facilitated harmony between religions. Throughout his tenure, he has remained on the forefront of meeting the rising challenges our global community is facing. Be it climate change, wars, violations of human rights, His All-Holiness is undaunted and unwavering in his commitment to alleviating suffering and championing justice.

During this chaotic time in our world, and especially our Nation, the Ecumenical Patriarch's presence in our capital is particularly meaningful and serves as a reminder to us all how to lead with compassion and courage, how to minister to our communities with empathy, and how to live with moral fortitude.

His ability to unify, to guide anyone and everyone to set aside differences and divisions and treat each other as equals is deeply inspiring and is what we should all strive for. Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew's impact on our world is immeasurable, boundless, and magnified all the more through the countless people he has inspired.

It is a great honor to add my voice to the many, including the Greek Orthodox Christians at St. George Greek Orthodox Church in Kingston, St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church in Newburgh, Kimisis tis Theotokou Greek Orthodox Church in Poughkeepsie, and across the Hudson Valley, thanking him for his leadership in our world, his zeal for environmentalism and social harmony, and his commitment to uplifting the dignity of every person of every faith and nation.

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