WHEREAS, throughout the Commonwealth, Greek Orthodox churches work to preserve Greek history and culture, while providing generous community outreach and support; and

WHEREAS, the Greek Orthodox Church, a body of self-governing parishes within Eastern Orthodox Christianity, comprises millions of followers throughout the world, including the members of hundreds of Greek Orthodox congregations in the United States; and

WHEREAS, on March 25, 2021, Greek Orthodox church congregations in the Commonwealth and around the world will commemorate the 200th anniversary of the declaration of the Greek War of Independence and the end of centuries of occupation by the Ottoman Empire; and

WHEREAS, the Greek Orthodox Church played a critical role in the early stages of the Greek revolution, which began on March 25, 1821, when Bishop Germanos of Patras raised the flag of independence over the monastery of Agia Lavra in the Peloponnese; and

WHEREAS, inspired by the support of the clergy, the Greeks experienced early successes on the battlefield, and many intellectuals and academics in Europe and the United States began to promote the cause of Greek independence; and

WHEREAS, after the Battle of Navarino, where the allied naval forces of Britain, France, and Russia destroyed an Ottoman-Egyptian fleet, the Ottoman Empire accepted the autonomy of the Greek state in the Treaty of Adrianople (also called the Treaty of Edirne), which was signed in 1829, and the London Protocol of 1830 formally established an independent Greece; and

WHEREAS, Greece has maintained close ties with the United States for generations since, and many Greek immigrants have enriched cultural and spiritual life throughout the Commonwealth through the establishment of Greek Orthodox churches in their communities; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the Senate of Virginia, That Greek Orthodox churches and affiliated organizations in Virginia be commended for their numerous contributions to communities throughout the Commonwealth on the occasion of the 200th anniversary of the beginning of the Greek War of Independence; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Richmond, on behalf of all Greek Orthodox churches in the Commonwealth, as an expression of the Senate of Virginia's admiration for the significance of Greek history and culture and for these churches' service to generations of Virginians.