Foundation News Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew Foundation Holds Inaugural Founders Dinner
In the presence of His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew Foundation For the Sacred See of Saint Andrew held its inaugural FOUNDERS Dinner in New York City on Friday, October 29, 2021. His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America offered remarks, and the Hon. Michael R. Pompeo, former U.S. Secretary of State, gave the keynote address. The Honorable B. Theodore Bozonelis, Archon Ekdikos, served as Master of Ceremonies.
After the Invocation by His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, Dr. Anthony J. Limberakis, National Commander of the Order of Saint Andrew the Apostle, Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, and Chair of the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew Foundation, presented the vision of the Foundation.
Dr. Limberakis stated: “A Patriarchal Foundation exclusively dedicated to fortify the financial underpinnings of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the Spiritual Center of World Orthodoxy has been the desire of many individuals for decades: Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew himself, Archbishop Elpidophoros even as a deacon, Fr. Alex Karloutsos and many Archons. The establishment of the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew Foundation by the Order of St. Andrew truly is a watershed response to a deep and longstanding need to establish a solid financial foundation for the Ecumenical Patriarchate. Indeed, the time has finally come for Orthodox Christians around the world to join together and ensure that the voice of the Apostolic Throne of Andrew never goes silent and the Spiritual Center of our Faith is able to lead Christ’s Holy Church for generations to come.”
In addition, Dr. Limberakis announced that up to that point, “$18 million has been raised for the Foundation by 157 Founders who have each pledged $100,000, as well as a $1 million Matching Grant from the Nicholas J. and Anna K. Bouras Foundation.” He added: “‘Glory to God for all things,’ in the words of St. John Chrysostom, Archbishop of Constantinople.”
Keynote speaker Michael R. Pompeo was sworn in as the 70th Secretary of State of the United States on April 26, 2018. He previously served as Director of the Central Intelligence Agency from January 2017 to April 2018. During his tenure as Secretary of State, on November 17, 2020 Pompeo visited the Phanar and met with His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, the first such meeting ever by a sitting Republican Secretary of State. Under the auspices of Secretary Pompeo, the United States Department of State hosted a Ministerial for the Advancement of Religious Freedom in Washington, DC where over 1,000 representatives from around the world attended. On September 24, 2020 Pompeo also met with His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America to discuss issues involving the Ecumenical Patriarchate, Turkey, Greece, and Cyprus.
An initiative of the Order of Saint Andrew the Apostle, the mission of the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew Foundation is to grant economic independence to the Ecumenical Patriarchate so that it may fulfill its apostolic mission in perpetuity. Founding Members of the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew Foundation have committed to ensuring the financial foundation of the Holy Mother Church the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople by pledging $100,000 over 10 years.
The Banquet was held under the auspices of the Nicholas J. and Anna K. Bouras Foundation, which is itself a Founding Member of the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew Foundation. The Nicholas J. and Anna K. Bouras Foundation has pledged to match the Founding Member donation of each Metropolis of the Archdiocese of America, up to one million dollars. This was made possible through the efforts of the National Secretary of the Order of Saint Andrew, the Hon. B. Theodore Bozonelis.
A link to view the Foundation Dinner proceedings will be available in the coming days on www.archons.org and www.bartholomew.foundation.
For further information about the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew Foundation, see bartholomew.foundation. For further information about the Order of Saint Andrew the Apostle, Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, see archons.org.
