Today, April 10, 2025, the John Templeton Foundation announced that His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew is the 2025 Templeton Prize Laureate.
Upon learning of this distinguished honor, His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros convened an extraordinary session of the Holy Eparchial Synod of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America with the sole agenda item to share the happy news and to celebrate this momentous occasion. In his address to the Synod, Archbishop Elpidophoros stated:
“This recognition of the Templeton Prize, which is without any doubt the world’s most prestigious award in religion and science, is a cause for exceptional joy throughout our Sacred Archdiocese of America, and truly for all Orthodox Christians and People of Faith.”
The Holy Eparchial Synod of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America then issued the following statement:
“We rejoice that our spiritual father and leader of the Church is so recognized. His All-Holiness has led the Christian World for decades in advocacy and awareness of our responsibility as stewards of God’s Creation.
His extraordinary personality and deep theological understanding have attracted the world’s leading scientists, philosophers, religious leaders, and political figures to the cause of caring for our Planet Earth, the source of our physical life, even as God is the source of our eternal life.
On behalf of the Greek Orthodox People of America, we express our satisfaction and gratitude to the John Templeton Foundation for this recognition, which is as timely as it is most certainly ‘meet and right.’
We look forward to sharing news and developments around the awarding of the Templeton Prize as they emerge in the coming months, and we anticipate the joy with which our Faithful will be filled when His All-Holiness arrives on these shores in September of this year, to receive the Prize and bestow upon us once again his Paternal and Patriarchal Blessing.”
At the conclusion of the session, His Eminence the Archbishop and the Synodal Hierarchs exchanged greetings and good wishes for the upcoming celebrations of Holy Week and Pascha (Easter).
