[Pages H11827-H11830]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

WELCOMING HIS ALL HOLINESS BARTHOLOMEW, ARCHBISHOP OF CONSTANTINOPLE,
NEW ROME, ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH

Mr. CARNAHAN. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to
the resolution (H. Res. 838) welcoming to the United States and to
Washington, DC, His All Holiness Bartholomew, Archbishop of
Constantinople, New Rome, Ecumenical Patriarch on his upcoming trip on
October 20, 2009, through November 6, 2009, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
The text of the resolution is as follows:

H. Res. 838

Welcoming to the United States and to Washington, DC, His
All Holiness Bartholomew, Archbishop of Constantinople, New
Rome, Ecumenical Patriarch on his upcoming trip on October
20, 2009, through November 6, 2009.
Whereas Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew is the spiritual
leader of nearly 300,000,000 Orthodox Christians around the
world and millions of Orthodox Christians in the United
States;
Whereas Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew is head of the
largest Christian denomination headquartered in the Muslim
world and convener of an ecumenical meeting which produced
the first condemnation by Muslim religious leaders of the 9/
11 attack on the United States as an anti-religious act;
Whereas the Ecumenical Patriarchate, located in Istanbul,
Turkey, is the spiritual home of the world's oldest and
second largest Christian church;
Whereas within the 2,000-year-old Sacred See of the
Ecumenical Patriarchate, the New Testament was codified and
the Nicene Creed was created;
Whereas the disappearance of the See would mean the end of
a crucial link between the Christian and the Muslim world
since the continuing presence of the Ecumenical Patriarchate
in Turkey is a living testimony of religious co-existence
since 1453;
Whereas Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew received on his
first official visit to the United States in 1997, the
Congressional Gold Medal, presented by the United States on
behalf of the Congress in recognition of his outstanding and
enduring contributions to religious understanding and peace,
and was recognized by the United States in a manner reserved
for a very small number of world leaders;
Whereas the legislation bestowing the Congressional Gold
Medal on Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew had one of the
highest numbers of Members of the United States House of
Representatives cosponsoring it in Congressional history;
Whereas His All Holiness is one of the few living persons
to have been awarded the highest Congressional honor, the
Congressional Gold Medal, which has been bestowed only on the
most eminent individuals, such as George Washington, Winston
Churchill, and Pope John Paul II;
Whereas Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew is recognized in
the United States and abroad as a leader in the quest for
world peace, greater religious understanding, and respect for
the Earth's environment;
Whereas Ecumenical Patriarchate Bartholomew was selected by
Time Magazine as number 11 among 2008's 100 most influential
people in the world;

[[Page H11828]]

Whereas Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew enhanced greater
religious understanding by initiating a joint declaration
that it is man's duty to protect the earth, signed by himself
and Pope John Paul II, the spiritual leaders of nearly 1 out
of every 5 people in the world;
Whereas Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew is called ``the
Green Patriarch'' by leaders of the international
environmental community;
Whereas Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew received the
prestigious Sophie Prize of Norway for his environmental
work;
Whereas the prize money was donated by His All Holiness to
UNICEF's fund for destitute children and for environmental
projects;
Whereas Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew has led symposia
of international environmental leaders regarding the
Adriatic, Aegean, Arctic, Baltic, and Black Seas, as well as
the Amazon, Danube, and Mississippi Rivers, and His All
Holiness was honored in New York through the Scenic Hudson
River Initiative;
Whereas the Religious, Science, and Environmental (RSE)
symposia are organized under the auspices of His All Holiness
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, who originally conceived
the movement in 1988 at a meeting of environmental and
religious leaders for the purpose of establishing common
ground on environmental issues between representatives of
faith communities, scientists, and environmental
nongovernmental organizations;
Whereas patrons of past symposia have included Prince
Philip, Duke of Edinburgh; Jacques Santer and Romano Prodi,
former Presidents of the European Commission; and Kofi Annan,
former United Nations Secretary-General;
Whereas the symposia have also reached out across different
faiths and denominations, revealing the wisdom of diverse
theological traditions, as well as a common imperative to
protect the natural world;
Whereas during the 2002 Adriatic Sea Symposium, Pope John
Paul II and Patriarch Bartholomew signed a joint declaration
underlining the spiritual duty of caring for God's creation
in the interest of future generations; and
Whereas the outstanding accomplishments of Ecumenical
Patriarch Bartholomew have been formally recognized and
honored by numerous governmental, academic, and other
institutions around the world: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) welcomes to the United States and to Washington, DC,
His All Holiness Bartholomew, Archbishop of Constantinople,
New Rome, Ecumenical Patriarch, and recognizes the
importance to the United States and the world of the
Ecumenical Patriarch's recent environmental seminar conducted
on the Mississippi River with some of the world's leading
environment experts;
(2) recognizes the importance to the United States and to
the world of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew's leadership on
matters of environment, peace, and religion, and encourages
United States foreign policy makers to continue to urge
Turkey to grant religious freedom and property rights to the
Ecumenical Patriarchate as well as to reopen the theological
school at Halki; and
(3) expresses its support for Ecumenical Patriarch
Bartholomew's noble efforts for the betterment of humankind.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Missouri (Mr. Carnahan) and the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-
Lehtinen) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Missouri.

General Leave

Mr. CARNAHAN. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include
extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Missouri?
There was no objection.
Mr. CARNAHAN. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of this
resolution and yield myself such time as I may consume.
I would like to thank my colleague, the gentleman from Florida (Mr.
Bilirakis), a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and a
leading voice in the Congress on issues concerning the Ecumenical
Patriarch, for introducing this resolution.
We are all pleased to welcome Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, the
spiritual leader of nearly 300 million Orthodox Christians around the
world, to the United States and to our Nation's Capital. Elected as the
270th Archbishop of the historic throne of Constantinople, Ecumenical
Patriarch Bartholomew has been a tireless advocate for religious
freedom, Muslim-Christian dialogue and international environmental
protection.
Known as the Bridge Builder and the Patriarch of Peace, Ecumenical
Patriarch Bartholomew has provided hope to those who have survived
under Communist oppression and has also traveled throughout the Muslim
world, advocating for religious tolerance and understanding.
Sitting at the crossroads between East and West, the Ecumenical
Patriarchate itself is a testament to half a millennium of Christian-
Muslim coexistence. In fact, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew has
strived to communicate his message of tolerance and understanding
directly to millions of Muslims around the world.
Another important theme of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew's has
been environmental protection which has earned him the title of Green
Patriarch. It is fitting then that the Ecumenical Patriarch began his
visit to the United States in New Orleans and convened a symposium on
the environmental health of the Mississippi River.
This marks the eighth environmental symposium Ecumenical Patriarch
Bartholomew has held since 1995. In 2002, at the Adriatic Sea
Symposium, Pope John Paul II and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew
signed a historic joint declaration, underlining the spiritual duty of
caring for God's creation in the interest of future generations.
Madam Speaker, while I am pleased that we've come here today and
expressed our strong support for Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and
his leadership on many important issues, we must also remember that the
Patriarchate itself operates under numerous onerous restrictions
imposed by the Government of Turkey, the country where the Patriarchate
is located. The Patriarchate's property rights, its freedom to open
religious schools and other issues of religious freedom must be
properly addressed by the Turkish Government. Indeed, the very future
of the Ecumenical Patriarchate is endangered by the Turkish requirement
that the Ecumenical Patriarch be a natural-born citizen of Turkey. As
the Greek Orthodox population of Turkey has dwindled to less than 3,000
persons, the pool of potential future Ecumenical Patriarchs has
virtually dried up. This archaic requirement that the Patriarch be a
natural-born Turkish citizen was born in the difficult post-World War I
environment in which the modern Republic of Turkey was created. It is
certainly unworthy of the self-confident regional power that Turkey has
become, and we call on Turkey to end this requirement, and end it now,
before it strangles the Patriarchate.
I urge my colleagues to join me in welcoming His All Holiness
Bartholomew, Archbishop of Constantinople, New Rome, Ecumenical
Patriarch and honoring all he has done to promote peace, religious
understanding and the protection of our environment. I strongly support
this resolution, and I urge all my colleagues to do likewise.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker, I am so pleased and honored to yield
such time as he may consume to my good friend from Florida (Mr.
Bilirakis), an esteemed member of our Committee on Foreign Affairs and
the author of this important resolution.
Mr. BILIRAKIS. Madam Speaker, I rise today with great pride to offer
House Resolution 838, as amended, which welcomes His All Holiness
Bartholomew, Archbishop of Constantinople, New Rome, Ecumenical
Patriarch, as he visits the United States. I would like to recognize
Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Berman and Ranking Member Ros-Lehtinen
for working with me to move this important resolution to the House
floor expeditiously.
Consideration of this resolution underscores the importance and
demonstrates Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew's relevance in the world
as a spiritual leader, the leader of nearly 300 million Orthodox
Christians around the world and millions of Orthodox Christians right
here in the United States.
I was blessed to have been raised in the Greek Orthodox Church. As a
child, I served as an altar boy in St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church
in Tarpon Springs, Florida, as do three of my sons today.
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew is the 273rd successor of the
founder of the Eastern Orthodox Church, St. Andrew the Apostle. Madam
Speaker, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew must

[[Page H11829]]

ensure that the faith in the Holy See endures. The Ecumenical
Patriarchate is the spiritual home of the world's oldest and second-
largest Christian church located in Istanbul, Turkey.

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew has a record of reaching out and
working for peace and reconciliation among all faiths and has fostered
dialogue among Christians, Jews and Muslims. In fact, His All Holiness
convened an ecumenical meeting which produced the first condemnation by
Muslim leaders of the 9/11 attack on the United States as an anti-
religious act, an accomplishment that has yet to be repeated by any
other world or religious leader. Indeed, His All Holiness was the
second living person in U.S. history allowed to be honored in the
United States Capitol Rotunda as a recipient of the Congressional Gold
Medal, the highest congressional honor, previously bestowed on such
historic figures as George Washington, Pope John Paul II and Winston
Churchill.
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew was honored by Time magazine in its
selection of His All Holiness as number 11 among 2008's 100 most
influential people in the world. He has been recognized in the United
States and abroad as a leader in the quest for world peace, greater
religious understanding and respect for the Earth's environment.
This resolution also recognizes the need for religious freedom and
property rights to be granted to the Ecumenical Patriarchate as well as
the need for the theological school at Halki to be reopened, both of
which deserve our full support.
I urge my colleagues to support this resolution recognizing the
importance of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew's visit to the United
States and his work on behalf of world peace, the environment and
religious freedom.
Mr. CARNAHAN. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
Ohio (Mr. Space).
Mr. SPACE. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution
838, welcoming to the United States His All Holiness Ecumenical
Patriarch Bartholomew, Archbishop of Constantinople, New Rome. This
visit of the Ecumenical Patriarch is a significant occasion for
Orthodox Christians, Greek Americans and all Americans in general.
As a Greek American and as an Orthodox Christian myself, I am humbled
by the visit of the leader of my church who is renowned for his work on
peace and religious understanding and tolerance around the world.
Patriarch Bartholomew has also distinguished himself by working
diligently to bring attention to our environment, calling his followers
to take heed of their physical and spiritual impact on this Earth.
All of us have been fortunate to live our lives and raise our
families in a nation where we are free to worship and we can seek the
spiritual guidance of our church leaders without fear. In too many
places in the world, this is not possible.
I would like to thank my colleague from Missouri for his reference to
the Government of Turkey and would, by these remarks, appeal upon the
State of Turkey to embrace a sense of religious tolerance that has,
regrettably, been missing. As one of over 300 million who follow the
Orthodox faith, I look to Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew for
spiritual guidance and leadership, and it fills me with great pride to
welcome His Holiness to the United States.
I would like to thank my colleague and good friend from the State of
Florida (Mr. Bilirakis) for introducing this resolution, and I am
honored to be an original cosponsor. As a member of the Orthodox
Church, as a Greek American, as a proud Member of this Congress, I
strongly urge support for this resolution.

{time} 1645

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, it is my great honor to rise in support of this
important resolution put forth by my good friend from Florida (Mr.
Bilirakis). I thank him for his leadership.
This resolution welcomes the Ecumenical Patriarch on his visit to the
United States, which is coming up this November. Patriarch Bartholomew
is the spiritual leader for over 300 million Orthodox believers around
the world, millions of whom live right here in the United States.
As the leader of the oldest and second largest church in the world,
the Patriarch has been an inspirational advocate for peace and
religious tolerance. In fact, the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Istanbul
has been an iconic symbol for religious co-existence since 1453, when
the Muslim ruler and the Patriarch at that time signed an accord for
the continuation of the Orthodox Church in what became a predominantly
Muslim country.
Today, Patriarch Bartholomew continues to reach out to leaders of
various religious faiths to encourage dialogue and understanding. In
fact, following the horrendous attacks on our country on September 11,
2001, Patriarch Bartholomew convened an interfaith conference with
representatives from the Christian, Jewish and Muslim religions--a
conference that resulted in the first condemnation by Muslim leaders of
those terrorist attacks. Patriarch Bartholomew has also been a global
leader in efforts to protect our environment. He has sponsored symposia
with international environmental leaders on initiatives to protect our
clean oceans and to protect our rivers.
Despite his many contributions and the commitment to peace and
understanding, the Ecumenical Patriarch continues to endure
restrictions imposed by the Turkish Government. The prohibitions on the
Patriarchate's right to own property and its right to determine for
itself the requirements for Patriarchal succession must end. The
closing of the theological school in Halki must be reversed. Such
actions restrict the religious freedom of millions of Orthodox
believers, and they threaten the future of the Patriarchate, itself.
I am pleased that this resolution clearly states the need for the
lifting of these bureaucratic restrictions on the Ecumenical
Patriarchate, and on the occasion of the Patriarch's visit to the
United States, we again call on the Turkish Government to end them.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. CARNAHAN. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from
Maryland (Mr. Sarbanes).
Mr. SARBANES. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 838. It is, indeed, a
privilege to join with my colleagues in welcoming to the United States
and honoring His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew,
Archbishop of Constantinople and New Rome.
I want to thank Congressman Bilirakis for his leadership in
developing this resolution.
As Ecumenical Patriarch, His All Holiness is the spiritual leader of
the world's Orthodox Christians. Orthodox Christians constitute the
second largest Christian domination in the world, numbering some 300
million. From the Phanar, located in modern day Istanbul, the
Ecumenical Patriarch has challenged all of us through his unparalleled
work in interfaith dialogue to respect each other's faiths and
cultures.
He is a true messenger of peace and justice. Each day, the Ecumenical
Patriarch reminds us through his good deeds and good words that we must
reach beyond the value of material goods and look at one another as the
brethren of a single family. The role of pastor to the world, the
Ecumenical role of His All Holiness arises from the fact that he is the
successor of the Apostle Andrew, who established the church in Rome's
eastern provinces while his brother, Peter, established the church in
Rome.
Unfortunately, while the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Istanbul is more
than 1,700 years in existence, today, its survival is threatened
because of the continued denial of religious freedom and human rights
that is perpetuated by the government of the Republic of Turkey. The
plight of this ancient and noble religious center exemplifies the
ongoing struggle for international religious freedom that so many
people of so many faiths continue to endure.
The United States must call upon its ally Turkey to restore the full
rights of the Patriarchate, including property rights, and to reopen
the Halki Theological Seminary.
I am particularly drawn to the Patriarch's efforts to promote
environmentalism. He has been called the Green Patriarch for his
powerful

[[Page H11830]]

commitment to restoring our planet. He initiated a joint declaration
that it is man's duty to protect the Earth, signed by himself and Pope
John Paul--the spiritual leaders of nearly one out of every five people
in the world.
The moral force of his message is unassailable. Humankind must ensure
that it exists in a world where there is fresh air to breathe, clean
water to drink and pure soil from which to harvest our food. From the
Phanar, the Ecumenical Patriarch has inspired millions of Christians,
Jews, Muslims, and people of all faiths with his call upon humanity to
honor its responsibility as a steward of the Earth's natural bounty.
We are so privileged to have Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew in the
United States and to honor him for his continuing efforts to achieve a
more peaceful and harmonious world.
Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 838, a
bill to welcome His All Holiness Bartholomew, Archbishop of
Constantinople, to the United States and to Washington, DC.
As the spiritual leader of nearly 300,000,000 Orthodox Christians
around the world and millions of Orthodox Christians in the United
States, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew is recognized here and abroad
for his leadership in the quest for world peace, for his work to
promote responsible stewardship of the environment and for his global
efforts to spread religious tolerance.
In addition to receiving the 1997 Congressional Gold Medal and the
Sophie Prize of Norway for managing to raise the environmental
awareness of 300 million members of the Orthodox Churches, His Holiness
was recognized in 2008 by Time Magazine as one of the world's most
influential people. Time Magazine said His Holiness was recognized for
his successful efforts to ``stake out a clear moral and spiritual
vision that is dominated by his concern for the environment.''
I am proud to stand in recognition of the pioneering efforts of His
Holiness in linking faith to the environment, for his tireless efforts
to promote justice and human rights and for his global spiritual
leadership.
I welcome His Holiness to the United States and urge my colleagues to
join me in support of this resolution.
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time
on this important resolution, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. CARNAHAN. Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and
I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Carnahan) that the House suspend the rules
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 838, as amended.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. CARNAHAN. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be
postponed.

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