Welcoming Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew

Floor Speech

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Mr. CASSIDY. Mr. President, I rise today to welcome to America His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, the spiritual leader of the world's second-largest Christian Church--Orthodox Christianity-- which encompasses over 250 million faithful worldwide.

We in Louisiana take particular pride in welcoming His All-Holiness, given that the very first Greek Orthodox Church in America, Holy Trinity Church, was established in 1864 by Greek merchants in New Orleans. This historic church welcomed Orthodox Christians of various nationalities and backgrounds. To this day, Orthodox Christians throughout Louisiana who worship in churches across our State are held in high regard by their fellow citizens.

We are pleased that during this visit to America, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew will, as he has during previous trips, meet with our President at the White House and with the leadership of both Houses of Congress from both parties. We recognize that His All-Holiness is among the very few world leaders who commands such high-level access to the leadership of our Nation.

The U.S. Congress expressed its profound respect and admiration for His All-Holiness in 1997 when it awarded him the Congressional Gold Medal, Congress' highest honor. This distinguished award has been bestowed upon such luminaries as George Washington and Winston Churchill. Remarkably, the legislation for His All-Holiness's Gold Medal attracted more of the Members of Congress as cosponsors than any other bill introduced during that entire congressional session. This Gold Medal also recognized the significant international and historical role the Ecumenical Patriarch has played throughout his lifetime. Historic international figures who received the Congressional Gold Medal immediately before and after His All-Holiness were Mother Teresa and Nelson Mandela.

We also acknowledge the extraordinary historic role His All-Holiness has served as the longest tenured Ecumenical Patriarch in history. It is significant that Jesus Christ's first Apostle Andrew and his brother Peter each established distinct spheres of Christian influence. The Apostle Andrew established his ministry in the region that encompasses present-day Turkey, and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew stands as the 269th direct successor of the Apostle Andrew. Similarly, the Apostle Andrew's brother the Apostle Peter traveled to what is today the Vatican, and Pope Leo XIV serves as the 267th successor of the Apostle Peter.

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