Welcoming Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

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.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source