,,iv  #aac? ,,congress  #a/ ,session    
,h4 ,,res4 #ahh  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(     
,,repres5tatives  ,april #bf1 #bjac ,mr4
 ,bilirakis 7= himself1 ,mrs4 ,c>olyn   
,b4 ,maloney ( ,new ,york1 ,ms4         
,ros-,leht951 ,mr4 ,mc,govern1 ,mr4     
,franks ( ,arizona1 ,mr4 ,s>banes1 ,mr4 
,kelly ( ,p5nsylvania1 ,ms4 ,titus1 ,mr4
 ,grimm1 ,mr4 ,s*iff1 ,mr4 ,pallone1    
,ms4 ,l9da ,t4 ,sn*ez ( ,cali=nia1 &    
,mr4 ,mi*aud7 submitt$ ! foll[+         
resolution2 :i* 0 ref]r$ to ! ,committee
 on ,=eign ,affairs  ,,resolution       
,call+ ^u ! ,gov]nm5t ( ,turkey to      
facilitate ! reop5+ ( ! ,ecum5ical      
,patri>*ate's ,!ological ,s*ool ( ,halki
 )\t condition or fur!r delay4  ,:]eas !
 ,ecum5ical ,patri>*ate is an in/itution
 ) a hi/ory spann+ #ag c5turies1 s]v+ z 
! c5t] ( ! ,or?odox ,*ri/ian ,*ur*      
?r\gh\t ! _w2 ,:]eas ,ecum5ical ,patri>*
 ,b>?olomew is ! spiritual lead] ( ne>ly
 #cjj1jjj1jjj ,or?odox ,*ri/ians ar\nd !
 _w & millions ( ,or?odox ,*ri/ians 9 ! 
,unit$ ,/ates2 ,:]eas ! ,ecum5ical      

,patri>*ate is ! spiritual home ( ! _w's
 olde/ & second l>ge/ ,*ri/ian *ur*     
locat$ 9 ,i/anbul1 ,turkey2 ,:]eas )9 ! 
#b1jjj-ye>-old ,sacr$ ,see ( !          
,ecum5ical ,patri>*ate1 ! ,new ,te/am5t 
0 codifi$ & ! ,nic5e ,cre$ 0 creat$2    
,:]eas ! ,ecum5ical ,patri>*ate sits at 
! crossroads ( ,ea/ & ,we/1 (f]+ a      
unique p]spective on ! religions &      
cultures ( ! _w2 ,:]eas ! disappe>ance (
 ! ,see w\ld mean ! end ( a crucial l9k 
betwe5 ! ,*ri/ian & ! ,muslim _w s9ce ! 
cont9u+ pres5ce ( ! ,ecum5ical          
,patri>*ate 9 ,turkey is a liv+ te/imony
 ( religi\s co-exi/5ce s9ce #adec2      
,:]eas ! title ( ,ecum5ical ,patri>* 0  
=mally accord$ to ! ,ar*bi%op (         
,con/ant9ople by a synod conv5$ 9       
,con/ant9ople dur+ ! #f? c5tury2 ,:]eas 
s9ce ,novemb] #aiia1 ,8 ,all ,hol9ess1  
,b>?olomew ,i1 has s]v$ z ,ar*bi%op (   
,con/ant9ople1 ,new ,rome & ,ecum5ical  
,patri>*2 ,:]eas ,ecum5ical ,patri>*    
,b>?olomew ,i 0 aw>d$ ! ,congressional  
,gold ,m$al 9 #aiig1 9 recognition ( 8  

out/&+ & endur+ contributions t[>d      
religi\s und]/&+ & peace2 ,:]eas dur+ ! 
#aaj? ,congress1 #ge ,s5ators & !       
ov]:elm+ majority ( memb]s ( !          
,committee on ,=eign ,affairs ( ! ,h\se 
( ,repres5tatives wrote to ,presid5t    
,george ,w4 ,bu% & ! ,prime ,m9i/] (    
,turkey to express congressional conc]n1
 :i* cont9ues today1 reg>d+ ! abs5ce (  
religi\s fre$om = ,ecum5ical ,patri>*   
,b>?olomew ,i 9 ! areas ( *ur*-controll$
 ,patri>*al succession1 ! confiscation (
 ! va/ majority ( ,patri>*al prop]ties1 
recognition ( ! int]national ,ecum5icity
 ( ! ,patri>*ate1 & ! reop5+ ( !        
,!ological ,s*ool ( ,halki2 ,:]eas !    
,!ological ,s*ool ( ,halki1 f\nd$ 9     
#ahdd & locat$ outside ,i/anbul1        
,turkey1 s]v$ z ! pr9cipal sem9>y = !   
,ecum5ical ,patri>*ate until its =cible 
closure by ! ,turki% au?orities 9 #aiga2
 ,:]eas ! alumni ( ?is preem95t         
educational in/itution include num]\s   
prom95t ,or?odox s*ol>s1 !ologians1     
prie/s1 bi%ops1 & patri>*s1 includ+     

,b>?olomew ,i2 ,:]eas ! ,republic (     
,turkey has be5 a p>ticipat+ /ate ( !   
,organization = ,security & ,coop]ation 
9 ,europe 7,,osce7 s9ce sign+ ! ,hels9ki
 ,f9al ,act 9 #aige2 ,:]eas 9 #aihi1    
,,osce p>ticipat+ /ates adopt$ ! ,vi5na 
,conclud+ ,docum5t1 committ+ to respect 
! "r ( religi\s communities to provide  
tra9+ ( religi\s p]sonnel 9 appropriate 
in/itutions2 ,:]eas ! cont9u$ closure ( 
! ,ecum5ical ,patri>*ate's ,!ological   
,s*ool ( ,halki has be5 an ongo+ issue (
 conc]n = ! ,unit$ ,/ates p & ! ,unit$  
,/ates ,congress & has be5 repeat$ly    
rais$ by memb]s ( ! ,commission on      
,security & ,coop]ation 9 ,europe & by  
,unit$ ,/ates delegations to ! ,,osce's 
annual ,human ,dim5sion ,implem5tation  
,meet+2 ,:]eas 9 8 address to ! ,gr&    
,national ,assembly ( ,turkey on ,april 
#f1 #bjji1 ,presid5t ,b>ack ,obama said1
 ,fre$om ( religion & expression lead to
 a /rong & vibrant civil society t only 
/r5g!ns ! /ate1 :i* is :y /eps l reop5+ 
,halki ,sem9>y w s5d su* an important   

signal inside ,turkey & beyond42 ,:]eas 
9 a welcom$ developm5t1 ! ,prime ,m9i/] 
( ,turkey1 ,recep ,tayyip ,erdogan1 met 
) ! ,ecum5ical ,patri>* on ,augu/ #ae1  
#bjji1 &1 9 an address to a wid] ga!r+ (
 m9ority religi\s lead]s t day1 conclud$
 by /at+1 ,we %\ld n be ( ^? :o ga!r1   
talk1 & disp]se4 ,a result %\ld come out
 ( ?is42 ,:]eas dur+ 8 visit to ! ,unit$
 ,/ates 9 ,novemb] #bjji1 ,ecum5ical    
,patri>* ,b>?olomew ,i rais$ ! issue ( !
 cont9u$ closure ( ! ,!ological ,s*ool (
 ,halki ) ,presid5t ,obama1             
congressional lead]s1 & o!rs2 ,:]eas 9 a
 welcome developm5t1 = ! fir/ "t s9ce   
#aibb1 ! ,gov]nm5t ( ,turkey 9 ,augu/   
#bjaj all[$ ! liturgical celebration by 
! ,ecum5ical ,patri>* at ! hi/oric      
,sumela ,mona/]y2 ,:]eas foll[+ a       
unanim\s decision by ! ,european ,c\rt (
 ,human ,rights 9 ,/rasb\rg 9 #bjaj1    
rul+ t ,turkey return ! =m] ,greek      
,orphanage on ,buyukada ,isl& to !      
,ecum5ical ,patri>*ate1 on ! eve ( !    
fea/ day ( ,/4 ,&rew obs]v$ on ,novemb] 

#cj1 ! ,gov]nm5t ( ,turkey provid$      
lawy]s repres5t+ ! ,ecum5ical           
,patri>*ate ) ! =mal prop]ty title = !  
confiscat$ build+2 ,:]eas 9 ,m>* #bjab1 
aft] bilat]al meet+s betwe5 ! ,unit$    
,/ates & ,turkey 9 ,se\l1 ,korea1       
,presid5t ,b>ack ,obama prais$ ,prime   
,m9i/] ,erdogan's ef=ts to protect      
religi\s m9orities & ann\nc$1 ,i am     
pleas$ to he> ( 8 decision to reop5 !   
,halki ,sem9>y42 ,:]eas ,turkey's       
,c\ncil ( ,f\ndations return$ #aij      
hect>es ( =e/l& to ! ,!ological ,s*ool (
 ,halki 9 ,janu>y #bjac2 & ,:]eas       
,secret>y ( ,/ate ,john ,f4 ,k]ry met ) 
,turki% (ficials & ! ,ecum5ical ,patri>*
 ,b>?olomew ,i dur+ an ,april #bjac     
meet+ & reit]at$ ! ,unit$ ,/ates        
position t ! ,halki ,sem9>y %\ld be     
reop5$ )\t fur!r delay or conditions3   
,n[1 !re=e1 be x  ,t ! ,h\se (          
,repres5tatives--  7#a7 welcomes pa/ &  
future meet+s betwe5 ,prime ,m9i/]      
,recep ,tayyip ,erdogan & ,ecum5ical    
,patri>* ,b>?olomew ,i2  7#b7 welcomes !

 positive ge/ures by ! ,gov]nm5t (      
,turkey1 includ+ all[+ ! liturgical     
celebration by ! ,ecum5ical ,patri>* at 
! hi/oric ,sumela ,mona/]y & ! return ( 
! =m] ,greek ,orphanage on ,buyukada    
,isl& to ! ,ecum5ical ,patri>*ate1 & !  
return ( ! #aij hect>es ( =e/l& to !    
,greek ,or?odox f\ndation li/$ z        
own]-(-record ( ! ,!ological ,s*ool (   
,halki2  7#c7 urges ! ,gov]nm5t (       
,turkey to facilitate ! reop5+ ( !      
,ecum5ical ,patri>*ate's ,!ological     
,s*ool ( ,halki )\t condition or fur!r  
delay2 &  7#d7 urges ! ,gov]nm5t (      
,turkey to address o!r long/&+ conc]ns  
relat+ to ! ,ecum5ical ,patri>*ate4