Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople is the spiritual leader of the world’s 300 million Orthodox Christians. Yet he lives humbly in Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul), where, despite the fact that he is the leader of the world’s second-largest Christian body, his worldwide ministry is subject to various forms of discrimination by the Turkish government.
His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew is a globally respected religious leader who has been recognized with the Congressional Gold Medal for his efforts to foster peace, environmental awareness, and interfaith dialogue. Now, the New Hampshire Senate has joined most of the other states in calling upon the Turkish authorities to grant full religious freedom to this all-important religious figure.
On Thursday, May 15, 2025, the New Hampshire Senate commemorated Greek Day by introducing and adopting a landmark Proclamation for Religious Freedom.
Last Thursday, May 15, 2025, Sen. Denise Ricciardi (R-Bedford), with the full support of New Hampshire’s Greek community and 22 other senators, introduced a groundbreaking Proclamation for Religious Freedom, decrying to the Turkish government’s ongoing suppression of the religious freedom of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. Sen. Ricciardi, who is a Greek Orthodox Christian, worked on this proclamation in collaboration with Dick Anagnost, the noted real estate developer and a pillar of the local Greek community.
I launched these efforts in New Hampshire as an Archon of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, an international group dedicated to supporting and defending the Ecumenical Patriarchate, which has worked in all 50 states to promote the adoption of this proclamation in order to raise awareness of the plight of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and to call upon Turkey to relieve the pressure on Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and all of that country’s religious minorities.
The New Hampshire Senate commemorated Greek Day by adopting this Proclamation, which affirms the historical and spiritual significance of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and condemns the ongoing denial of religious freedom by the Turkish government.
The proclamation observes that “the Turkish government’s current treatment of the Ecumenical Patriarchate is inconsistent with the membership conditions and goals of the European Union,” and that “Orthodox Christians in this state and throughout the United States stand to lose their spiritual leader because of the continued actions of the Turkish government.” It calls upon the Turkish government to “uphold and safeguard religious and human rights without compromise,” and to “cease its discrimination” against the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
Sen. Ricciardi told the Senate that “this isn’t just a ceremonial proclamation — it’s a statement of principle, a stand for religious freedom, human rights, dignity, and the right of all people to worship without fear or discrimination,” she said. “As a member of the Greek Orthodox Church, I’m proud to support this resolution and grateful for the opportunity to speak on such a vital issue.”
“With this proclamation,” Sen. Ricciardi explained, “New Hampshire stands in solidarity with voices around the world urging the government of Turkey to restore religious freedom — to reopen the Halki Seminary, to stop interfering in Church affairs, and to respect the rights of one of the world’s oldest religious institutions.” Halki Seminary is the Ecumenical Patriarchate’s sole theological school for training native clergy; the Turkish government forcibly closed it in 1971. Despite numerous promises to reopen it, the seminary has remained closed since then.
There were several honored guests in attendance as Sen. Ricciadi introduced the proclamation, including His Eminence Metropolitan Methodios of Boston; Father Demetri Costarakis of Saint George Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Manchester, N.H.; Father Andrew Otto of Assumption Greek Orthodox Church, also in Manchester; Archon Constantine Sideridis, Regional Commander for the Metropolis of Boston; the Hon. Symeon Tegos, Consul General of Greece in Boston; state Rep. Efstathia Booras; R.I. state Sen. Leonidas Rapatikas; George Copadis, Commissioner of New Hampshire Employment Security; Frank Edelblut, New Hampshire Commissioner of Education; and several local clergy and supporters from the broader Greek-American community.
Congressman Chris Pappas (D-N.H.), who was in Washington on official duties, sent a letter of support, which was read during the event.
“I support this important resolution and thank the New Hampshire state Senate for considering it. It endorses a simple idea: that all nations should uphold and safeguard religious and human rights for all—that this freedom should empower people of faith to follow their religion and its leaders to strengthen their communities, and that nations cannot claim to respect those rights while simultaneously undermining the spiritual leadership of the Ecumenical Patriarchate,” Pappas wrote.
This is a very significant accomplishment for New Hampshire’s Greek community. We are grateful to Sen. Ricciardi and Dick Anagnost for orchestrating and executing this historic event, and to Congressman Pappas for lending his support. We are all honored for this opportunity to serve and defend our Holy Mother Church of Constantinople.
With this proclamation, New Hampshire joins the 46 other states that have passed similar resolutions, and becomes part of a growing and urgently needed national effort to defend religious liberty and protect one of Christianity’s most ancient and revered institutions.
