With splendor he returned to White House the annual Greek Independence Day reception.

This is a special honor given by the US government to Hellenism, as the Greek and Irish communities are the only national groups in the US to celebrate their national anniversary at the White House every year. This particular event, in addition to its vibrant communicative nature, offers a first class opportunity for the Greek American community to get the word out to the American political leadership.

Biden – Encouraging Encounter

To applause, President Joe Biden appeared in the hall along with the Archbishop of America, Mr. Elpidophoros.

A little earlier, the parties held a private meeting at which the archbishop reportedly asked for US support in protecting the religious freedoms of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.

According to the information, the archbishop called climate change in Greek-Turkish relations encouraging, expressing his conviction that this warming should be the starting point for the withdrawal of Turkish troops and an end to the illegal occupation of Cyprus.

Rita Wilson sang Stamati Kokota

Accompanying President Biden at the event was his sister Valerie, who maintains a close relationship with Greece and even attended a private dinner hosted by the State Department at the President’s Blair House in honor of March 25.

As the president explained, Jill Biden was unable to attend as she is in Tennessee due to the recent bloody school shooting in the state.

Tom Hanks in the crowd as wife Rita Wilson speaks at a Greek Independence Day reception at the White House on Wednesday. pic.twitter.com/gft39ndVex

— Nandita Bose (@nanditab1) March 29, 2023

After the performances, the famous Greek-American actress Rita Wilson was in the spotlight, accompanied by the Hollywood star and her husband Tom Hanks.

Miss Wilson took the stage, and that is how the melodies of Stamatis Kokota’s famous song “In brackets and only” began to travel through the corridors of the White House, as the actress decided to perform the song in Greek for the first time. time in public, thus commemorating the anniversary of 25 March.

President Biden poked fun at the Greek-American actress, saying, “You have amazing talent, but the only thing that worries me is your taste in men,” and at another point, he said, “I’m a little worried, my sister (Valerie) is sitting next to Tom Hanks.”

Then the President of the United States invited Tom Hanks to join them on stage, and the famous actor took over and said: “Yes, I’m not Greek, but I had a good idea to marry a Greek woman.” Both Rita Wilson and Tom Hanks honorably received Greek citizenship in 2020.

The Greek Independence Day event has not been held in its usual form for the past three years, as it was postponed in 2020 due to the outbreak of the pandemic. The digital event was organized in 2021, and in 2022 it was deemed appropriate to move it to May, given that Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis would then pay an official visit to the American capital.

Personal connections to the Greek American community

President Biden spoke in a personal tone about his close ties to the Greek American community, a relationship that spans many decades since it began when he decided to run for Senator from Delaware at just 29 years old. Since then, and at every stage of his political path, Greek Americans have been by his side.

Biden: “…they started calling me Joe Bidenopoulos because… you think I’m joking. I am not kidding. I’m not kidding because of the huge support from the Greek American community.” pic.twitter.com/uR6DlgxtV7

— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) March 29, 2023

For example, the American president did not fail to mention several times the late former senator Paul Sarbani, who was his mentor on Greek issues. He also personally mentioned Father Alexander Carluzzo, lobbyists Andy and Mike Manato, and Dennis Asanis, president of the University of Delaware.

In fact, a special moment came when President Biden approached Senator Robert Menendez and jokingly said, “We’ve got a gentleman sitting there who I think must be Greek.”

Close cultural ties between the US and Greece

The American President also mentioned the common cultural ties that bind the two countries, as well as the ancient Greek ideals that inspired the fathers of the American Republic.

With that in mind, he explained that he felt it was particularly appropriate that the Second Democracy Summit began in Washington on the same day that the Greek independence anniversary was celebrated at the White House.

“Thousands of years ago, the ancient Greek philosopher Socrates said, “Know thyself.” Thus, in order to truly know America, we must know our history and our hopes – we must know a little about Greece in order to truly understand it. Greece is at the core of our democracy and nation (…) Thus, today and every day, Greek independence is a celebration for both Americans and Greeks. This gives us the opportunity to honor this history that connects us to the values ​​that unite us: freedom, equality, dignity and democracy.”

Joe Biden also praised the role of the contemporary Greek American community and the Archdiocese of America in advancing social justice.

As he noted, “simply put, as allies, partners and friends, we prove again and again that we are not just the heirs of democracy, we are its champions. And this is largely due to the courage and character of the Greek-American community. You know, throughout my career, I’ve been fortunate to see that courage and character in action. I see this in the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, which has always stood up for social justice and civil rights.”

Condolences for the Tragedy in Tempe

Mr. Biden also addressed the tragedy at Tempe, offering condolences to the families of those who died in the train derailment. “It was a tragic, tragic accident and we pray for them. Jill and I and the American people are deeply saddened by this tragedy,” he said.

Elsewhere in his speech, President Biden joked that he had been reprimanded by Pope Francis for laying the cross in an orthodox manner. However, at that moment, he did not fail to call on those present to pray for the health of the pontiff, who is still in the hospital with a respiratory infection.

The American president also mentioned the personal relationship he has with both Pope Francis and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, whom he described as the most Christlike individuals he has met. In fact, in the past, Mr. Biden has made no secret of his satisfaction with the close relationship maintained by the two Christian leaders, even telling the Ecumenical Patriarch that he saw a picture of him on Pope Francis’s desk.

Epistle of Archbishop Elpidophoros

For his part, the Archbishop of America, in his speech, did not fail to thank President Biden for the love and support he has shown for Hellenism throughout his long political career. He also expressed gratitude for the strong support for the purely spiritual mission of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, which he called the mission of love, peace and hope.

In closing, Mr. Elpidoforos thanked President Biden for the US support for Ukraine, emphasizing the importance of protecting the rules-based international order.

“Mr. President, you are the leader of this great nation and the leader of the free world, where you are at the forefront of the freedom phalanx. And we are here to tell you today that you are not alone. Thank you for your courage to say and do what is fair and right. Thank you for your love for Greece and Cyprus and for Hellenism wherever it is. Thank you for your support of an international order based on rules (…) We support you, Mr. President, as the heroes of 1821 were inspired by the heroes of 1776.”

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