[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 149 (Thursday, September 11, 2025)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6571-S6572]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               WELCOMING ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH BARTHOLOMEW

  Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. President, I rise today to welcome to Washington, DC, 
next week His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, the 
spiritual leader of Orthodox Christianity.
  His All-Holiness is a guiding light for the 300 million Orthodox 
Christians, including many thousands across California, from San Diego 
to Eureka. More than that, since ascending to his position in 1991, he 
has reached beyond Orthodox Christianity to be an inspiration to people 
of all faiths around the world suffering from religious persecution, 
violence, and displacement.
  Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew has fostered dialogue across the 
world and across religions with Christians, Muslims, and Jews. On today 
of all days, I note his efforts to combat international terrorism, 
helping lead the effort to the Brussels Declaration in December 2001 
calling on leaders of all religions to condemn violence and forswear 
the use of religious justification for terrorism and mistreatment.
  His All-Holiness is also a true champion of peace, tolerance, and 
defense of the environment. His coming to Washington will highlight the 
role that religious leaders play in pursuit of these goals and remind 
us to be stewards of all people and the planet before pursuing partisan 
and personal ends.
  I congratulate His All-Holiness on the well-deserved and highly 
impressive honor of being awarded the 2025 Templeton Prize, which 
recognizes spiritual and scientific advancement. The award puts him in 
the company of Mother Teresa, the Dalai Lama, King Abdullah, Jane 
Goodall, and Francis Collins--men and women from all walks of life who 
have made contributions to understanding the universe and humanity's 
place within it.

[[Page S6572]]

  In awarding the prize, the Templeton Foundation noted Bartholomew's 
dedication to environmental causes, for which he has earned the 
nickname of the ``Green Patriarch.'' The foundation said his 
environmental ministry is ``harnessing the power of the sciences to 
expand our collective understanding of humankind's place and purpose in 
the world'' and that ``Bartholomew has also deepened Christians' ideas 
of what it means to be faithful in the world today. It involves caring 
for all aspects of God's creation including the people around us and 
the natural world in which we live.''
  I join American Orthodox Christians, environmentalists, and 
peacemakers in welcoming back to Washington and the United States His 
All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. Congress will be honored 
to once again host him in our Halls next week.
  I urge my colleagues to listen to his message of peace, environmental 
stewardship, and the importance of bridging the divides between 
religions, nations, and all groups who spend more time on the things 
that divide us than those that should bring us together. We will gain 
from his return if we have the wisdom to listen.

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