[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 151 (Tuesday, September 16, 2025)]
[Senate]
[Page S6644]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               WELCOMING ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH BARTHOLOMEW

  Mr. MARSHALL. Mr. President, I rise today to welcome to our Nation's 
capital His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, the 
Spiritual Head of the second-largest Christian Church in the world. His 
All-Holiness serves as the current Archbishop of Constantinople and 
leads over 300 million Orthodox Christians worldwide.
  His All-Holiness is visiting Washington, DC, from September 15 
through September 17 and will meet with President Trump at the White 
House. This visit coincides with his receipt of the Templeton Prize, a 
prestigious award previously bestowed upon renowned figures such as 
Mother Teresa, the Dalai Lama, and Archbishop Desmond Tutu.
  For decades, His All-Holiness has been a steadfast advocate for 
religious freedom and unity among Christians worldwide. He has 
consistently called for the protection of religious minorities and has 
championed the rights of Orthodox Christians to worship freely. His 
efforts to promote dialogue between the Orthodox Church and other 
Christian denominations have significantly strengthened interreligious 
understanding.
  In my home State of Kansas, we are honored to have a strong and 
active Greek Orthodox community, with more than 4,300 Orthodox 
Christians and two parishes: St. Dionysios in Overland Park and Holy 
Trinity in Wichita. These churches embody the deep spiritual connection 
that Kansans share with the Ecumenical Patriarchate and Orthodox 
Christians around the world.
  I now ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing this historic visit 
and in honoring His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew for 
his unwavering commitment to faith and the common good.

                          ____________________