USA: Reception in honor of Patriarch Bartholomew in the presence of the Speaker of the House

Mr. Johnson, who had earlier welcomed His Holiness to the Capitol, said, “I have always felt particularly welcome in the Greek community. There is a large community in my home state of Louisiana. This is a very special day for me. His Holiness is a special person to me. I want to say that I was a little jealous of one of my predecessors, one of my mentors, Newt Gingrich, who for me remains the greatest Speaker of the House of Representatives of all time. I envied him because he awarded you the Congressional Gold Medal. It is the highest honor of Congress. I think it is a great testament to your ministry and the way you lead. I thank you for that, for all these years of service.”

Mr. Johnson praised the role of the Orthodox Church in preserving what he called “eternal truths” that formed the foundation of the United States. He added that America is in need of a “spiritual renewal,” something that, he argued, spiritual leaders like the Ecumenical Patriarch can foster.

In his remarks, His Holiness referred to the experience of Greek Orthodox believers in the United States and their role in shaping the American dream. “As we look around this magnificent hall, we see in the faces of our beloved Greek Orthodox faithful the realization of the American dream,” he said, speaking of the “coupling” of the Greek spirit with Orthodox spirituality, as well as the way in which Greek Americans have embraced and reshaped the American national narrative.

He also emphasized that the Greek Orthodox community in the United States has a “catalytic presence” in helping “their fellow citizens rise to their highest potential.”

Among those present were Congressmen Nicole Malliotakis and Jimmy Patronis, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Mike Rigas, U.S. Ambassador-designate to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle, former Congressman John Sarbanes, Greek Minister of Shipping and Insular Policy Vassilis Kikilias, Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs Alexandra Papadopoulou, Greek Ambassador to the U.S. Ekaterini Nasika, Ambassador of the Republic of Cyprus to the U.S. Evangelos Savvas, as well as representatives of prominent Greek-American organizations.