CONSTANTINOPLE – His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew sent a warm congratulatory message to the ‘Ethnikos Kirix’ – the National Herald. The entire congratulatory message of His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew follows:

“The historic Greek-American Newspaper of the U.S. National Herald has completed 105 years of continuous circulation since its founding on April 2, 1915. During its more than one century of life, the National Herald has been the platform to make the voice of the Omogenia heard resoundingly, bringing to the fore the public’s anxieties, but also its hopes, supporting its interests with its dynamic articles and highlighting its demands from time to time in a clear and convincing way.

Thus, the newspaper that was envisioned and founded by Petros P. Tatanis and was continued by its later publishers, Euripides Kechagias, Pol Dimos, Vassos I. Vlavianos, Babis Marketos, Eugenios Rossides, George Leonardos, and, from 1979 until today, Antonis H. Diamataris, is now, not unjustly, an integral part of the history of Hellenism in the New World, as its pages recorded its course, the challenges it faced, but also its contribution to American society. It would be an omission not to mention the persistent interest shown by the National Herald over time in strengthening Greek education, maintaining the Greek-Christian tradition, and the use of the Greek language, but also in preserving and strengthening the unbroken bonds of the Greek community with the Holy Center of Orthodoxy, the Ecumenical Patriarchate.

In today’s era, when electronic communication, the Internet and the constant flow of information dominate, the National Herald continues unwaveringly, having as its tools its long tradition, its commitment and mission to fully inform its numerous readers, in Greek and English. On the occasion of the 105th anniversary of the first day of publication of the National Herald, we express to the publisher, Mr. Antonis Diamataris, and his colleagues the appreciation and congratulations of the Mother Church of Constantinople, and we present to all the staff of this historic newspaper, to its readers, as well as to the entire beloved Omogeneia in the United States, our Patriarchal blessing, and we wish them all ‘Happy Easter!’”