Congressman Gus Bilirakis Representative of Florida’s 9th
District and member of the Order of Saint Andrew an Archon (Referendarios) of
the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople is leading the way again for
Religious Freedom and raising awareness for The Holy Ecumenical Patriarchate and
religious minorities in Turkey.
I congratulate the honorable Congressman, his continued and steadfast support of
the Holy Mother Church.
We in turn must support him and his efforts, like his father (Con. Michael
Bilirakis, Archon Notarios) before him Gus Bilirakis is to be applauded for his
efforts.
Axios AXIOS Axios
Recent Comments during a three-hour House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing held
earlier today:
Representative Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) focused on the lack of religious freedom in
Turkey stating, “The U.S. Commission on Religious Freedom has listed Turkey on
its watch list the last two years. In its April 2010 report that documented the
persecution of minority religions in Turkey.” Rep. Bilirakis went on to note
that “both the Greek and Armenian churches are not allowed train clergy, I think
as you know, in Turkey.” He then asked: “When will religious tolerance become a
reality in Turkey, in your opinion?” Panel responses were varied, with Dr. Rubin
stating, tersely, “Shortly before Saudi Arabia gets religious freedom.”
As part of his Testimony to the Senate, Francis J. Ricciardone, Jr.
said:
" We are particularly interested to see Turkey shine,
as a protector of religious freedom. There could be no more powerful modern
...testimony to Turkey’s historic legacy of religious tolerance than reopening
the
Ecumenical Patriarchate’s Halki Seminary. As Secretary Clinton has said, we have
repeatedly and publicly called for the reopening of Halki Seminary and
protecting
the rights of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, and will continue to do so until this
is
addressed. If confirmed, I look forward to paying my respects to His All
Holiness
Bartholomew, more than 10 years since I last had that honor."
US Congresswoman Shelley Berkley
(D-NV)
Are you aware of the state persecution against the Ecumenical Patriarchate in
Turkey and what have you done to address this issue in Congress?
I have worked very hard to bring more attention to the issue of the Ecumenical
Patriarchate. Turkey must grant religious freedom and proper...ty
rights to the Ecumenical Patriarchate and re-open the Theological School at
Halki. This would show their commitment to religious freedom. I am proud to be
an original cosponsor of H.Res. 236, which calls on Turkey to take those
necessary steps, which they unfortunately still have refused to do.
President Obama Speaks in front of the Turkish Parliment
Letter to Prime Minister of Turkey signed by record number of
U.S. Senators 42 of 50.
Read Letter: on Archon website Read His Response: NONE to date
Who are the 8 who didn't sign and why? Click Here
National Archon Commander Dr Anthony
Limberakis
Archons' National Commander Protests Harassment of American Pilgrims
Click Here
Daniel Fried, Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs Interview with Ali H.
Aslan from the Turkish newspaper Zaman Washington, DC, July 3,
2006
“So
it is hardly radical of us to say that we wish Turkey would be welcoming and
help ease conditions for the functioning of the Greek Orthodox Church and
Ecumenical Patriarch, which is, after all, an institution with venerable roots
in the Ottoman period.”
“We remain concerned
about the Ecumenical Patriarchate's property rights and about regulations on
religious practices.”
His All Holiness
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew was awarded the
Congressional Gold Medal at impressive ceremonies in the Capitol
Rotunda, Washington, DC on October 21, 1997.
In the 223 year existence of
the Congressional Gold Medal, only four
religious figures have been so honored. Mother Teresa was the fourth
religious figure to receive the Congressional Gold Medal. Coincidentally,
she passed away on the day that both the U.S. House of Representatives and
the
Senate independently exceeded the threshold of
cosponsor-ship for the awarding of the gold Medal to the fifth religious
figure in history - Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, the spiritual leader
of over 300 million Orthodox Christians worldwide and six million in
America.
The Congressional Gold Medal
is the highest and oldest honor that the Congress can bestow. It was first
given on March 25, 1776 to
George Washington. Throughout its history, the Congressional Gold
Medal has been selectively bestowed upon individuals who have been deemed
worthy of such recognition by the Congress, such as
Thomas Edison and
Winston Churchill.
For the Congressional Gold
Medal to be awarded, overwhelming congressional support is necessary.
While the average bill in Congress typically receives approximately 40
cosponsors in the House and eight in the Senate, a Congressional Gold
medal requires at least 290 cosponsors in the House and 40 in the Senate
before it can be considered for adoption. The number of members of
Congress cosponsoring the legislation bestowing the Congressional Gold
Medal on Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew grew to 327, exceeding the
number on all other bills in the Congress in recent years.
For additional information
visit the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew at the
Presentation of the Congressional Gold Medal Ceremony
Congressional Gold Medal Ceremony For
His All Holiness
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew
Capitol Rotunda, Washington, DC, October 21,
1997
For the Congressional Gold Medal to be awarded,
overwhelming congressional support is necessary. While the average bill
in Congress typically receives approximately 40 cosponsors in the House
and eight in the Senate, a Congressional Gold medal requires at least
290 cosponsors in the House and 40 in the Senate before it can be considered
for adoption. The number of members of Congress cosponsoring the legislation
bestowing the Congressional Gold Medal on Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew
grew to 327, exceeding the number on all other bills in the Congress in
recent years.
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