President Biden issued a statement for Religious Freedom Day (January 16), which commemorates the anniversary of Thomas Jefferson’s landmark Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom.

“In my life, faith has always been a beacon of hope and a calling to purpose, as it is for so many Americans, and I believe that protecting religious freedom is as important now as it has ever been,” said President Biden. “We must continue our work to ensure that people of all faiths — or none — are treated as full participants in society, equal in rights and dignity.”

The US Conference of Catholic Bishops also issued a statement for the day. The statement, written by Cardinal Timothy Dolan, decried attacks on houses of worship.