His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America welcomed Niki Kerameus, the Hellenic Republic's Minister of Interior at the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America's headquarters in New York City, on March 28, 2024. The meeting took place at a pivotal moment for the Greek diaspora, after the newly enacted legislation that enables postal voting for Greeks living abroad during European elections and national referenda.

Minister Kerameus, underscoring the critical role of the Greek Orthodox Church in America in raising awareness about the legislative change, thanked the Archbishop for his support. The Archbishop, in turn, praised the Minister for the breakthrough, emphasizing the necessity of such a measure, which had been long awaited. He expressed hope that the initiative would soon expand to include national parliamentary elections, marking a further step in engaging the Greek diaspora in their homeland's democratic processes.

Furthermore, Archbishop Elpidophoros took the opportunity to affirm the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America's readiness to engage in Greece's recently presented “Strategic Plan for the Hellenic Diaspora” and to contribute to the public consultation. With over 500 parishes across the United States, the Church is poised to put to use its extensive network and resources. This includes offering its physical infrastructure and sharing insights from its educational initiatives in teaching Greek language and culture, all aimed at reinforcing ties between Greece and its global community.

Photo: GOARCH/Dimitrios Panagos