The Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew was warmly received by the U.S. Congress during his visit to the United States. More than twenty members of Congress submitted statements to the official record highlighting the significance of his spiritual leadership and dedication to human rights and peace.
Democratic Congressman Dan Goldman of New York initiated this gesture; New York is a focal point for the Greek-American diaspora. Goldman noted that the Patriarch’s visit concerns not only Orthodox Christians but also all those seeking moral guidance in a time of global uncertainty.
Goldman recalled the awarding of the Templeton Prize to Patriarch Bartholomew, an honor previously bestowed upon renowned figures such as Mother Teresa and the Dalai Lama. Goldman emphasized that the Patriarch has become a symbol of interfaith dialogue, human dignity, and peace, particularly in relation to the crisis in Ukraine.
Republican Congressman Gus Bilirakis also emphasized this point, speaking of a “legacy of faith, peace, and resilience” embodied by the Patriarch. He reminded Congress that Christian communities in Turkey have dramatically declined and urged them to pressure Ankara to recognize the Ecumenical Patriarchate and allow the reopening of the Halki Theological School.
Democratic Congresswoman Dina Titus, for her part, highlighted Patriarch Bartholomew’s ecological vision, which earned him the title “Green Patriarch” in the United States. Since the early 1990s, she noted, the leader of Orthodoxy has emphasized that destroying nature is a sin and has proclaimed that the world is a divine gift, not property to be exploited.
Translated by Ioanna Georgakopoulou
