[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 209 (Thursday, December 11, 2025)]
[Senate]
[Page S8667]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              TRIBUTE TO ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH BARTHOLOMEW

  Mr. MARKEY. Mr. President, I rise to acknowledge the leadership of 
His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, spiritual head of 
more than 300 million Orthodox Christians worldwide. As the 269th 
direct successor to the Apostle Andrew and the 270th Ecumenical 
Patriarch, he represents a centuries-old tradition of faith, service, 
and moral guidance that has shaped communities around the globe.
  His All-Holiness recently visited the United States, where he 
continued a tradition of engagement with U.S. leaders. While in 
Washington, DC, he participated in meetings with bipartisan 
congressional leaders in the U.S. Capitol, reinforcing the long-
standing friendship between our country and the Ecumenical 
Patriarchate.
  While in the United States, His All-Holiness was honored with the 
Templeton Prize, joining a select group of global figures recognized 
for their spiritual vision and commitment to faith and leadership. His 
presence in our country highlighted both the continuity of Orthodox 
Christianity and the enduring need for moral and spiritual leadership 
in the modern world.

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