His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, spiritual leader of 300 million Orthodox Christians worldwide, will formally receive the 2025 Templeton Prize at a private ceremony in New York City on September 24, 2025. First announced in April, the award is one of the world’s most significant recognitions for contributions to religion and human flourishing.
The Templeton Prize, valued at £1.1 million, is presented annually by the John Templeton Foundation, headquartered in West Conshohocken, Pennsylvania. For the Philadelphia region and its Greek Orthodox community, the connection is especially meaningful: a global award with roots in our own backyard.
Local Connection: Templeton Foundation in Our Backyard
The Templeton Prize is awarded by the John Templeton Foundation, based in West Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, just outside Philadelphia. Founded by philanthropist Sir John Templeton, the foundation supports work at the intersection of science, philosophy, and faith.
For our community, it means that while the 2025 ceremony takes place in New York, its roots are right here in the Philadelphia region.
Often referred to as the “Green Patriarch” for his lifelong environmental advocacy, Bartholomew has spent decades urging religious and political leaders to recognize environmental destruction not only as a crisis of policy but as a matter of conscience. In 1997, he declared that pollution, deforestation, and climate change constitute an “ecological sin.” That teaching reframed environmental care as a spiritual duty, shaping both Orthodox theology and global discussions on climate ethics.
Since 1989, the Ecumenical Patriarchate has also marked September 1 as a day of prayer for the natural environment—a tradition that continues across Orthodox churches worldwide.
Accepting the award, Bartholomew reflected: “We are not owners of this planet. It belongs to the coming generations as well. We are simply stewards and priests of the environment and not proprietors of it.”
The September 24 ceremony in New York will place the Patriarch alongside past laureates such as Mother Teresa, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, and the Dalai Lama. Since its founding in 1972, the Templeton Prize has honored leaders who bring faith, science, and society into constructive dialogue.
Bartholomew’s leadership has also been marked by historic partnerships. In 2002, he co-signed the landmark “Venice Declaration” on environmental ethics with Pope John Paul II—the first joint text of the two leaders on ecology.
Through international symposia held on the Amazon, the Arctic, and even the Mississippi River, Bartholomew has brought global attention to the spiritual dimension of protecting endangered ecosystems. His long environmental ministry is detailed in the Archdiocese feature Green Patriarch: Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and the Protection of the Environment.
For Orthodox faithful in Philadelphia, the recognition is more than symbolic. Parishes across the Delaware Valley trace their heritage to the Ecumenical Patriarchate, and many have drawn inspiration from Bartholomew’s call to care for creation. From parish gardens to interfaith ecological efforts, his message has found practical expression in local life.
Watch: Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew – A Sacred World
Featured image: Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, recipient of the 2025 Templeton Prize for his lifelong commitment to environmental stewardship.
Please confirm event details with the organizers before attending, as dates, times, locations, and registration information may change.