His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew on Wednesday, September 17, 2025 attended a Grand Reception that the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew Foundation held in his honor at the exclusive Ned’s Club in Washington, D.C. Hosting the reception was Archon John S. Koudounis, Chair of the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew Foundation Investment Committee, and his beloved wife Joanne. A special guest at the Reception was the Honorable Mike Johnson, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives.
In his remarks at the Reception, His All-Holiness stated: “As we look around this magnificent room, we see in the faces of our beloved Greek Orthodox Faithful the fulfillment of the American Dream. And this is not merely about their societal, political, financial, or educational success.” He explained: “What your countenances reflect is the genius of the Hellenic mind, and the faithfulness of the Orthodox Christian spirit. The fusion of both is exemplified by the most foundational text of the Christian Religion – the New Testament. Written in the Greek Language, it represents the Faith that emerged from the Hebrew People. These two were combined to give to the world a union compatible with both, and a paradigm for everywhere the Greek and Orthodox Faith would travel. For you, the Greek-Americans, faithful Greek Orthodox, have made America and its Dream your own. This could not be more clear – as obvious to the sociologist as to the theologian.”
Read the full text of His All-Holiness’ remarks here.
Accompanying His All-Holiness were His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America; the Hierarchs and other members of the Patriarchal delegation; the Spiritual Advisor of the Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the Rev. Protopresbyter of the Ecumenical Throne Alexander Karloutsos; Dr. Anthony J. Limberakis, National Commander of the Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate; the Hon. B. Theodore Bozonelis, National Vice Commander of the Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate; and numerous other Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
Also in attendance were Representative Nicole Malliotakis (R.-N.Y.); Representative Jimmy Patronis (R.-Fla.); Deputy Secretary of State Mike Rigas; Kimberly Guilfoyle, the Ambassador-Designate of the U.S. to the Hellenic Republic; Former U.S. Representative John Sarbanes; Vassilis Kikilia, Minister of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy for Greece; Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Greece Alexandra Papadopoulou; the Ambassador of Greece to the U.S., Ekaterini Nassika; the Ambassador of Cyprus to the U.S., Evangelos Savva; and officials of prominent Hellenic American organizations.
