Welcoming Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew

Floor Speech

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Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, it is my honor to congratulate The Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, His All- Holiness Bartholomew, who is traveling to the U.S. this month to receive the prestigious Templeton Prize, on his achievements in interfaith dialogue. As this year's Templeton Prize Laureate, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew will join the esteemed ranks of past recipients, including Mother Teresa, the Dalai Lama, and Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

His All-Holiness has been a pioneer in merging spirituality with science as a force for change. As head of the Eastern Orthodox church, he has gathered scientists, scholars, politicians with Catholic, Jewish, and Muslim clerics. He also became the first Christian hierarch to visit countries like Libya, Syria, Egypt, Iran, Jordan, Azerbaijan, Qatar, and Bahrain, building on his church's 550-year history of coexistence with Muslims.

In 1997, Ecumenical Patriarch Batholomew was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal ``in recognition of his outstanding and enduring contributions to religious understanding and peace.'' That same year, he decried pollution, deforestation, and climate change as ``ecological sins.'' His All-Holiness' dedication to preserving our planet for future generations is an inspiration to us all.

I thank The Ecumenical Patriarch for his work on interfaith dialogue and protecting the environment, congratulate His All-Holiness on being recognized by the Templeton Prize, and welcome him back to the United States.

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