Virginia

CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION

By virtue of the authority vested by the Constitution in the Governor of the

Commonwealth of Virginia, there is hereby officially recognized:

 AMERICA’S CHRISTIAN HERITAGE WEEK

WHEREAS, religious freedom is recognized as a fundamental right of citizenship in the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Virginia; and

WHEREAS, Virginia is the birthplace of men such as James Madison, Thomas Jefferson, George Mason and Patrick Henry, who fought for and secured the freedom of conscience; and

WHEREAS, great men of faith, such as George Washington, Roger Sherman and John Quincy Adams served in American government not only to preserve and protect private morality but to encourage national happiness through religious principle; and

WHEREAS, the principles of liberty, justice and equality before the law, as well as the very structure of representative government, are rooted in Christianity and prove the indispensable nature of the faith in the history of our Commonwealth and our nation; and

WHEREAS,  during this week, all citizens are urged to remember that America’s Christian heritage is essential to define our spiritual and structural foundation and to ensure liberty in the United States;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, James S. Gilmore, III, do hereby recognize the week of November 22-28 as AMERICA’S CHRISTIAN HERITAGE WEEK in the COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, and I call this observance to the attention of all our citizens.

James S. Gilmore, III 

Secretary of the Commonwealth

Anne P. Petera

Secretary of the Commonwealth