[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 151 (Tuesday, September 16, 2025)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E862]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  WELCOMING ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH OF CONSTANTINOPLE, HIS ALL-HOLINESS 
             BARTHOLOMEW'S 2025 VISIT TO THE UNITED STATES

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. DARRELL ISSA

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 16, 2025

  Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to extend a warm welcome to the 
Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, His All-Holiness Bartholomew, 
the spiritual leader and ``First Among Equals'' of more than 300 
million Orthodox Christians worldwide. During this historic visit to 
the United States, His All-Holiness will receive the Templeton Prize--
the world's most prestigious award in Religion and Science.
  Patriarch Bartholomew's efforts to promote religious freedom and 
human rights and his initiatives to advance religious tolerance among 
the world's religions, together with his work toward international 
peace and environmental protection, have justly placed him at the 
forefront of global visionaries as an apostle of love, peace, and 
reconciliation.
  We are privileged to host the longest-serving Archbishop of 
Constantinople in history here in our Nation's Capital, as he meets 
with the President, Secretary of State, and Congress. His visit to the 
United States serves as a testament to his unwavering commitment to 
fostering mutual respect and religious tolerance on a global level.
  I look forward to the opportunity to welcome His All-Holiness and 
express our collective gratitude for his continued leadership and 
dedication to the cause of peace and religious liberty. In the words of 
His All-Holiness: ``If our age will be remembered, it may be for those 
who dedicated themselves to the cause of peace.''

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