U.S. Senators call on Biden to offer “excellent welcome” to Patriarch Bartholomew

Washington, D.C., October 21, 2021

Photo: athina984.gr Photo: athina984.gr     

Nearly half of the U.S. Senate has banded together to praise Patriarch Bartholomew as a prominent advocate for peace, ecumenism, and the environment.

In a letter to President Biden, 48 Democrat and Republican Senators express their concern to ensure that the Patriarch be given a welcome befitting “the spiritual leader of the second largest Christian Church in the world and a person of his many valuable achievements.”

Аs seen in an article published by the Middle East Institute on Tuesday, the Patriarch’s meeting with President Biden is seen as an opportunity to further cooperate against Russia and the Russian Orthodox Church.

Pat. Bartholomew is scheduled to arrive in America on Saturday, for the first time in 12 years. His visit coincides with the 30th anniversary of his election as Patriarch of Constantinople and the 100th anniversary of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese in America.

He will arrive in Washington, D.C., where he will be welcomed “at the highest level of diplomatic and ecclesiastical dignity.”

The letter reads:

With our many constituents in the Orthodox Christian community across the country, we are looking forward to your welcome of His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew the last week of October, 2021. We are hopeful that this trip to Washington, DC will be met in the extraordinary manner and appropriate protocol with which you hosted him as Vice President in 2009. This year marks the 30th Anniversary of his election as Ecumenical Patriarch. As you know, an exceptional welcome is appropriate for the spiritual leader of the second largest Christian Church in the world and a person of his many valuable accomplishments.

The Senators also praise Pat. Bartholomew for his work in promoting peace through interfaith dialogue, and for his work on environmental issues:

We appreciate the fact that His All Holiness, a world-leading advocate for interfaith dialogue and peace, was the first to motivate Muslim leaders to condemn the 9/11 attack on America as an anti-religious act. We value his historic dialogue and prayer for peace with Pope Francis at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem in 2014. This brotherly gathering was with the Ecumenical Patriarchate and Pope who are viewed as the brother-Apostles Andrew and Peter’s 269th and 265th direct successors, respectively. We know that Peter began his Church and ministry in Rome and Andrew began his in what is today Turkey, the locale of His All Holiness’ headquarters and Ecumenical Patriarchate.

We admire the high regard within which Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew is held as a preeminent international environmental leader, sometimes known as the “Green Patriarch.” We are pleased that his recognitions include our Congress’ highest honor – the Congressional Gold Medal – which we understand you helped secure in 1997.

This visit is an excellent opportunity for our Congress and your Executive Branch to follow in the Ecumenical Patriarch’s footsteps and demonstrate our mutual desire for the spirit of peace and cooperation. Thank you for your attention to this important matter.

During his visit, the Patriarch will also attend an ecumenical event at Notre Dame and inaugurate the St. Nicholas Church-shrine at Ground Zero.

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10/21/2021

See also
Patriarch Bartholomew and Pope Francis launch Chair of Ecology at Pontifical University Patriarch Bartholomew and Pope Francis launch Chair of Ecology at Pontifical University Patriarch Bartholomew and Pope Francis launch Chair of Ecology at Pontifical University Patriarch Bartholomew and Pope Francis launch Chair of Ecology at Pontifical University
Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople and Pope Francis co-launched the new UNESCO Chair on Futures of Education for Sustainability at the Pontifical Lateran University of Rome in a ceremony at the university yesterday. Patriarch Bartholomew, Pope Francis, Anglican archbishop issue joint environmental message Patriarch Bartholomew, Pope Francis, Anglican archbishop issue joint environmental message Patriarch Bartholomew, Pope Francis, Anglican archbishop issue joint environmental message Patriarch Bartholomew, Pope Francis, Anglican archbishop issue joint environmental message
“Caring for God’s creation is a spiritual commission requiring a response of commitment. This is a critical moment. Our children’s future and the future of our common home depend on it.” Schismatic church has political role of opposing Russia, Ukrainian World Congress head tells Patriarch Bartholomew Schismatic church has political role of opposing Russia, Ukrainian World Congress head tells Patriarch Bartholomew Schismatic church has political role of opposing Russia, Ukrainian World Congress head tells Patriarch Bartholomew Schismatic church has political role of opposing Russia, Ukrainian World Congress head tells Patriarch Bartholomew
“And we all know that the ROC is the ‘arm of the Kremlin,’ even in the diaspora. Therefore, it’s important for us to be able to create or open Ukrainian Orthodox churches in the diaspora. I spoke about this with the Ecumenical Patriarch,” the NGO head recalled. Ukrainian diplomat admits U.S.’s role in creating schismatic OCU Ukrainian diplomat admits U.S.’s role in creating schismatic OCU Ukrainian diplomat admits U.S.’s role in creating schismatic OCU Ukrainian diplomat admits U.S.’s role in creating schismatic OCU
The United States considers the creation of the “Orthodox Church of Ukraine” (OCU) as its own achievement, acknowledges the former Ukrainian Ambassador to the U.S. U.S. uses bulldozer diplomacy to pressure hierarchs to recognize schismatics, observes Serbian hierarch U.S. uses bulldozer diplomacy to pressure hierarchs to recognize schismatics, observes Serbian hierarch U.S. uses bulldozer diplomacy to pressure hierarchs to recognize schismatics, observes Serbian hierarch U.S. uses bulldozer diplomacy to pressure hierarchs to recognize schismatics, observes Serbian hierarch
The devil is ever-vigilant, His Grace said, working on Orthodox hierarchs to accept violations of the Orthodox faith and canons. Secretary Pompeo openly acknowledges U.S pressure on Churches to recognize Ukrainian schismatics Secretary Pompeo openly acknowledges U.S pressure on Churches to recognize Ukrainian schismatics Secretary Pompeo openly acknowledges U.S pressure on Churches to recognize Ukrainian schismatics Secretary Pompeo openly acknowledges U.S pressure on Churches to recognize Ukrainian schismatics
OrthoChristian has written of the U.S’s role in creating and propagandizing the OCU many times, and OCU hierarchs have even openly spoken about it at times. Pro-Constantinople and pro-schismatic hierarchs and media outlets have routinely dismissed such statements and reports as “Russian propaganda.”
Comments
Panagiotis10/25/2021 11:10 pm
I try to give Patriarch Bartholomew the benefit of the doubt, because I think deep down inside he is a good man, but he is in a difficult situation in Constantinople... I think the time has come to move Constantinople Patriarchate to a new land... The island of Crete would be perfect for this since it is already under the jurisdiction of Constantinople, it is an island Fortress, and the Cretan people are the strongest of the Greek people, and also strong Orthodox, strong and conservative...
Theodoros10/25/2021 5:05 pm
To Panagiotis, That patriarch bartholomew is of Greek ancestry means nothing. Patriarch Bartholomew would welcome a Turkish Conquest of Greece and Cyprus as he would be able to take over those Churches and depose those bishops and priests who stand in opposition to him. Patriarch Bartholomew cares only about power. Not Orthodoxy nor Greece. If he were more humble and pious he would have respected the canons of the Church and would have looked upon the Russian Church as the great protector of Orthodoxy. Lacking humility and vision, he views the Russians not as brothers but as competitors that he is jealous of. The Russians were helping his patriarchate by strengthening his flock when Russians living in Turkey came under the omophorion of the Phanar. Unfortunately, he chose to align with the atheist west and to foment schism and destruction in Orthodoxy. In addition to tolerating the Turks in Cyprus, the us and British tolerated the Turkish ethnic cleansing of Greeks in Constantinople. The Patriarch will find out soon enough that the US cares nothing about the Church of Constantinople. They only need Constantinople for the short term to pursue their anti Russian ambitions. Love of power is going to bring about the downfall of Bartholomew and all those who blindly follow him. Tragically, many fellow Greeks are supporting him.
sherlock_holmes10/25/2021 3:34 am
"The Greek people are a difficult if not impossible people to tame, and for this reason we must strike deep into their cultural roots. Perhaps then we can force them to conform. I mean, of course, to strike at their language, their religion, their cultural and historical reserves, so that we can neutralize their ability to develop, to distinguish themselves, or to prevail; thereby removing them as an obstacle to our strategically vital plans in the Balkans, the Mediterranean, and the Middle East." Henry Kissinger,US secretary of state !...It is amazing how many bearded people can be so easily fooled by the devil's advocate,the American diplomacy !
James10/24/2021 6:15 am
Whose appearance changed more since that picture was taken?
Panagiotis10/24/2021 3:51 am
Is this patriarch who is supposedly of Greek ethnicity ignorant of history, or is he just a liberal?.... The Nation of Greece and The Greek People were staunch allies of the United States and the Western Allies in World War II, and the Greek People suffered immensely during and after the war... But that did not help the Greek People when the Turks invaded Cyprus, and the United States and the United Kingdom did absolutely nothing.... I have read that Henry Kissinger gave the green light to the Turks to invade Cyprus.... after all these years, the Turks are still in Cyprus, and it appears nothing will change in the foreseeable future... maybe this patriarch should stop worrying about this green environmental nonsense and this ecumenical movement nonsense and start being a real Orthodox Patriarch, i.e. Conservative...
Alexander Leitner10/23/2021 8:53 pm
The american CIA "Patriarch". A friend of pro-abortion Biden. But not a friend of orthodox Russians! ????‍♂️????‍♂️????‍♂️
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