In the presence of His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, Stony Brook University Marine Station Southampton Campus hosted an event entitled “Oceans of Hope: The Green Patriarch Recognizes Stony Brook Southampton’s Marine Sciences Mission.” The event was held on International Coastal Cleanup Day, Saturday, September 20, 2025. His All-Holiness also received the Stony Brook Council University Medal—the highest honor the university can award.
As part of the observance of International Coastal Cleanup Day, the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew went aboard the R/V Peconic-Southampton from Stony Brook University’s marina to tour an inlet of Shinnecock Bay, in the east end of Long Island, and heard remarks from several of the university’s researchers.
Accompanying His All-Holiness was His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America; 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; and Archons, dignitaries, and faithful. The event also drew a crowd of researchers, clergy, and local leaders. Presenting the award to His All-Holiness was Stony Brook University President Andrea Goldsmith.
In his remarks, the Ecumenical Patriarch stated: “As Ecumenical Patriarch, leading the worldwide Orthodox Church through canonical tradition and conciliar ministry, we have stressed for decades the need to address the growing environmental challenges that face the human family.” He noted that “even before our election to the Ecumenical Throne, as a Hierarch of the Mother Church of Constantinople, we have labored for half a century to raise the awareness of everyone – from Heads of State and Governmental Leaders; from Academia and the Scientific communities, to the entire interspiritual landscape, both within the Christian Family and throughout the Interfaith world – all the way to the People in the Pews, as you say, who might not understand at first, that the stewardship of creation is as much a part of their spiritual vocation as is their participation in Sunday Services.”
