To the Most Reverend Hierarchs, the Reverend Priests and Deacons, the Monks and Nuns, the Presidents and Members of the Parish Councils of the Greek Orthodox Communities, the Day and Afternoon Schools, the Philoptochos Sisterhoods, the Youth, the Hellenic Organizations, and the entire Greek Orthodox Family of America

Prosfileis Omogeneis,

As brothers and sisters in Christ we joyfully anticipate once again the celebration of the Feast of the Annunciation and the Day of Greek Independence. On this day, Sunday the Twenty-Fifth of March, we will gather in worship of the Triune God, in remembrance of our sacred heritage, and in public affirmation of our inheritance as Orthodox Christians and Greek-Americans through our participation in annual Greek Independence Day Parades.

Assuredly, these annual events are a witness to the intrinsic influence of Hellenism and Orthodoxy upon our identity. They are also a visible manifestation of the power of a substantive legacy and a living faith that not only enabled the preservation of religious expression, language, and a national distinctiveness through centuries of oppression, but also enabled our forbearers to embrace the struggle for freedom and to accept the challenges of independence. Thus to us, as the inheritors of the sacred and immeasurable wealth of Christian Hellenism, our Greek Independence Day Parades demonstrate the value of our faith and heritage in addressing the struggles and challenges of our contemporary world.

Let us join together in a spirit of unity, love, and joy as we prepare for this year’s Parades and other activities that will mark our commemoration of Greek Independence. On this day we will give thanks to God for His abundant blessings, we will honor and seek the intercessions of the Most Holy Theotokos, and through our participation in the celebration of Greek Independence Day we will annunciate the necessity of true faith, of universal Hellenic ideals, and of our role as faithful stewards of our Greek heritage and our Orthodox faith.

With paternal love in Christ,

†DEMETRIOS

Archbishop of America