Address by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew to Pope Francis

CNS photo/L'Osservatore Romano

Mar 21, 2013

ADDRESS

BY HIS ALL-HOLINESS

ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH BARTHOLOMEW

TO HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS OF ROME

(Formal Reception for World Religious Leaders -  Vatican, March 20, 2013)

Your Holiness,
In the name of the Lord of powers, we wholeheartedly congratulate You on the inspired election and deserved assumption of Your new high duties as First Bishop of the venerable Church of Senior Rome, defined by the primacy of love.
On this Throne, You succeed Pope Benedict XVI, who boldly retired for reasons of health and fatigue, a man distinguished for his meekness, theology and love. The task and responsibility before You are immense before both God and humankind. The unity of the Christian Churches is surely our foremost concern as one of the fundamental prerequisites for the credibility of our Christian witness in the eyes of those near and afar. In order to achieve this unity, we must continue the inaugurated theological dialogue so that we may jointly appreciate and approach the truth of faith, the experience of the saints, and the tradition of the first Christian millennium shared by East and West alike. It should be a dialogue of love and truth, in a spirit of humility, meekness, and honesty.
After all, the global economic crisis urgently mandates the coordination of our humanitarian action, in which You are well experienced as a result of Your long and fruitful ministry as a Good Samaritan in Latin America, where You pastorally witnessed – like so few others – the bitterness of human pain and suffering. Those who “have” must be motivated to offer – willingly and gladly – to those who “have not.” In this way, peace will be secured through justice as the sole universal request and the basic expectation of all nations. We must feed the hungry, clothe the naked, treat the suffering, and generally care for the needy so that we may hear from our Lord: “Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you.” (Matt. 25.34)
The selection by Your beloved and esteemed Holiness of a lifestyle of simplicity has highlighted – and will continue to highlight – your priority for what is essential. This fills the hearts of everyone – Your faithful and all people in general – with a sense of hope. It is the hope that this priority will be applied broadly so that judgment and mercy, as the essence the law, may prevail in the Church.
Throughout the two-thousand-year history of the Church of Christ, certain truths of the sacred Gospel were misinterpreted by some Christian groups, resulting in secular misconceptions that have unfortunately spread in Christian circles today. Thus, the burden of our obligation and responsibility is to remind ourselves, each another, and the entire world that God became human in Jesus Christ in order that we may lead a divine way of life. Indeed, “God is the Lord and has appeared to us.” The one who created all things in the beginning, who guides and provides for all things, descended to the depths of death on the cross in order that, through His resurrection, He may demonstrate that “blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord,” and in His name alone, to serve His people, so that we may all be united, and that Christ may be all things and in all things,
This world is the domain where we realize this spiritual way of life, where we achieve our integration into the body of Christ, and where we are brought through Him into eternal life. The Church consecrates this earthly life, although it does not consummate its mission in this earthly life. We all realize and recognize this truth, which is why – as pastors and faithful alike – we travel this way of truth, acquiring the heavenly through the earthly.
As the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the worldwide Orthodox Church of Christ, we are certain that Your venerable and dearly beloved Holiness, who commences this historical journey with such favorable auspices as Bishop of Rome, will – together with all those who are willing and able – exhibit special concern for the reparation of secular trends so that humanity may be restored to its “original beauty” of love. We fervently pray with all Christians as well as with people throughout the world that Your Holiness will prove effective in this deeply responsible and highly onerous task.
May our Lord Jesus Christ be blessed and glorified. Thanks be to God, who in every period of time raises up worthy leaders, deserving of their calling to lead and guide His people, for the adoration of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.

President Obama Designates Five New National Monuments

First State National Monument along the Delaware-

Pennsylvania border. (Photo: National Park Service)

National Monuments Will Generate Tourism and Economic Benefits for Local Economies, Honor African-American History, Mark Delaware’s first National Park Site

WASHINGTON, DC – President Obama today signed proclamations establishing five new national monuments, using his authority under the Antiquities Act, which celebrate our nation’s rich history and natural heritage. The monuments, located in Delaware, Maryland, New Mexico, Ohio and Washington, help tell the story of significant people and extraordinary events in American history, as well as protect unique natural resources for the benefit of all Americans. The designations were made with bi-partisan support from congressional, state and local officials, local businesses and other stakeholders and are expected to promote economic growth in the local communities through tourism and outdoor recreation.

“These sites honor the pioneering heroes, spectacular landscapes and rich history that have shaped our extraordinary country,” said President Obama.  “By designating these national monuments today, we will ensure they will continue to inspire and be enjoyed by generations of Americans to come.”

“From the treasured landscapes of northern New Mexico and Washington, to the historic sites in Delaware, to the sites that show our nation’s path from Civil War to civil rights, these monuments help tell the rich and complex story of our nation’s history and natural beauty,” Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar said. “There’s no doubt that these monuments will serve as economic engines for the local communities through tourism and outdoor recreation – supporting economic growth and creating jobs.”

According to the National Parks and Conservation Association study in 2006 each federal dollar invested in national parks generates at least four dollars of economic value to the public. National parks are responsible for $13.3 billion dollars of local, private-sector economic activity nationwide, supporting 267,000 private-sector jobs.  Outdoor recreation alone generates $646 billion in consumer spending and 6.1 million direct jobs in the United States each year, according to the Outdoor Industry Association.

The monuments are:

Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument in Ohio. The monument will preserve the home of Col. Charles Young (1864–1922), a distinguished officer in the United States Army who was the third African American to graduate from West Point and the first to achieve the rank of Colonel. Young also served as one of the early Army superintendents of Sequoia and General Grant National Parks, before the establishment of the National Park Service in 1916.  The national headquarters of the Omega Psi Phi fraternity, of which Col. Young was a member, made the property available for acquisition by the federal government for the purpose of establishing the national monument commemorating Young’s life and accomplishments. The monument, located in Wilberforce, Ohio, will be managed by the Department of the Interior’s National Park Service.

First State National Monument in Delaware. The monument will tell the story of the early Dutch, Swedish, Finnish and English settlement of the colony of Delaware, as well as Delaware’s role as the first state to ratify the Constitution.  The park is comprised of three historic areas related to Delaware’s rich history:  the Dover Green, the New Castle Court House complex (including the courthouse, Green and Sheriff’s House), and the Woodlawn property in the Brandywine Valley.  The monument will be managed by the Department of the Interior’s National Park Service.

Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Monument in Maryland. The monument commemorates the life of the most famous conductor on the Underground Railroad who was responsible for helping enslaved people escape from bondage to freedom.  The new national park, located on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, includes large sections of landscapes that are significant to Tubman’s early life in Dorchester County and evocative of her life as a slave and conductor of the Underground Railroad.  The park includes Stewart’s Canal, dug by hand by free and enslaved people between 1810 and the 1830s and where Tubman learned important outdoor skills when she worked in the nearby timbering operations with her father. Lands that are part of Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, although part of the new national monument, will continue to be managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Monument also includes the home site of Jacob Jackson, a free black man who used coded letters to help Tubman communicate with family and others.  The monument will also partner with the State of Maryland’s Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad State Park Visitor Center when it opens in 2015.  The monument will be managed by the Department of the Interior’s National Park Service.

Río Grande del Norte National Monument in New Mexico. Located northwest of Taos, the Río Grande del Norte contains stretches of the Río Grande Gorge and extinct volcanoes that rise from the Taos Plateau. The area is known for its spectacular landscapes and recreational opportunities – like rafting, fishing and hiking – and serves as important habitat for many birds and wildlife. The monument is also home to a dense collection of petroglyphs and extraordinary archaeological and cultural resources dating from the Archaic Period to the more recent passage of Hispanic settlers.  The monument will be managed by the Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Land Management, which currently manages the more than 240,000 acres of the monument.

San Juan Islands National Monument in Washington. Home to bald eagles, orca whales, harbor seals and other rare species, the San Juan Islands is a chain of 450 islands, rocks and pinnacles.  Located in Washington State’s Puget Sound, the archipelago provides an opportunity for visitors, campers, kayakers and birdwatchers to experience the natural beauty of the undeveloped, rugged landscape. A number of historic lighthouses are located on the islands, as well as cultural resources and fossils dating back 12,000 years. The monument will be managed by the Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Land Management.

President Obama has previously designated four monuments using the Antiquities Act. These include the César E. Chávez National Monument in California, Chávez’ home and the headquarters of the United Farm Workers of America since the early 1970s when Chávez was its president; Fort Monroe National Monument in Virginia, a former Army post integral to the history of slavery, the Civil War, and the U.S. military; Fort Ord National Monument in California, a former military base that is a world-class destination for outdoor recreation; and Chimney Rock, which is located in the San Juan National Forest in southwestern Colorado and offers a spectacular landscape rich in history and Native American culture.

First exercised by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1906 to designate Devils Tower National Monument in Wyoming, the authority of the Antiquities Act has been used by 16 presidents since 1906 to protect unique natural and historic features in America, such as the Grand Canyon, the Statue of Liberty, and Colorado's Canyons of the Ancients.

The designation of the monuments builds on President Obama's America's Great Outdoors initiative, which fosters a 21st century approach to conservation that responds to the priorities of the American people.

Presidential Proclamation -- Greek Independence Day: A National Day of Celebration of Greek and American Democracy, 2013

GREEK INDEPENDENCE DAY: A NATIONAL DAY OF CELEBRATION OF
GREEK AND AMERICAN DEMOCRACY, 2013

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

A PROCLAMATION

Each year, America celebrates Greek Independence Day to strengthen the bonds between the birthplace of democracy and the world's oldest republic. We recognize the enduring contributions of Greek Americans, woven into the fabric of our national life. And we reflect on the ancient Hellenic principles that inspired our Founders to vest the powers of government in the hands of the people.
In both America and Greece, we are inheritors to great republics, entrusted to safeguard the ideals that make representative government work. Our peoples have learned that democracy flourishes when we respect our differences, hold fast to the principles that unite us, and move forward with common purpose. It is a legacy lived by generations of Greek Americans, who for centuries have helped write proud chapters in our country's history and continue to enrich the character of our Nation.
Today, we congratulate Greece, a valued NATO ally, as it commemorates the 192nd anniversary of its independence, and we pledge our continued solidarity as the country works to rebuild its economy. In the face of hardship, America stands with the people of Greece, confident they can meet the challenges of the 21st century while upholding their ancient ideals.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim March 25, 2013, as Greek Independence Day: A National Day of Celebration of Greek and American Democracy. I call upon the people of the United States to observe this day with appropriate ceremonies and activities.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-second day of March, in the year of our Lord two thousand thirteen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-seventh.

BARACK OBAMA

Mike Manatos: The Value of the Annual White House Meeting for Greek Independence Day — An Insider’s View on the 26th Anniversary

HALC is pleased to feature a piece by Mike Manatos, Senior Vice President of Washington D.C. based Manatos & Manatos, and Executive Director of the Coordinated Effort of Hellenes
One of the most difficult things in the world to accomplish is securing a meeting withthe world’s most powerful person, the President of the United States.  It is also extremely difficult to receive an invitation to the ceremonies thatsurround some meetings.  Thousands of countries, companies and other organizations pay well over a million dollars a year trying to cultivate the relationships necessary to do so, yet are unsuccessful.
The24-hour-a-day job of the President leaves little room for such meetings. Presidents barely have time to meet with even large groupings of important people such as: governors, mayors; the energy industry, communications industry, high tech industry, healthcare industry, transportation industry and many other crucial industries; women’s groups, minority groups, ethnic groups, labor unions, religious leaders, disabled groups, university presidents and many more.
Even more rarely will a President consider meeting with one member of a category of important people, such as one specific ethnic group.  For Irish-Americans, who make up one out of every 10 Americans, Presidents make an exception and host an annual event to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.
How then is it possible to get five Presidents to take the time from their busy schedules to meet every year for 26 years with an ethnic group that accounts for only one out of every 300 Americans and ranks 33rd among nationalities — we Greek-Americans?  Only the Irish-Americans and Greek-Americans get this honor.  How is our small group able to get unfiltered information about issues dear to our hearts to the ear of the world’s most important policymaker and his top advisors?
The answer is: because of the efforts of wonderful, self-sacrificing Hellenes across the country who have worked closely with us at the Coordinated Effort of Hellenes and the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America.  Over all the years, these Hellenes have contributed many millions of dollars, as well as millions of dollars worth of professional expertise and daily professional services to help build a base that enables this annual White House Presidential meeting.  This base was also instrumental to Cyprus’ accession to the European Union and improvements in Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew’s religious freedom.
So, of the one million plus Hellenes in America, who does the White House invite to participate in this event with the President?  They are some of the self-sacrificing Hellenes mentioned above joined by those Hellenes who have excelled in all parts of American society.  They are invited to enjoy the gift this country has afforded us through these White House meetings. However, the greatest reward is seeing how a citizen’s involvement with the Coordinated Effort and the Archdiocese translates into America benefiting from better policy toward Hellenic and Orthodox matters.  We welcome the involvement of other self-sacrificing Hellenes who share our goals.

Obama ends Israel visit by brokering end to dispute with Turkey By Joel Greenberg and Scott Wilson

JERUSALEM — Prodded by President Obama, Israel and Turkey agreed Friday to end a three-year rift caused by a deadly Israeli commando raid on a Turkish ship bound for Gaza, a rapprochement urgently sought by the United States to help contain spillover from the worsening fighting in Syria.
During an airport meeting with Obama at the end of his two-day visit to Israel , Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu phoned Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Israeli and U.S. officials said.
Bowing to a long-standing Turkish demand, Netanyahu apologized for the deaths of nine activists aboard the Turkish ship and promised to reach an agreement on compensation to their families, according to a statement from his spokesman.
The Israeli and Turkish leaders agreed to restore normal relations, including the return of ambassadors and the cancellation of Turkish legal proceedings against four former senior Israeli army commanders accused of involvement in the raid , Israeli officials said.
Concerned about the deterioriating situation in Syria, the Obama administration has been trying to mend relations between its allies Turkey and Israel, two regional powers on Syria's borders.
“The United States deeply values our close partnerships with both Turkey and Israel, and we attach great importance to the restoration of positive relations between them in order to advance regional peace and security,” Obama said in a statement.
“I am hopeful that today's exchange between the two leaders will enable them to engage in deeper cooperation on this and a range of other challenges and opportunities,” the president added.
A senior administration official who briefed reporters traveling with Obama said the president got on the line with the Israeli and Turkish leaders and suggested they “talk more in detail in the near future.”
Speaking later in Jordan, Obama said that he had pushed the two leaders for months to repair the rupture in their relationship but that during his visit to Israel, “it appeared that the timing was good” for them to talk. But he also sought to temper expectations about the renewed relations.
“This is a work in progress,” Obama said. “It's just beginning. As I said, there are obviously going to still be some significant disagreements between Turkey and Israel — not just on the Palestinian question, but on a range of different issues.”
A senior Israeli official said that while Israel and Turkey had come close in the past to an understanding to restore ties, Friday's agreement was spurred by the Syrian conflict .
The official said the new understanding was like “a newborn baby” that needed nurturing. “I hope this will provide an opening to a different relationship,” he said.
Ties between Israel and Turkey deteriorated after the May 2010 Israeli raid on the Turkish ship, Mavi Marmara, which was part of an aid flotilla headed for the Gaza Strip. Israeli commandos who boarded the vessel in international waters opened fire after meeting violent resistance from activists on deck, killing eight Turks and an American of Turkish descent.
The flotilla was organized by international activists to challenge Israel's naval blockade of the Gaza Strip, which is governed by the militant Islamist group Hamas.
Turkey expelled the Israeli ambassador in Ankara and downgraded its diplomatic and military relations with Israel in September 2011 in anger at Israel's refusal to apologize for the flotilla killings. Netanyahu reversed that position Friday.
In his conversation with Erdogan, Netanyahu “made clear that the tragic outcome of the Mavi Marmara incident was not intended by Israel, and that Israel regrets the loss of human life and injury,” his spokesman said.
“In light of the Israeli investigation into the incident, which pointed to a number of operational mistakes, Prime Minister Netanyahu expressed Israel's apology to the Turkish people for any mistakes that might have led to loss of life or injury, and agreed to conclude an agreement on compensation,” the spokesman added.
In apparent reference to the situation in Syria, the spokesman said Netanyahu told Erdogan that he had talked with Obama about “regional cooperation and the importance of Israel-Turkey relations.”
A statement from Erdogan's office said he accepted Netanyahu's apology “on behalf of the Turkish people.” It added that Erdogan expressed regret over the recent worsening of their ties, “which he sees as having vital strategic importance for the peace and stability of the region.”
Netanyahu also told Erdogan that he appreciated the Turkish leader's recent statement to a Danish newspaper in which he qualified his public reference last month to Zionism as “a crime against humanity,” equating it with anti-Semitism, fascism and Islamophobia, the Israeli statement said.
In a nod to Turkey's demand that Israel remove restrictions on movement in and out of the Gaza Strip, Netanyahu said that Israel had “substantially lifted” some curbs on movement of civilians and goods to the Palestinian territories and that this would continue as long as the situation remained calm.
Israel halted the shipment of goods to Gaza on Thursday and tightened fishing limits off the Gaza coast after a rocket fired from the territory hit the southern Israeli city of Sderot.
Aaron Stein, a researcher at the Istanbul-based Center for Economics and Foreign Policy Studies, said that “both sides were looking for a way to crawl down from their hard-line positions” and that “Syria gave them the political cover to meet halfway.”
“On Syria, both sides have the incentive to cooperate, especially on preventing the spread of chemical weapons to non-state actors,” such as Kurdish separatists in Turkey or the Iranian-backed Hezbollah group facing Israel across the Lebanese border, Stein said.
Soli Ozel, an international relations professor at Istanbul's Kadir Has University, said normalized relations between Israel and Turkey would free them to cooperate on intelligence sharing and containing a possible spillover of the fighting in Syria.
“Syria is very much at the center of this,” he said.

Source: Washington Post

The passing of an extraordinary Hellene: Last Salute to Andy Athens

Andrew A. Athens with Panagiotis Karousos in New York

LOS ANGELES – March 14, 2013
 By Penny Adamopoulos / AHC

Early this morning, at his home in Chicago, Illinois, Andrew A. Athens (Andreas Athanasoulas) passed away in his sleep at the age of 91.

In addition to his extraordinary success as a major steel industry magnate of the mid-western United States, as Chairman of Metron Steel, and as the cherished head of a close and loving family. Andy Athens epitomized what is best about Hellenism and Orthodoxy.

His outstanding service to the Greek Community and the Orthodox Church placed him among the leading figures of the Greek Diaspora.

Andrew Athens is an example of a man of vision, commitment and self-sacrifice that knows how to inspire and lead in struggles for the defense of the rights of the Greeks. He has approached each endeavor in his life with total commitment and hard work always tireless and lively characterized by his unwavering faith to his ideals and goals. Essentially all who knew Andy found his intelligence, sincerity, charm and dedication to his family, his heritage and his country unsurpassed. Without exaggeration, Andy Athens' accomplishments for Hellenism and Orthodoxy are incomparable.

He was widely seen as the unquestionable leader of the millions of Greeks living outside of Greece. This stemmed mostly from his being the first and longest tenured President of the World Council of Hellenes Abroad (SAE). Additionally he is well-known for his singlehandedly creating health clinics in the Hellenic areas of the Republics of Albania, Armenia, Georgia and Ukraine. Medical experts estimate that these clinics saved the lives of many thousands of patients, who would otherwise have had no high quality medical treatment.

Following the request of the Greek Orthodox Archbishop Iakovos, Andy Athens undertook the daunting task of channeling our Greek-American national community's strength toward America's leading foreign policymakers. Subsequently, every US President and leader in the US Senate and House of Representatives came to cherish Andy and value his council on Hellenic and Orthodox matters. The countries of Greece and Cyprus and the Ecumenical Patriarchate all materially benefited from the improved American policy that resulted from Andy's efforts.

Andy Athens left his indelible mark as well on the Greek Orthodox Church. For over a decade, Andy was the lay head of the Archdiocesan Council of the Greek Orthodox Church in America. He was a founder of Orthodox Christian Charities, a multi-million dollar NGO that distributes goods to the needy worldwide; a founder of Leadership 100, the 88 million dollar foundation created to further Orthodoxy and Hellenism; and he twice chaired the Clergy-Laity Congress, a gathering of the priests and lay leaders from the 545 Greek Orthodox Churches across America, to name just three of his major accomplishments in this field.

Born in Chicago, Illinois in 1922, Andy spent his early years there. He left college, against his father's wishes, to defend America and the free world against Hitler's Axis Forces. Andy explained that he was simply following his father's example, a man who left the safety of America to return to Greece to fight in the Balkan wars where he was wounded. Following Andy's fighting in North Africa and while leading troops to a rendezvous in Belgium, Andy asked for directions at the home of a lovely Belgium girl named Louise. This young army-boxing champion returned on his motorcycle the next day, began dating Louise and was married within that year. They were happily married for 67 years.

Funeral arrangements are pending and will be announced when finalized.

Evaluation and Celebration March 25, 1821 By Metropolitan Sotirios

To celebrate something properly, you must evaluate it. To appraise and draw proper conclusions from it. To find that the event in question is worthy of celebration. This celebration should not only give proper honour and respect to the event, but must also extend something to the people who commemorate it.  Otherwise, what value would there be in any celebration?

To evaluate and appraise any event  properly, you must evaluate it in the context of the time in history that it happened. To live and experience the event as much as possible . To feel the pulse and energy of the event. To appreciate why the event happened, and under what conditions it took place. To understand if it should have taken place at all; how difficult it was for its participants; and what was the final result.

The Greeks in 1821 had been in servitude for nearly 400 years. Their morale was destroyed. Their dignity was non-existent. Protective laws for them did not exist. Human rights were unheard of. The Ottoman occupier, at any moment, could demand that he be carried on the shoulders of any Christian and oblige him to carry him one kilometer, like a beast of burden. The Ottoman occupiers did this either out of necessity, or to humiliate the subjected Greeks. They saw their divine Christian faith being broken apart by the whirlwind of a religion that was promoted and spread by the sword. Worst of all, the enslaved Greeks saw the slaughter of  their own flesh and blood. In a truly demonic plan to prevent the Christian Orthodox faith from being passed on to the Greeks and other enslaved Christians, the Ottoman Porte established the hated Janissary corps. They snatched the children of Christians from the arms of their mothers, and forcibly converted them and raised them as Muslims. These formerly Christian children were turned into fanatic and crazed Muslims, taught to hate Christianity and their own parents and families. They were turned into the Taliban militias and terrorists of that sad era, and were taught to slaughter their own parents and their siblings in the name of Islam.

This was the situation in which the Greeks lived in the Ottoman Empire – and not only the Greeks, but all enslaved Christians in 1821. As the famous poem states: “Everything was kept in check through fear and  bullying and all were oppressed by slavery.” Everything was dark and bleak, with no hope for the future.

Alone and utterly deserted was every Greek then. For 400 years, he raised his hands in despair, begging for help. He waited. But every time he saw a ray of hope that assistance would come from outside, dark clouds covered the sun and every glimmer of hope was lost. He remembered his glorious ancient Greek history. The zenith and glory of the Byzantine Empire. His great happiness for many millennia. And now, like another Adam, he is in exile in his own home: a slave, crying and grieving his wretched life.

His weeping and wailing, though, turns to indignation. His pain sets him on fire and he explodes. The famous poem again reminds us of his condition, which says: “Mother, I tell you, I can not continue to toil for the Turks. I can’t, I refuse, I have no more strength left in me; my heart is grieved beyond sorrow.  I will take my rifle, and hide in the hills, and there become a freedom fighter... “

The Greeks rise up in revolt, against all odds and all logic. But they had faith. Faith in the true God. Faith in themselves. And faith in the goal they wished to achieve: freedom at all costs!

They were sworn in the Name of the Holy Trinity to fight to liberate their beloved homeland. Every Greek warrior fought for “the Holy Orthodox faith of Christ, and for home and country.” Their armed struggle succeeded. Tender freedom was enjoyed in only a small part of the Greek homelands.  It caressed and gladdened the hearts of free Greeks. It also gave courage and hope to the still enslaved Greeks.

Everything from the foregoing, must be evaluated in light of the final goal that was achieved. The final result of the Revolution of  1821 was freedom. The evaluation of freedom can not be estimated and compared to anything else. It is invaluable and worthy of every celebration.  It should be remembered by all Greeks and celebrated by recalling this great event and what it has given to every person of Greek ancestry.

Today, Greece is going through and suffering its most severe moral, ethical and economic crisis. Together with Greece, worldwide Hellenism and Christianity are also hurting and suffering. Today, however, every Greek, but especially the Greeks living outside of Greece, must celebrate the Anniversary of March 25th, 1821.

Let us celebrate it with Doxologies. Let us celebrate it with School commemorations, poems, dances and songs. Let us celebrate it with parades. But let us also celebrate it by evaluating our personal actions and commitments today. Let us see where each of us stands with regard to our Greek traditions. How Greek is your soul and your heart? How Christian and Orthodox are your beliefs? As parents, how much do you strive to ensure that you pass on our cherished Greek Orthodox customs and traditions to your children? Let each person make this evaluation for themselves. And once they have considered the answers to these questions, let each person act accordingly and according to their conscience. Should they stay on the same path, doing what they have always done, or change course? The goal is always the same. To remain committed and faithful Orthodox Christians. Proud Greeks. Good  people. Let us stay on track and take care that our children and our descendants will never lose their way. Let us do all we can so that they will always remain Greek and faithful Orthodox Christians, so that they can use these gifts to achieve perfection.

Blessed Christians: keep these admonitions and thoughts close to your hearts and souls. Encompass within your hearts and souls, Greece and Orthodoxy, so that you may constantly and incessantly feel and experience every kind of greatness passed on to us by our ancestors. Long live March 25th, 1821! Long live Greece! Long live Canada! Long live freedom

With fatherly love and fervent prayers,

+ Metropolitan Archbishop Sotirios of Toronto (Canada)