The Annual Congressional Saint Andrew’s Human Rights and Religious Freedom Reception

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Saint Andrew is the patron saint of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of the Orthodox Church. In November, the month of the Feast Day of Saint Andrew, the Congressional Human Rights and Religious Freedom Reception is convened to raise awareness on the state of religious freedom, human rights and democratic liberties the world over and as well to acknowledge the continuing struggle of the Ecumenical Patriarchate to secure full rights and dignity within modern day Turkey.

The Ecumenical Patriarchate is the Holy Center of the Orthodox Christian Church, which is the world’s second largest Christian Church, larger than the Anglican Church and second only to the Catholic Church. The Ecumenical Patriarch is the spiritual leader of the world’s 300 million Orthodox Christians, including 6 million Americans. The title, “Ecumenical,” signifies the Ecumenical Patriarch’s preeminent role in the spiritual guidance of the Orthodox Church. His All Holiness Bartholomew is the current Ecumenical Patriarch, serving as the 270th successor to Saint Andrew. Sadly, governing authorities of the Republic of Turkey have for more than a century denied fundamental religious freedom to the Ecumenical Patriarchate and continue to deny fundamental human rights and dignity to the Orthodox Church. To learn more about the Ecumenical Patriarchate you may visit – http://www.patriarchate.org.

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