At the invitation of the Borough President of Brooklyn, Eric Leroy Adams, and State Senator Andrew Gounardes (New York’s 22nd State Senate District), Archbishop Elpidophoros of America attended a peaceful protest and march today in Crown Heights, Brooklyn over the killing of Louisville EMT Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old emergency medical technician, who was killed when the police raided her apartment in Louisville, KY in March.
US Ambassador to Greece, Geoffrey Pyatt, welcomed the move by Archbishop Elpidohporos on Twitter, “Than you, your Emminence for your leadership, friendship and your faith in the best of America.”
Thank you your Emminence for your leadership, friendship and your faith in the best of America. https://t.co/1lHroViPgw
— Geoffrey Pyatt (@USAmbPyatt) June 4, 2020
It is worth mentioning that the then Archbishop of America, Iakovos, was standing by the side of Martin Luther King Jr. during the famous march in Selma, Alabama, in 1965. A picture of this historic moment, with Archbishop Iakovos to the right of Martin Luther King Jr., was captured on the cover of Life Magazine on March 26, 1965. Fifty-five years later, the current Archbishop of America, Elpidophoros, marched in Brooklyn to send his message to the world.
Borough President Adams said of the presence of the Archbishop: “I am so happy and proud to be marching with the Archbishop. It’s important that he has taken the time to acknowledge how significant this issue is.”
Thanks to @Elpidophoros of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America for answering our invite and marching with us for justice. It’ll take ALL OF US, Black and otherwise, to deliver righteous justice for Breonna, George, Ahmaud, and every name we’ll never know. #BlackLivesMatter. pic.twitter.com/9fPTsLYGXf
— Eric Adams (@BPEricAdams) June 3, 2020
Senator Gounardes also commented on today’s march: “I’m incredibly proud to march alongside His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros and our Brooklyn Borough President in the pursuit of greater justice for those who are no longer here to speak for themselves.”
In remarks following the march, Archbishop Elpidophoros stressed: “I came here to Brooklyn today in order to stand in solidarity with my fellow sisters and brothers whose rights have been sorely abused. This was a peaceful protest, one without violence of any kind, and I thank all of those involved, because violence begets only more violence. We must speak and speak loudly against the injustice in our country. It is our moral duty and obligation to uphold the sanctity of every human being. We have faced a pandemic of grave physical illness, but the spiritual illness in our land runs even deeper and must be healed by actions as well as words. And so, I will continue to stand in the breach together with all those who are committed to preserving peace, justice, and equality for every citizen of goodwill, regardless of their race, religion, gender or ethnic origin.”
I came to Brooklyn with @BPEricAdams and @agounardes for a peaceful protest to stand in solidarity with my fellow sisters and brothers, for justice and equality for every citizen of goodwill, regardless of their race, religion, gender or ethnic origin. pic.twitter.com/ZZvLG2iWkd
— Elpidophoros (@Elpidophoros) June 3, 2020
