[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 10]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 14694]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


WELCOMING THE 39TH BIENNIAL CLERGY-LAITY CONGRESS OF THE GREEK ORTHODOX 
                  CHURCH OF AMERICA TO WASHINGTON, DC

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. NANCY PELOSI

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 10, 2008

  Ms. PELOSI. Madam Speaker, I would like to welcome more than 700 
delegates and 1500 total participants to the 39th Biennial Clergy-Laity 
Congress of the Greek Orthodox Church of America to Washington, DC. The 
theme of the 39th Biennial Congress is Gather My People to My Home, 
which recognizes the value of each person and, as Archbishop Demetrios 
of America has written, acknowledges that many people are struggling 
and seeking a spiritual home where they can find peace and hope.
  The Greek Orthodox community in San Francisco is an example of the 
beautiful diversity of my hometown. I am proud that several of my 
constituents, including Metropolitan Gerasimos of San Francisco and 
Fathers Stephen Kyriacou and Aris Metrakos and lay leaders from the 
Holy Trinity Church and Annunciation Cathedral of San Francisco, will 
be in Washington for the Congress this week. I would also like to 
congratulate my friend Andy Manatos who will serve as the Chairman of 
Clergy Laity Congress during this conference.
  The House of Representatives is blessed to have had many Greek 
Orthodox members of Congress over the years. Today, the community is 
well-represented by leaders such as John Sarbanes of Maryland, Zack 
Space of Ohio, Niki Tsongas of Massachusetts and Gus Bilirakis of 
Florida.
  Members of Congress have expressed strong support for the Greek 
Orthodox community through the years including awarding the 
Congressional Gold Medal, the highest civilian award bestowed by the 
Congress, to Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew in recognition of his 
outstanding and enduring contributions toward religious understanding 
and peace.
  The religious freedom of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Greek 
Orthodox community continues to be a top priority for Members of 
Congress. A bipartisan group of members on the House Foreign Affairs 
Committee recently sent a letter to the Prime Minister of Turkey urging 
him to do everything possible to preserve the Ecumenical Patriarchate 
and to end restrictions and practices which threaten the viability of 
this nearly 2,000-year old spiritual beacon. The millions of Orthodox 
Christians in America and around the world can be assured that Congress 
will continue to advocate for their right to worship and practice their 
faith without undue government interference.
  As Greek Orthodox clergy, parishioners, and hierarchs visit our 
nation's capitol this week, I thank them for their leadership and wish 
them a successful conference.

                          ____________________