With words filled with gratitude and hope, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew delivered his address at the United States Capitol, where he attended a special bipartisan luncheon in his honor, hosted by Speaker of the House Michael Johnson, on Wednesday, September 17, 2025.

The presence of His All-Holiness in this iconic space carried strong symbolic meaning. It was not, after all, the first time the Ecumenical Patriarch had been honored by Congress: in 1997, he received the Congressional Gold Medal, one of the nation’s highest distinctions.

In his speech, the Head of Orthodoxy highlighted the spiritual dimension of exercising political authority. He reminded that authority must be exercised with virtue and aligned with the Divine Plan, what the Church calls “oikonomia.” He spoke of humanity’s responsibility to rightly manage creation, which, as he stressed, has been harmed by the misuse of freedom and the consequences of sin.

Patriarch Bartholomew particularly emphasized the role of Christ as the true Steward of the world, who through His Incarnation restored the wounded creation. He underscored that the path of healing and renewal lies through sacrificial love and the overcoming of every obstacle on the journey toward justice, peace, and harmony.

The Patriarch’s words were especially moving when he referred to the “House of the People,” as the Capitol is known. He praised the fact that the United States, in less than three centuries, has managed to bring forth a unique combination of unity and diversity. From Native Americans to European settlers, from the descendants of slaves to political representatives of all parties, all share the same space, under the same dome.

“No other country in the world demonstrates such pluralism at the very center of its power,” he stressed, urging Americans to continue serving the ideal of unity within the diversity of their population.

The Patriarch also spoke of the universality of Orthodoxy, which, as he said, embraces all who come with sincerity of heart: “We understand how it is possible for you to become ‘E Pluribus Unum’ (Out of Many, One), for our Church too calls all into one faith and one communion of love,” he emphasized.

The address concluded with an invocation of God’s blessing upon the Speaker of the House and all who serve the American people, with the prayer that they may continue to work for peace, justice, and harmony in the world.

The Ecumenical Patriarch’s visit to the Capitol is part of a broader program of meetings in the United States, where he is holding a series of encounters with political and religious leaders. His message remains timely: that politics and society cannot thrive without spiritual foundations, and that caring for our common “house” — creation itself — is the responsibility of us all.

His speech

Mr. Speaker, the Honorable Michael Johnson,
Distinguished Members of the United States Government,
Your Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America,

Esteemed Hierarchs,
Honored Guests and Friends,
Beloved in the Lord,

It is with deep gratitude and admiration that we return to this esteemed institution—the United States Capitol—a symbol of liberty and the rule of law. We are especially mindful of the honor bestowed upon us here in 1997 with the Gold Medal of Congress.

We thank you, Mr. Speaker, for your gracious hospitality and for hosting this luncheon in our honor.

As Ecumenical Patriarch, now serving by God’s grace for nearly thirty-four years—the longest tenure in the history of the Church of Constantinople—we are ever inspired to share the light of the Gospel wherever we are called.

In this center of political and secular authority, we maintain that the spiritual values are absolutely essential. The virtuous exercise of power must align with the Divine Plan—what we in Greek call οἰκονομία, or “divine stewardship.” This stewardship encompasses all of creation, entrusted to humanity by its Creator.

Yet, through the misuse of our freedom, our “house,” our “οἶκος,” of creation has suffered from sin and its deleterious consequences. Only the Creator Himself could restore it, and through His Incarnation, the Lord assumed our human nature and became the true Steward—Οἰκονόμος—of the world, redeeming and transforming it.

In the path that the Lord Jesus trod, we find the path to healing and renewal—for our communities, our nations, and the world. It is through the same sacrificial love that He manifested that we can overcome every obstacle to justice, peace, and harmony in all the “houses” entrusted to us.

Here in the Capitol—the “People’s House”—we see how a young nation evolved to become a powerful symbol of unity in diversity.

Here, you manifest spiritual values of utmost importance – the equality of persons that makes this country so durable and so vigorous.

Native Americans occupy the same spaces with Europeans who came to the New World for conquest. Descendants of Enslaved Peoples stand under the same dome which shelters even those who fought to keep them so during the American Civil War. Figures from all political parties and walks of life fill this House where the People’s business is debated and enjoined. It truly is a remarkable assortment of individuals, and we dare to say that there is no other country on the earth that manifests such pluralism at the center of its power.

Mr. Speaker, dear friends: There is so much to be proud of in the American experience. The Capitol itself bears witness to the great experiment that is called the United States of America.

The Ecumenical Patriarchate understands how it is possible for such diverse peoples to come together and to be “E Pluribus Unum,” for the same is true of our Orthodox Christian Faith, which accepts all persons who come in sincerity of heart. Therefore, as we close our remarks today, we praise this Nation of many that strives to be one, and we invoke upon you, Mr. Speaker, and all those who serve the American People, the blessings of God and His infinite mercy. Amen!