From Ekathimerini-
The Greek Orthodox Church of America has always been considered the nucleus of community life and a significant part of the Greek-American identity. It is common knowledge that the first immigrant waves from Greece and Asia Minor took shelter around the Church, which, apart from spiritual services, also provided organizational and administrative support in their efforts to adapt and grow in the American melting pot. At critical moments, the Church proved to be a progressive force and a champion of human rights, by virtue of the charismatic and forward-looking leadership of the late Archbishop Iakovos.
As he had declared in his notorious address before the 1964 Clergy-Laity Congress in Denver, Iakovos committed himself to mainstreaming Orthodoxy in the US, placing his Church fully at the center of American life. With his multifaceted work throughout his long tenure, during which he met with all his contemporary US presidents, he pulled his institution up to assume its place among the other American churches “as living, thriving and courageous, prepared to accept responsibilities and eager to submit to sacrifice.” The American leadership recognized the profound impact of his efforts on the country and Jimmy Carter awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1980.
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