Greek Independence Day Celebration at the White House
(photos © D. Panagos/GOA)
24/3/2012
Greek Church in USA
ARCHBISHOP DEMETRIOS EMPHASIZES NEED FOR SUPPORT TO GREECE IN THE WHITE HOUSE ANNUAL GREEK INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATION
WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama and Vice-President Joe Biden welcomed yesterday evening (Thursday, March 22, 2012) at the White House His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America and the Greek-American community for the Annual Greek Independence Day Celebration. This was the 26th consecutive celebration at the White House and honored the 191st Anniversary of the start of the Greek War for Independence of March 25th, 1821.
President Barack Obama and Vice-President Joe Biden met in private with Archbishop Demetrios in the Green Room, just prior to the public event, which started in the East Room of the White House at 7:00 p.m.
Archbishop Demetrios, in his address which began the program, thanked the President for graciously hosting the annual event and spoke of the religious importance of March 25th to Orthodox Christians as the Feast of the Annunciation and the ethnic significance of the anniversary “when with the help of the almighty God the victorious Revolution for independence of the Greek Nation started in 1821.”
The Archbishop pointed out “a dramatic change in the life of the Greek people,” which came about in the last two years and said that “various factors have contributed to the creation of a very dismal financial situation with extremely negative consequences on the life of the people of Greece,” and he added that in this circumstance “there is an urgent need for substantial assistance.”
His Eminence recognized with gratitude the support of the President and his administration “for issues for which our American Greek Orthodox Community is deeply concerned and named the issues of religious freedom for our Ecumenical Patriarchate, the resolution of the problem of the re-unification of Cyprus, and the proper closing of the Macedonian issue.
“Thus, we are fully justified in counting on the continuation and dramatic enhancement of your strong support also in the case of the present ordeal of the people of Greece. Our country, our USA, the universal beacon of democracy, liberty and justice, can offer substantial relieving assistance to Greece, the birth place of democracy in her serious financial distress. Yes! We can! We can, when our America has you as President.
“We reiterate our wholehearted thanks to you, our thanks that are accompanied by our prayers to God for you, Mr. President for your noble family, for our great country and for heroic and suffering Greece. Our fervent prayers and efforts for Greece are based on our unwavering belief that the Cross is always followed by the Resurrection.” (see full text of Archbishop’s Remarks below)
Vice President Biden spoke next and said that even though Greece has faced daunting challenges before, has always prevailed because of the courage of its people and presented President Barack Obama saying that the President himself is an example of such courage.
President Obama started his remarks in Greek with the word Kalispera (good evening) and welcomed the Archbishop saying he is a model of piety and faith, but also a man of great humor and great warmth, adding that he is proud to call His Eminence a friend. The President welcomed Deputy Foreign Minister of Greece Dimitris Dollis, the Ambassadors of Greece Vassilis Kaskarelis and of Cyprus Pavlos Anastasiadis, many members of Congress who were in attendance and the many guests and representatives of the Gree
