[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 152 (Wednesday, September 17, 2025)]
[Senate]
[Page S6684]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               WELCOMING ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH BARTHOLOMEW

  Mr. PETERS. Mr. President, I rise to offer remarks to welcome His 
All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew to the United States. He 
is the spiritual head of the second largest Christian Church in the 
world and the leader of over 1 million Greek Orthodox in the United 
States, including many of my constituents in the State of Michigan. 
Michigan is home to a vibrant Greek Orthodox community, whose presence 
in the State stretches all the way back to the late 1800s with the 
arrival of the first Greek immigrants to Michigan. Today, the community 
is represented across the State, with 23 parishes spanning from metro 
Detroit to the Upper Peninsula.
  His All-Holiness is in the United States this month to meet with the 
President and Members of the House and Senate leadership. He is also 
set to receive the distinguished Templeton Prize for his years of 
dedicated service as Ecumenical Patriarch. Throughout this time, His 
All-Holiness has sought to bring together people of all faiths to 
combat religious intolerance and enhance understanding between the 
faiths.
  One of his major efforts during his first years as Patriarch was to 
convene an interfaith international conference on peace and religious 
tolerance in Istanbul. The conference brought together faith leaders 
from around the world to find ways to encourage understanding and 
peaceful coexistence. Moreover, he has advanced Christian-Muslim 
relations by advocating for peace-building measures in conflict 
affected regions like the Balkans.
  The Templeton Prize is not the first recognition His-Holiness has 
received for his years of profound service. The Patriarch has also been 
honored by the United Nations, the European Union, and dozens of 
governments, universities, and institutions for his bold efforts to 
promote peace and understanding, especially between the East and West. 
In 1997, he was honored in Washington, DC, with the Congressional Gold 
Medal, the highest congressional award.
  Once again, I would like to extend a warm welcome to His All-Holiness 
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. His work to strengthen ties between 
communities of differing faiths is critical in helping combat religious 
intolerance.

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