[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 186 (Thursday, November 6, 2025)]
[Senate]
[Page S7960]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       RECOGNIZING THE VISIT OF ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH BARTHOLOMEW

  Ms. BLUNT ROCHESTER. Mr. President, today I rise to recognize and 
welcome the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew to Washington, DC.
  Born Demetrios Arhondonis in 1940 on the island of Imvros, now known 
as Gokreada, Turkiye, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew was elected in 
October 1991 as the 270th Archbishop of the 2,000-year-old Orthodox 
Church. As Ecumenical Patriarch, he is the spiritual leader of Orthodox 
Christianity worldwide, with over 300 million adherents and a history 
tracing back to the early Christian communities of Roman antiquity.
  Patriarch Bartholomew has been a strong advocate for religious 
freedom, interfaith dialogue, and environmental stewardship. He has 
been received by multiple Presidents of the United States and 
Secretaries of State, and in 1997, Congress awarded him the 
Congressional Gold Medal, one of our Nation's highest honors.
  Last September, Patriarch Bartholomew returned to Washington to 
receive the very prestigious Templeton Prize, awarded in New York City, 
joining the company of past recipients such as Mother Teresa, 
Archbishop Desmond Tutu, and the Dalai Lama. The Templeton Prize 
recognizes his outstanding leadership in promoting human dignity and 
fostering dialogue between faith and science.
  The people of Delaware, including our incredibly vibrant Greek 
Orthodox community, are honored to welcome the Patriarch Bartholomew to 
the U.S. Capitol. I invite my colleagues to join me in welcoming 
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew.

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