[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 150 (Monday, September 15, 2025)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E847]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




WELCOMING HIS ALL-HOLINESS ECUMENICAL PATRIACH BARTHOLOMEW TO NEW YORK 
                          AND WASHINGTON, D.C.

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. DANIEL S. GOLDMAN

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, September 15, 2025

  Mr. GOLDMAN of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to offer a 
heartfelt and historic welcome to America for a truly remarkable global 
religious leader--His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, 
Archbishop of Constantinople and the Spiritual Head of the Orthodox 
Christian Church, the second-largest Christian Church in the world.
  We are deeply honored to have His All-Holiness visiting our country, 
our Nation's capital, and New York, home to a vibrant Orthodox 
community, including the largest Greek, Ukrainian, and Romanian 
populations in the United States. His visit is a moment of profound 
significance for Orthodox Christians, for the broader faith community, 
and for all who cherish moral leadership in times of global challenge.
  His All-Holiness comes to America in conjunction with his acceptance 
of the Templeton Prize in New York City--an award bestowed upon 
visionary leaders whose lives and work affirm the spiritual dimension 
of human existence. The Templeton Prize has previously honored 
extraordinary figures such as Mother Teresa, the Dalai Lama, and 
Archbishop Desmond Tutu. Patriarch Bartholomew joins that distinguished 
company, not only as a spiritual figure but as a tireless advocate for 
interfaith dialogue, peace, and human dignity.
  Today, as the world witnesses ongoing war and displacement, His All-
Holiness has stood firmly on the side of justice and sovereignty. On 
the eve of the third anniversary of Russia's illegal and immoral war 
against Ukraine. Patriarch Bartholomew declared unequivocally that, 
``Ukraine's sovereignty is not up for debate, nor can it be negotiated 
under the guise of diplomacy.'' He rightly insists that any future 
peace must include Ukraine as an equal participant. He has commended 
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for his tireless defense of his nation's 
independence and democratic values--a position that echoes the 
principles of freedom and self-determination we hold dear.
  As the ``first among equals'' in Orthodoxy, His All-Holiness 
continues to provide moral clarity and spiritual leadership not just 
for the Orthodox faithful, but for the world at large. He has reminded 
us--through words and deeds--that faith must be active, that leadership 
must be courageous, and that peace must be rooted in justice.
  Please join me in welcoming His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch 
Bartholomew to the United States of America. His presence is a blessing 
to our Nation and a beacon of hope to hundreds of millions around the 
world.

                          ____________________