Welcoming Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew

Floor Speech

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Mr. MARSHALL. Mr. President, I rise today to welcome to our Nation's capital His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, the Spiritual Head of the second-largest Christian Church in the world. His All-Holiness serves as the current Archbishop of Constantinople and leads over 300 million Orthodox Christians worldwide.

His All-Holiness is visiting Washington, DC, from September 15 through September 17 and will meet with President Trump at the White House. This visit coincides with his receipt of the Templeton Prize, a prestigious award previously bestowed upon renowned figures such as Mother Teresa, the Dalai Lama, and Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

For decades, His All-Holiness has been a steadfast advocate for religious freedom and unity among Christians worldwide. He has consistently called for the protection of religious minorities and has championed the rights of Orthodox Christians to worship freely. His efforts to promote dialogue between the Orthodox Church and other Christian denominations have significantly strengthened interreligious understanding.

In my home State of Kansas, we are honored to have a strong and active Greek Orthodox community, with more than 4,300 Orthodox Christians and two parishes: St. Dionysios in Overland Park and Holy Trinity in Wichita. These churches embody the deep spiritual connection that Kansans share with the Ecumenical Patriarchate and Orthodox Christians around the world.

I now ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing this historic visit and in honoring His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew for his unwavering commitment to faith and the common good.

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