His All-Holiness, BARTHOLOMEW, Archbishop of Constantinople-New Rome and Ecumenical Patriarch is the 269th successor of the 2,000 year-old local Christian Church founded by St. Andrew the Apostle. As a citizen of Turkey, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew's personal experience offers a unique perspective on the continuing dialogue among Jews, Christians and Muslims. For his inspiring efforts on behalf of religious freedom and human rights, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew was awarded the United States Congressional Gold Medal in 1997.