E. VENIZELOS: A meeting with His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America is always substantial and interesting – a spiritual pleasure. I have visited the Archdiocese many times before, and, as Hellenism and Orthodoxy, we are proud of the work the Archbishop carries out here, in a space that is very useful to our national interests. Because His Eminence is the one who, with his stature, can truly express not only the word of Orthodoxy, but the word of Hellenism, so that this word is heard by the U.S. government, by Congress, by centers of social and political power, in New York, In Washington, and everywhere. Your Eminence, I thank you very much for your work and your invaluable assistance.
ARCHBISHOP DEMETRIOS: Mr. President, you surprise me, because you described something that is probably much more the work of the Greek American community, and less mine. We thank you very much for your visit today. I reciprocate what you said, that it is a pleasure to talk with you, because I know you not only as a politician, but also as a prominent academic and an expert on difficult legal issues. These days, of course, you have surprised us, because you saw so many officials and politicians on all levels – so many that I wonder whom you haven’t seen. This was very important – you’ve been working hard to promote Greece’s issues.
In my meeting with Mr. Venizelos, we had the opportunity for an exceptionally good briefing, realistic, with the actual facts, but always full of the hope and planning that has been an intrinsic trait of Hellenes through the ages. We are always planning, even when we are in the darkest night and worst storm. Because we know that the night will pass, the storm will pass, and the sun will rise again; a sun that favors Greece in particular. We thank you for this very nice and substantial visit, and, as we said in our meeting upstairs, rest assured, Mr. President, that the Greek American community is at the side of our brothers in Greece, feels the pain, wants to help in any way, and does help, always bearing in mind that we are bound together indissolubly, so that we can give what God made Greece and the Greeks to be; to be ready for whatever is beautiful, whatever is great, whatever is eternal. Thank you very much.
September 26, 2013