Martin Luther King is remembered today as a timeless symbol of the struggle against racism. The 1965 march of the courageous civil rights leader in Selma, Alabama was not only a turning point in his career and in American history, however; it was also a landmark moment for the participation of Greek Americans and the Orthodox Church in the making of the modern United States.

Alongside Dr. King in that pivotal moment for civil rights marched Archbishop of the Americas Iakovos, putting the Greek Orthodox faith at the forefront of the struggle for human rights during a turbulent time for American society.

Iakovos, who had experienced religious oppression himself as a child, was a zealous supporter of human and civil rights and backed King’s cause with his actions — a rarity among the high clergy from any denomination in those days.

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He became the only church leader who had the courage to walk hand-in-hand with Martin Luther King during that famous march in Selma.

Unlike other church leaders, the Greek Orthodox Archbishop walked hand-in-hand with King in Selma, where civil rights marchers rallied against segregation and for equal voting rights.

Read more: Greek Reporter