| R 060 |
| 2022 -- S 2019 Enacted 01/25/2022 |
| S E N A T E R E S O L U T I O N |
| JOYOUSLY CELEBRATING THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH BARTHOLOMEW OF CONSTANTINOPLE |
Introduced By: Senators Raptakis, Gallo, Euer, Kallman, Algiere, de la Cruz, F Lombardi, Quezada, DiMario, and Picard |
| Date Introduced: January 25, 2022 |
| WHEREAS, Bartholomew of Constantinople, the 270th and current Archbishop of |
| Constantinople, and the Ecumenical Patriarch since November 2, 1991, was born Dimitrios |
| Archontonis on February 29, 1940, on the Island of Imbros, which was later renamed Gokceada |
| by Turkey; and |
| WHEREAS, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew attended elementary school on his home |
| Island of Imbros and then attended secondary school at the renowned Zographeion Lyceum in |
| Constantinople (Istanbul). Shortly thereafter, he studied theology at the Patriarchal Theological |
| School of Halki, graduating in 1961 with highest honors. Upon graduation he was immediately |
| ordained a deacon and given the name Bartholomew; and |
| WHEREAS, From 1963 to 1968, Bartholomew pursued graduate studies at the Pontifical |
| Oriental Institute in Rome, the Ecumenical Institute of Bossey in Switzerland and the Ludwig |
| Maximilian University of Munich, Germany. Upon graduating, he returned to Constantinople and |
| was appointed Assistant Dean of the Sacred Theological School of Halki, and shortly thereafter |
| was ordained to the Holy Priesthood on October 19, 1969; and |
| WHEREAS, In 1972, Bartholomew was chosen to serve as the Director of the Patriarchal |
| Office of his predecessor patriarch Demetrios. On Christmas of 1973, he was named the |
| Metropolitan of Philadelphia, was renamed as the Director of the Patriarchal office, and remained |
| in those positions until he was enthroned as the Metropolitan of Chalcedon in 1990; and |
| WHEREAS, On October 22, 1991, in Istanbul, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew was |
| unanimously elected by the Holy Synod, to be the 270th Archbishop of Constantinople, |
| Ecumenical Patriarch, and the spiritual leader of approximately 300 million Orthodox Christians |
| across the globe and many millions in the United States. The State of Rhode Island is blessed to |
| be the home of three Greek Orthodox parishes: Assumption Greek Orthodox Church, |
| Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, and St. Spyridon Greek Orthodox Church; and |
| WHEREAS, Throughout his tenure as the Ecumenical Patriarch, Bartholomew has |
| worked tirelessly in support of religious liberty and tolerance throughout the world. He has been |
| called the “Green Patriarch” in honor and recognition of his efforts to promote ecology and in |
| support of initiatives to protect the environment, to raise personal responsibility and to promote |
| environmental ethics, by organizing numerous international ecumenical and interreligious |
| symposia, all over the globe . Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew has always been a firm believer |
| and a global leader, in interfaith dialogue and thanks to his hard work, Orthodox Christian |
| relations with the Roman Catholics, Lutherans, Baptists and other Christian groups have been |
| greatly advanced. His unique perspective and experience as a citizen of Turkey has greatly |
| assisted him in his efforts to promote greater understanding and tolerance between the Muslim |
| community and the Orthodox Christian community. He strongly engaged by taking significant |
| initiatives in an international level, on defending and promoting Children's Rights and raised a |
| strong voice against Modern Slavery; and |
| WHEREAS, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew’s wisdom, patience, and vigorous |
| support of peaceful resolutions to world conflicts has been widely sought out and appreciated by |
| world leaders and organizations across the globe. Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew was invited |
| to Brussels in 1993 to meet with the President of the Commission of the European Union, and in |
| 1994, he delivered a historical and inspirational talk, as an invited Church leader at the plenary |
| session of the European Union in Strasbourg. Later that year, he addressed the sixth World |
| Conference of Religions for Peace in Riva, del Garda, Italy. Ecumenical Patriarch also visited |
| Jerusalem in 1995, where he met Yitzhak Rabin and Yasser Arafat, as well as Pope John Paul II |
| in Rome at the Vatican; and |
| WHEREAS, Other distinguished leaders who have consulted with the Ecumenical |
| Patriarch include then-President of France, Jacques Chirac in Lourdes, the Archbishop of |
| Canterbury in Great Britain, and the Iran Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Shortly after September 11, |
| 2001, the Ecumenical Patriarch co-chaired a major inter-faith meeting with the President of the |
| European Commission, Roman Prodi, on “The Peace of God in the World”, an event with major |
| religious leaders from Christianity, Islam and Judaism in attendance; and |
| WHEREAS, In his first visit to the United States, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew |
| received the Congressional Gold Medal, in recognition of “his outstanding and enduring |
| contributions to religious understanding and peace”. In his most recent twelve-day visit to the |
| United States, the Ecumenical Patriarch visited New York City on November 2, 2021, presided |
| over a somber ceremonial door opening at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National |
| Shrine near the World Trade Center in memory of the tragedy of the terrorist attacks that took |
| place twenty years earlier on September 11, 2001, and in further memory of the small orthodox |
| parish church near ground zero that was also destroyed during the terrorist attacks. The |
| Ecumenical Patriarch also visited the White House and met with President Biden on his recent |
| trip to the United States; and |
| WHEREAS, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew received numerous awards and honors |
| throughout his distinguished life of public service including the Human Dignity Award from the |
| American Jewish Committee, the 2013 Global Thinkers Forum Award for Excellence in Peace |
| and Collaboration, the Four Freedoms Award in 2012 for the Freedom of Worship, the |
| aforementioned Congressional Gold Medal, which, along with the Presidential Medal of |
| Freedom, is one of the two highest civilian awards given by the United States, and the 2002 |
| Sophie Prize for his environmental advocacy. In April of 2008, Ecumenical Patriarch |
| Bartholomew was included in Time Magazine’s list of the 100 most influential people in the |
| world; now, therefore be it |
| RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island hereby congratulates |
| Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew on the 30th Anniversary of his election as the Ecumenical |
| Patriarch on October 22, 1991. We thank him for his tireless efforts to promote world peace, to |
| protect the environment, to support religious tolerance and liberty, and for being the inspirational |
| leader of the world’s 300 million Orthodox Christians. We wish him many more years of good |
| health, happiness, and success as the Ecumenical Patriarch and in his many noble endeavors; and |
| be it further |
| RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to |
| transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of |
| Constantinople. |
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| LC003318 |
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