Πέμπτη 16 Απριλίου 2009

ΕΠΙΣΚΕΨΗ ΤΟΥ ΑΠΕΡΧΟΜΕΝΟΥ ΠΡΕΣΒΕΩΣ ΤΗΣ ΓΕΩΡΓΙΑΣ ΣΤΗΝ Α.Θ,Μ.



Την 15η Απριλίου ε.ε, η Α.Θ.Μ. ο Πάπας και Πατριάρχης Αλεξανδρείας και πάσης Αφρικής κ.κ.Θεόδωρος Β’ εδέχθη στην Πατριαρχική Καθέδρα την επίσκεψη του απερχομένου Πρέσβη της Γεωργίας στην Αίγυπτο, Εξοχ.κ.Giorgi Janjgava.
Κατά την συνάντηση αυτή ο Μακαριώτατος ανεφέρθη στους αδελφικούς δεσμούς του παλαιφάτου Πατριαρχείου με την Εκκλησία της Γεωργίας και τον Σεπτό Προκαθήμενο αυτής Μακ.Πατριάρχη κ.Ηλία. Επίσης εξήρε την καλλίκαρπη πρεσβευτική θητεία του Εξοχ.κ.Janjgava στην Νειλοχώρα και του απένειμε τον Σταυρό του Αποστόλου και Ευαγγελιστού Μάρκου.
Ο κ.Πρέσβης ευχαρίστησε τον Μακ.Πατριάρχη για την γενομένη τιμή και επήνεσε το έργο και την προσωπικότητα Του.
Ακολούθησε περιήγηση του Γεωργιανού διπλωμάτη στους χώρους του Πατριαρχικού Μεγάρου και παράθεση γεύματος στην Πατριαρχική Τράπεζα.



Aρχιμ.Παντελεήμων Αράθυμος

Δευτέρα 13 Απριλίου 2009

Message of His Holiness Garegin II on the Feast of the Glorious Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ

In the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.“Yet now He has been reconciled in the body of His flesh through death,to present you holy and blameless, and above reproach in His sight –if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast,and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard,which was preached to every creature under heaven.”Colossians 1:22-23Dear pious faithful,The tiding of the glorious and holy resurrection of our Lord and Savior is proclaimed to us from the holy altars of our churches today. The incomparable news of the grace of mankind’s salvation once more resounds within our faithful souls: Our Lord Jesus Christ reconciled us with God in the body of His flesh through His death, to present us before the Father as holy, spotless and immaculate, if we remain grounded and steadfast in faith and unshaken from the hope of the Gospel, which we heard and was preached to all creation under heaven.Indeed, who can present men before God as holy and immaculate, if not the Son of God alone? He Who paid the ransom for the sins of mankind with his righteous and honorable blood; and through His resurrection, saved us from death and granted us the path to eternal life. Today we once again praise and glorify Christ with exultation; we are renewed with faith and hope, which is the message of the Gospel, since the Savior of the world is Risen and we are hopeful for the grace of salvation He grants us.The belief in God is not merely the comprehension that He exists. Rather, it is the love for God, the acceptance of His message, as our fathers have taught us, and to be guided by that life-giving message. Faith is the most precious legacy, the light and vitality of the soul, which must be protected, cared for, sustained and nurtured, so that no thought, word or deed may cause it to be harmed or damaged within our soul.Faith in Christ, Who is the “true image of the invisible God”, is the recognition and praise of divine love and mercy toward men, and to live life with that love. During the course of His earthly mission, our Lord Jesus Christ frequently spoke about the importance of faith. He preached and performed miracles primarily in those places where He found faith; and was saddened and grieved when He could not find souls with faith and hope in God – finding instead merely the external appearance of worshipping God. Our Lord is always with us, if we are with Him with an undoubting soul. And there where the Lord is, is freedom, truth, justice, love and peace. Where the Lord is, is the grace of salvation, healing, consolation, resurrected spirit, hope and faith.The miracle of faith lives in the pages of the Holy Bible. The blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are healed, and the dead are resurrected. Seeing all this and hearing the life-sustaining words of our Lord, men followed Him, believing that the prophecies about the Savior of mankind had come true. Faith was shaken and hopelessness enveloped men following the crucifixion. Fear overtook even the disciples of Jesus, who were confused and filled with doubt, when the Risen Christ appeared to them and spoke with them. The same Lord Who was crucified and placed in the tomb was now standing before the Apostles; they were now seeing Him, at last, risen. Then, with their minds enlightened, the Apostles understood that the path toward salvation for man – from death to life – had been opened before mankind. If they had been afraid or hopeless until now, they no longer feared death as they evangelized and spread the Gospel – the good news that Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world, is Risen!Dear faithful sons and daughters, today and always, the Risen Christ is with humanity – to renew life, to transfigure the world. The Risen Christ is with men to solidify the love of God and the love of humanity within their souls, so that falsehood, injustice, jealousy and hatred are rejected; so that disasters and wars, pain, suffering and want are eliminated; and that the grace and mercy of God multiply in life as the earth receives light from the heavens, and dew and rain to make it green, flowering and bounteous. However, what can we expect, what future can we hope for, if life created by the Maker is entrenched within the soul that departs from the true love of God, from the divine light; within a soul that denies God? What outlook can there be, if not one “where evil men and imposters will go on from bad to worse”? 2 Timothy 3:13. The hope for the future is God, our Lord Jesus Christ, Who grants mankind the strength to live with resurrected life, to always progress toward the good, toward a peaceful, prosperous, secure and just world.Our people as well believed in their renewal of life and salvation in Christ, establishing themselves on the solid and unshakeable foundation of the hope and faith preached in the Gospel. The Risen Christ walked throughout our countryside through the faith of the Apostles, through our pontiff, the Apostle-like Saint Gregory the Illuminator and through many other saints, and illuminated the life of our people, blessed them with virtues of the mind and spirit, reinforced and protected them with hope during trials and tribulations. With the Savior as our refuge, our people rose again from the depths of the chasms of death; and their resurrected new life sprouted again. They built their homes, kept their native hearths burning, and although exiled from their homeland and dispersed throughout the world, stayed unified and united, believed in the victory of justice, the right of liberty, the renewal of life through goodness and the vision of a peaceful world.It is with these aspirations and faith, dear faithful, that today we work to make our free and native land of Armenia and Artsakh prosperous, and strengthen our ecclesiastical and national life throughout the world. For the realization of our hopes and goals, and the overcoming of the challenges of our day, let us make God-commanded love, respect, honesty and confidence, assistance and care for one another our companions, for they are the foundation and strength of our ecclesiastical and national life, and of our families, friends, communities and productive cooperation. These values nurture and advance state and societal structures, and serve the welfare of all. These values will help especially today, during uncertain economic times, in conditions of present issues and concerns, to find stable and hopeful ways to bring to life beneficial endeavors in Armenia and in the Diaspora. Yes, the true faith and acts flowing from that faith are and shall be triumphant and fearless. Seeing the noble results of a faithful spirit in every sphere, in every step turned into reality, is how our children will learn to live with them, love family and friend, love homeland and God. Therefore, dear ones, clothed with the gifts of the Lord’s salvation, and always renewing our souls with faith and hope, let us serve the realization of all our national aspirations and goals with love and with one mind, one heart and one will. And the Lord, Who is always with us, seeing our good works, will reward us with resurrected life.With the joyful tiding of Christ’s glorious resurrection and with fraternal love we greet the incumbents of the hierarchal sees of our Holy Apostolic Church: His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia; His Beatitude Torkom Manoogian, Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem; His Beatitude Mesrob Mutafyan, Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople; and the spiritual heads of our Sister Churches, asking for countless successes filled with the grace of the Lord in their spiritual mission. We convey our Pontifical love and blessings to all devoted ranks of clergy and our faithful sons and daughters dispersed throughout the world, and wish them a life of goodness, fruitful service and manifold accomplishments.We extend our Pontifical blessings and greetings to the President of the Republic of Armenia, Serzh Sargsian; the President of the Republic of Nagorno Karabagh, Bako Sahakian; and all state officials of the Armenians. May the abundant graces of the Lord bestow them with new successes for the sake of our homeland and Armenian life everywhere.We greet with wishes for all good things the leaders and representatives of diplomatic missions accredited to Armenia. May the Almighty Hand of God keep and protect you, your countries and state officials, in your God-pleasing mission of strengthening the friendship among nations and peoples.On the Risen Savior’s day of renewal, dear faithful children throughout the globe, let us offer our united prayer to heaven, asking for the faith and hope of our Lord’s salvation to be with all men, console those in pain, reinforce those in difficult situations, and keep us all on paths of divine love. May God bless our people, to continue toward peaceful and benevolent harbors; filled with blessing, grace and mercy. Let us remain strong and steadfast in faith, and unshaken in our hope of the Gospel, so that our Risen Lord and Savior present us before the Father as holy, spotless and immaculate, alongside all those who rely on Him.“Glory to Your Almighty Resurrection, O Lord, today and always. Amen.”CHRIST IS RISEN FROM THE DEADGREAT TIDINGS TO ALL

Κυριακή 12 Απριλίου 2009

THE HISTORY OF CHRISTIAN EUROPE


By G.R. EvansLion, 224 pp., $34.95.
Perhaps you're celebrating the Resurrection in church this morning. Or you may be catching "Meet the Press" and scoffing at those sitting in their pews. Either way, it's clear that the trial and crucifixion of the historical Jesus mark one of the pivotal moments in humanity's stay on the planet. Scholars - atheists and believers alike - doggedly hunt for what really happened during that last week in Jerusalem.
"The Final Days of Jesus" is the latest entry in the literature of the historical Easter story. Archaeologist Shimon Gibson says his field has been overlooked for what it can reveal about the real Jesus. (A book that slides into a discussion of bathroom plumbing in ancient Jerusalem may be a little too real for your tastes, but Gibson makes it work.) He offers what he calls fresh evidence about the precise location of Jesus's trial, execution, and tomb, and the reasons Rome charged him with sedition.
Gibson also borrows from other disciplines in reconstructing these events. Those nonarchaeological sections will be more interesting to readers seeking the script and plot of the Easter drama, the "what happened?" Gibson's archaeological insights, on the other hand, will appeal to those curious about the stage design, the physical environment in which the story unfolded. Each camp will find the book half a good read.
Students of history might be tempted to read Susan Gubar's book on one of the Easter story's villains, Judas Iscariot. They should be forewarned: Her title, "Judas: A Biography," is somewhat false advertising. Gubar, an English professor at Indiana University, admits up front that an account of the life of history's most famous turncoat is impossible because we know virtually nothing about him, except that the most famous thing we know - his betrayal of Jesus - probably did happen.
Rather, this is a biography of the biographies, of the disparate ways Judas has been portrayed over time. Double-crossing viper is only one. More sympathetic takes date back to antiquity, as Gubar reminds us by citing the 2006 discovery of part of the Gospel of Judas. Its fourth century author considered Judas Jesus's prized disciple, the engine of the savior's plan for redeeming humanity. This is a fair and fascinating challenge to the view of the 12th apostle as villain, but Gubar's long book, covering centuries of literature, painting, and theology, will tax all but devoted English and art history majors.Continued...
If reading the Bible as literature rather than history is your passion, a more enjoyable survey is available from a Jewish writer. Christians, of course, also accept as scripture the Hebrew Bible, and allusions to it are littered throughout the Gospels and the Passion story in particular. In "Good Book," David Plotz, editor of Slate and a self-confessed biblical ignoramus, admirably does what so few do: He reads the entire Old Testament, encountering the lesser-known stories you don't get in church or synagogue and ladling his layman's commentary onto the scriptural stew. It's a poignant effort to ponder, particularly with Passover just behind us.
A strength of his book is that he says what many people think: He's appalled by the lessons (many morally troubling) in the Bible, which believers consider divinely inspired. Not only the patriarchs but God Himself can behave abominably. Plotz actually thinks about his faith to a degree that many Bible-thumpers don't. He occasionally - too occasionally - provides insights from scholars. (Apropos of the Easter story, he notes that Judas's betrayal fee of 30 pieces of silver echoes the price for which Joseph's brothers sold him into slavery. Scholars would say Judas's price actually derives from the Books of Zechariah and Exodus.) In the end, "Good Book" lives up to Plotz's promise of a "rapid (and entertaining, if not necessarily theologically sound) biblical education."
Those interested in what we know of actual events that followed the first Easter should try "The History of Christian Europe." Written by an emeritus professor from the University of Cambridge, it's essentially a textbook, but that's a good thing, as G.R. Evans writes in clear, accessible prose, which can't be said for every academic author. If there's a flaw, it's the short shrift she gives to the historic elephant in the room, modern Europe's lurch into secularism, which receives just a few pages at the end of the book (though an earlier sidebar hints at the challenge to Christian explanations of human nature raised by secular psychologists such as Freud and Carl Jung).
Evans taught medieval theology and intellectual history, and her appreciation for Christianity and its historic role shows. "The challenge posed by modern conceptions of secularism," she concludes, "is what is to be done with the inveterate tendency of people to look beyond this life and wonder what will happen to them next." If you doubt that tendency, peek this morning inside your nearest church, filled with people who on other Sundays would be home, like secularists, watching "Meet the Press."
Rich Barlow can be reached at barlow81@gmail.com.
© Copyright 2009 Globe Newspaper Company.
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Thousands mark Easter Sunday in Jerusalem

Jerusalem - Thousands of Christian pilgrims flocked to Jerusalem Sunday, to mark the resurrection of Jesus Christ, as recounted in the New Testament. Catholics celebrated Easter Sunday mass in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, which is believed to be where Jesus was crucified and then resurrected.
Delivering his first Easter sermon since taking up his post, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Raymond Tawil delivered an apolitical speech, noting that the festival was the climax of the Christian year and that "we are participants in the mystery of salvation."
Outside Jerusalem's Old City, several hundred metres from the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Protestants conducted their own Easter Sunday service at the Garden Tomb.
Orthodox Jews, celebrating the week-long festival of Passover, congregated at the Western Wall, to participate in the traditional priestly blessing.

Gregorian calendar Easter celebrated



BELGRADE -- Christians who mark their holidays according to the Gregorian calendar are today celebrating Easter.The Catholic Archbishop of Belgrade Stanislav Hočevar said in his Easter message that "man has never been less free, although technological advancement and connecting the world have been achieved, but only with the faith in Jesus Christ can man find the right way"."And while systems are getting stronger, the master of the systems, man, is becoming ever weaker, a slave to his own inventions, mostly without a hope," the archbishop said. Hočevar also congratulated Easter to the country's majority Orthodox Serbs. The Serbian Orthodox Church, along with the Russian Orthodox Church and the Patriarchate of Jerusalem, will celebrate Easter on April 19.

Eastern Orthodox Christians celebrating Palm Sunday




MOSCOW, April 12 (Itar-Tass) - Eastern Orthodox Christians are marking the feast of the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem, more commonly known as Palm Sunday across the Christian world and alternatively called Pussy Willow Sunday in Russia where palms have traditionally been a rarity.
Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia Kirill /Cyril/ is expected to lead a divine liturgy in Moscow’s downtown Cathedral of the Savior.
This feast recalls an event of about 2,000 years ago when crowds of people in Jerusalem went out to meet Jesus heading towards the city. They held palm branches in their hands and cried out: “Hosanna! Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord!”
In Russia, palms branches are substituted for by pussy willow that usually unfolds by this time in April.
Some Eastern Orthodox community have been keeping to this day the tradition of marking Palm Sunday with cross-bearing processions, in which parents with babies come.
A procession of this kind will be held Sunday on the compound of the mission of Antioch Church in Moscow.
In Jerusalem, a majestic cross-bearing procession will be led by the Patriarch of the Jerusalem Orthodox Church. Israeli police will block traffic on the roads along which the believers will move.
Believers carrying icons in their hands will meet the Patriarch in Bethphage, where from Jesus began His glorious entry into the Holy City.
Then the procession will move along the route that Jesus covered before entering the city – from the Mount of Olives to Gethsemane to the Old City and to the Church of Nativity of the Virgin Mary.
The route has changed somewhat from Biblical times, though, as the Golden Gate, which Jesus entered the city through, was bricked up back in the Middle Ages and the Catholic church of Jesus’s Lamentation stands at the site where Jesus lamented the future plight of Jerusalem.
The newest feature of all standing right on the way to Bethany where Jesus went after the entry into Jerusalem is the eight-meters-tall concrete wall separating the Israeli and Palestinian territories.

HOMILY OF HIS HOLINESS POPE BENEDICT XVI



MASS OF THE DAY
Saint Peter's SquareEaster Sunday, 12 April 2009


Dear Brothers and Sisters,
“Christ, our Paschal lamb, has been sacrificed!” (1 Cor 5:7). On this day, Saint Paul’s triumphant words ring forth, words that we have just heard in the second reading, taken from his First Letter to the Corinthians. It is a text which originated barely twenty years after the death and resurrection of Jesus, and yet – like many Pauline passages – it already contains, in an impressive synthesis, a full awareness of the newness of life in Christ. The central symbol of salvation history – the Paschal lamb – is here identified with Jesus, who is called “our Paschal lamb”. The Hebrew Passover, commemorating the liberation from slavery in Egypt, provided for the ritual sacrifice of a lamb every year, one for each family, as prescribed by the Mosaic Law. In his passion and death, Jesus reveals himself as the Lamb of God, “sacrificed” on the Cross, to take away the sins of the world. He was killed at the very hour when it was customary to sacrifice the lambs in the Temple of Jerusalem. The meaning of his sacrifice he himself had anticipated during the Last Supper, substituting himself – under the signs of bread and wine – for the ritual food of the Hebrew Passover meal. Thus we can truly say that Jesus brought to fulfilment the tradition of the ancient Passover, and transformed it into his Passover.
On the basis of this new meaning of the Paschal feast, we can also understand Saint Paul’s interpretation of the “leaven”. The Apostle is referring to an ancient Hebrew usage: according to which, on the occasion of the Passover, it was necessary to remove from the household every tiny scrap of leavened bread. On the one hand, this served to recall what had happened to their forefathers at the time of the flight from Egypt: leaving the country in haste, they had brought with them only unleavened bread. At the same time, though, the “unleavened bread” was a symbol of purification: removing the old to make space for the new. Now, Saint Paul explains, this ancient tradition likewise acquires a new meaning, once more derived from the new “Exodus”, which is Jesus’ passage from death to eternal life. And since Christ, as the true Lamb, sacrificed himself for us, we too, his disciples – thanks to him and through him – can and must be the “new dough”, the “unleavened bread”, liberated from every residual element of the old yeast of sin: no more evil and wickedness in our heart.
“Let us celebrate the feast … with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth”. This exhortation from Saint Paul, which concludes the short reading that was proclaimed a few moments ago, resounds even more powerfully in the context of the Pauline Year. Dear brothers and sisters, let us accept the Apostle’s invitation; let us open our spirit to Christ, who has died and is risen in order to renew us, in order to remove from our hearts the poison of sin and death, and to pour in the life-blood of the Holy Spirit: divine and eternal life. In the Easter Sequence, in what seems almost like a response to the Apostle’s words, we sang: “Scimus Christum surrexisse a mortuis vere” – we know that Christ has truly risen from the dead. Yes, indeed! This is the fundamental core of our profession of faith; this is the cry of victory that unites us all today. And if Jesus is risen, and is therefore alive, who will ever be able to separate us from him? Who will ever be able to deprive us of the love of him who has conquered hatred and overcome death?
The Easter proclamation spreads throughout the world with the joyful song of the Alleluia. Let us sing it with our lips, and let us sing it above all with our hearts and our lives, with a manner of life that is “unleavened”, that is to say, simple, humble, and fruitful in good works. “Surrexit Christus spes mea: precedet suos in Galileam” – Christ my hope is risen, and he goes before you into Galilee. The Risen One goes before us and he accompanies us along the paths of the world. He is our hope, He is the true peace of the world. Amen!

Σάββατο 11 Απριλίου 2009

ΜΙΑ ΝΕΑ ΠΟΡΕΙΑ ΞΕΚΙΝΑ...

ΜΗΝΥΜΑ ΤΟΥ ΟΙΚΟΥΜΕΝΙΚΟΥ ΠΑΤΡΙΑΡΧΗ κ.κ. ΒΑΡΘΛΟΜΑΙΟΥ επί τω Αγίω Πάσχα

ΠΑΤΡΙΑΡΧΙΚΗ ΑΠΟΔΕΙΞΙΣ
ΕΠΙ Τῼ ΑΓΙῼ ΠΑΣΧΑ

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Ἀδελφοὶ καὶ τέκνα ἐν Κυρίῳ προσφιλῆ καὶ ἐπιπόθητα,

ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ ΑΝΕΣΤΗ!

Σκυθρωπὴ εἶχεν ἀκούσει κάποιαν ἡμέραν τοῦ ΙΘ’ αἰῶνος ἡ ἀνθρωπότης ἀπὸ τὸ στόμα τοῦ τραγικοῦ φιλοσόφου ὅτι: «ὁ Θεὸς εἶναι νεκρός! Τὸν σκοτώσαμε... Ἐμεῖς ὅλοι εἴμαστε οἱ φονιάδες του... ὁ Θεὸς θὰ μείνῃ νεκρός! Τί ἄλλο εἶναι οἱ ἐκκλησίες παρὰ οἱ τάφοι καὶ τὰ μνήματα τοῦ Θεοῦ;»[1] Καὶ ἐπίσης, ὀλίγας δεκαετίας ἀργότερον, ἀπὸ τὸ στόμα ἑνὸς νεωτέρου ὁμολόγου του, ὅτι: «Ὁ Θεὸς ἀπέθανε! Σᾶς ἀναγγέλλω, κύριοι, τὸν θάνατον τοῦ Θεοῦ!»[2]
Αἱ διακηρύξεις αὐταὶ τῶν ἀθέων φιλοσόφων ἐτάραξαν τὰς συνειδήσεις τῶν ἀνθρώπων. Σύγχυσις πολλὴ ἐπηκολούθησεν εἰς τὸν χῶρον τοῦ πνεύματος καὶ τῆς λογοτεχνίας, τῆς τέχνης καὶ τῆς ἰδίας κάποτε τῆς Θεολογίας, ὅπου, εἰς τὴν Δύσιν κυρίως, ἤρχισε νὰ γίνεται λόγος ἀκόμη καὶ περὶ «Θεολογίας τοῦ θανάτου τοῦ Θεοῦ».
Ἡ Ἐκκλησία βεβαίως δὲν εἶχε ποτὲ καὶ δὲν ἔχει καμμίαν ἀμφιβολίαν ὅτι ὁ Θεὸς ἀπέθανε. Τοῦτο ἔγινε τὸ 33 μ.Χ. ἐπάνω εἰς τὸν λόφον Γολγοθᾶ τῆς Ἱερουσαλήμ, ἐπὶ Ποντίου Πιλάτου τοῦ Ρωμαίου Ἡγεμόνος τῆς Ἰουδαίας. Ἀφοῦ ἔπαθεν ἀνήκουστα Πάθη, ἐσταυρώθη ὡσὰν κακοῦργος καί, περὶ ὥραν ἐνάτην τῆς Παρασκευῆς, εἶπε «Τετέλεσται!» καὶ παρέδωκε τὸ πνεῦμα! Αὐτὸ εἶναι μία ἀναντίρρητος ἱστορικὴ πραγματικότης. Ὁ Μονογενὴς Υἱὸς καὶ Λόγος τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὁ Ἰησοῦς Χριστός, ὁ ἀληθινὸς Θεός, ἀπέθανεν «ὑπὲρ πάντων» τῶν ἀνθρώπων![3] Ἀφοῦ ἀνέλαβεν ὅλα τὰ ἰδικά μας: σῶμα, ψυχήν, θέλησιν, ἐνέργειαν, κόπον, ἀγωνίαν, πόνον, λύπην, παράπονον, χαράν, τὰ πάντα, παρεκτὸς ἁμαρτίας, ἀνέλαβε, τέλος, καὶ τὸ μεγαλύτερον ζήτημά μας, τὸν θάνατον, καὶ μάλιστα εἰς τὴν πιὸ βασανιστικὴν καὶ ταπεινωτικὴν ἐκδοχήν του, δηλ. τὸν Σταυρόν. Μέχρις ἐδῶ συμφωνοῦμεν μὲ τοὺς φιλοσόφους. Θὰ δεχθοῦμε ἀκόμη καὶ τὸ ὅτι αἱ ἐκκλησίαι, οἱ ναοί, εἶναι «οἱ τάφοι», «τὰ μνήματα» τοῦ Θεοῦ! Ὅμως!... Ἐμεῖς γνωρίζομε, ζοῦμε καὶ προσκυνοῦμε τὸν θανόντα Θεόν, ὡς «νεκρὸν ζωαρχικότατον»! Ὀλίγον μετὰ τὴν φοβερὰν Παρασκευήν, εἰς τὴν πρωϊνὴν ἀμφιλύκην τῆς «Μιᾶς τῶν Σαββάτων», τῆς Κυριακῆς, συνέβη αὐτό, διὰ τὸ ὁποῖον ἔγινεν ὅλη ἡ διὰ σαρκὸς καὶ πάθους καὶ Σταυροῦ καὶ καθόδου εἰς τὸν ᾃδην οἰκονομία τοῦ Θεοῦ: Ἡ Ἀνάστασις!... Καὶ αὐτό, ἡ Ἀνάστασις, εἶναι μία ἐξ ἴσου ἀναντίρρητος ἱστορικὴ πραγματικότης!.. Καὶ ἡ πραγματικότης αὐτὴ ἔχει ἀμέσους καὶ σωτηρίους ἐπιπτώσεις εἰς ὅλους μας. Ἀνέστη ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὁ Ὁποῖος εἶναι συνάμα καὶ Υἱὸς τοῦ Ἀνθρώπου! Ἀνέστη ὁ Θεὸς μὲ ὅλον τὸ πρόσλημμα τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος: τὸ Σῶμα ποὺ ἔλαβεν ἀπὸ τὰ ἄχραντα αἵματα τῆς Ὑπεραγίας Θεοτόκου καὶ τὴν ἁγίαν Ψυχήν Του. Ἀνέστη ἐκ νεκρῶν, «παγγενῆ τὸν Ἀδὰμ ἀναστήσας ὡς φιλάνθρωπος»!... Ὁ Τάφος τοῦ Ἰησοῦ, τὸ «καινὸν μνημεῖον» τοῦ Ἰωσήφ, εἶναι πλέον διὰ παντὸς κενός! Ἀντὶ διὰ μνημεῖον νεκρικόν, εἶναι μνημεῖον νίκης κατὰ τοῦ θανάτου, εἶναι πηγὴ ζωῆς! Ὁ νοητὸς Ἥλιος τῆς Δικαιοσύνης ἀνέτειλεν «ἐκ τοῦ τάφου ὡραῖος», χαρίζοντας φῶς ἀνέσπερον, εἰρήνην, χαράν, ἀγαλλίασιν, ζωὴν αἰώνιον! Ναί, οἱ ναοὶ εἶναι οἱ «τάφοι» τοῦ Θεοῦ! Ἀλλὰ Τάφοι κενοί, ὁλοφώτεινοι, γεμάτοι ἀπὸ «ὀσμὴν ζωῆς»,[4] ἀπὸ ἐαρινὸν μύρον πασχάλιον, ὡραῖοι, ἐρατεινοί, καταστόλιστοι μὲ μυρσίνες δοξαστικὲς καὶ μὲ ἄνθη χειροπιαστῆς ἐλπίδος, τάφοι ζωοδόχοι καὶ ζωοπάροχοι! Ὁ θάνατος τοῦ Θεοῦ ἀνέστρεψε τὰς δυνάμεις τοῦ ᾃδου, ὁ θάνατος εὐτελίστηκε πλέον εἰς ἁπλοῦν ἐπεισόδιον ποὺ εἰσάγει τὸν ἄνθρωπον ἀπὸ τὸν βίον εἰς τὴν Ζωήν. Αἱ ἐκκλησίαι, οἱ «τάφοι» τοῦ Θεοῦ, εἶναι αἱ διάπλατοι θύραι τῆς ἀγάπης τοῦ Θεοῦ, οἱ ὀρθάνοιχτες εἴσοδοι τοῦ Νυμφῶνος τοῦ Υἱοῦ Του, ποὺ «ὡς Νυμφίος προῆλθεν ἐκ τοῦ Μνήματος» καὶ οἱ πιστοὶ εἰσερχόμενοι, «θανάτου ἑορτάζομεν νέκρωσιν, ᾃδου τὴν καθαίρεσιν, ἄλλης βιοτῆς, τῆς αἰωνίου, ἀπαρχήν· καὶ σκιρτῶντες ὑμνοῦμεν τὸν αἴτιον, τὸν μόνον Εὐλογητὸν τῶν πατέρων, Θεὸν καὶ ὑπερένδοξον»![5]
Εὐτυχῶς, λοιπόν, ποὺ ἀπέθανεν ὁ Θεός, καὶ ὁ θάνατός Του ἔγινε ζωὴ καὶ ἀνάστασις ἰδική μας! Εὐτυχῶς ποὺ ὑπάρχουν τόσα «μνήματά» Του εἰς τὸν κόσμον, τόσοι ἅγιοι ναοί, ὅπου ἠμπορεῖ νὰ εἰσέλθῃ ἐλεύθερα ὁ πονεμένος, ὁ κουρασμένος καὶ ἀπαρηγόρητος ἄνθρωπος, νὰ ἀποθέσῃ τὸ φορτίον τοῦ πόνου του, τῆς ἀγωνίας του, τοῦ φόβου καὶ τῆς ἀνασφαλείας του, νὰ «ξεφορτωθῇ» τὸν θάνατόν του! Εὐτυχῶς ποὺ ὑπάρχουν αἱ ἐκκλησίαι τοῦ Ἐσταυρωμένου, Ἀποθανόντος, Ἀναστάντος καὶ αἰωνίως Ζῶντος Χριστοῦ, ὅπου ὁ ἀπελπισμένος ἄνθρωπος τῶν ἡμερῶν μας, ὁ καταπροδωμένος ἀπὸ ὅλα τὰ εἴδωλα, ὅλους τοὺς «χαμοθεοὺς» ποὺ ἔκλεψαν τὴν καρδιά του, τὴν οἰκονομίαν δηλαδή, τὴν ἰδεολογίαν, τὴν φιλοσοφίαν, τὴν μεταφυσικήν καὶ ὅλας τὰς ὑπολοίπους «κενὰς ἀπάτας»[6] τοῦ παρόντος αἰῶνος «τοῦ ἀπατεῶνος»,[7]εὑρίσκει καταφύγιον καὶ παραμυθίαν καὶ σωτηρίαν.
Ἀπὸ τὸ Οἰκουμενικὸν Πατριαρχεῖον, τὴν Μητέρα Ἐκκλησίαν ποὺ βιώνει εἰς τὸ πλήρωμά τους τὸ Πάθος, τὸν Πόνον, τὸν Σταυρὸν καὶ τὸν Θάνατον, ἀλλὰ ἐξ ἴσου καὶ τὴν Ἀνάστασιν τοῦ Θεανθρώπου, ἀπευθύνομεν πρὸς ὅλα τὰ τέκνα τῆς Ἐκκλησίας ἐγκάρδιον πασχάλιον χαιρετισμὸν καὶ εὐλογίαν, μαζὶ μὲ ἀσπασμὸν ἀγάπης Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ τοῦ ἐκ νεκρῶν Ἀναστάντος καὶ αἰωνίως Ζῶντος καὶ ζωοποιοῦντος τὸν ἄνθρωπον. Εἰς Αὐτὸν ἡ δόξα, τὸ κράτος, ἡ τιμὴ καὶ ἡ προσκύνησις, σὺν τῷ Πατρὶ καὶ τῷ Ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι, εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας. Ἀμήν!

Ἅγιον Πάσχα 2009
+ Ὁ Κωνσταντινουπόλεως
διάπυρος πρός Χριστόν Ἀναστάντα
εὐχέτης πάντων ὑμῶν





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Ἀναγνωσθήτω ἐπ᾽ ἐκκλησίας κατὰ τὴν Θείαν Λειτουργίαν τῆς ἑορτῆς τοῦ Ἁγίου Πάσχα, μετὰ τὸ Ἱερὸν Εὐαγγέλιον.

[1] Φρειδερῖκος Νίτσε.
[2] Ζὰν Πὼλ Σάρτρ.
[3] Β΄ Κορ. 5: 14.
[4] Β΄ Κορ. 2: 16.
[5] Τροπάριον ζ΄ ὠδῆς Κανόνος τοῦ Πάσχα.
[6] Πρβλ. Κολ. 2: 8.
[7] Ἀκάθιστος Ὕμνος.

Οἱ προκλήσεις γιὰ τὴν Ὀρθοδοξία στὴν Ἀμερική

«Στὴν Ὀρθοδοξία ἔχουμε ἕναν πρῶτο (primus) καὶ αὐτὸς εἶναι ὁ Πατριάρχης Κων/Πολεως 


orthodoxy_in_america_-_copy.jpgΜια σημαντικότατη ομιλία παρέμβαση από τον ΑρχιΓραμματέα της Αγίας Κ Ιεράς Συνόδου του Οικουμενικού Πατριαρχείου  Αρχιμανδρίτη  Dr. Ελπιδοφόρο(Λαμπριανίδη), με πολλούς αποδέκτες και με μια σειρά κρίσημων ζητημέτων που αναμένεται να απασχολήσουν πολύ σύντομα στο μέλλον την ανά τον κόσμο Ορθόδοξη Εκκλησία,  είχαν την ευκαιρία να παρακολουθήσουν όπως είχα γράψει στις 16 Μαρτίου 09 οι σπουδαστές του Chapel of the Holy Cross . Ο Αρχιμανδρίτης Dr. Λαμπριανίδης παρουσίασε ομιλία-εισήγηση με θέμα "Η Ορθοδοξία στην Αμερική και ο ρόλος του Οικουμενικού Πατριαρχείου".  Η ομιλία  όπως διαπιστώνει ο αναγνώστης  θίγει μια σειρά καίρων  θεμάτων που αφορούν σήμερα την πορεία της  Ορθοδοξίας γενικότερα στην Αμερικανική ήπειρο συνδέοντας τον ηγετικό μείζονα ρόλο που διαδραματίζει, έστω και εγκλωβισμένο  υπό την ασφυξία της Τουρκικής αδιαλλαξίας(βλ. Σχολή Θεολογική Χάλκης)  το Οικουμενικό Πατριαρχείο .

 

Η ομιλία υπερτονίζει τον ρόλο του Πρώτου  με βάση του Ιερούς κανόνες  που έχει το Οικουμενικό Πατριαρχείο  ως Μητέρα Εκκλησία θέτοντας όμως  εμμέσως πλην σαφώς και το ζήτημα των Ορθοδόξων της Διασποράς. Θέμα που παραμένει ανοιχτό προς επίλυση και διευθέτηση μεταξύ των Πατριαρχείων. Ζήτημα που βρίσκεται  μεταξύ των πρώτων   θεμάτων στην ατζέντα της Αγίας και Μεγάλης Πανορθόδοξης  Συνόδου-όταν και όποτε αυτή  τελικά συγκληθεί ως συνέχεια των Οικουμενικών Συνόδων - , που προετοιμάζεται για περισσότερες από 4 δεκαετίες. Υπενθυμίζεται ότι και το θέμα αυτό είναι σημείο τριβής και προστριβής μεταξύ του Οικουμενικού Πατριαρχείου  και του Πατριαρχείου  της Ρωσίας το οποίο διεκδικεί πρωτεία  και πρωτοκαθεδρία μεταξύ των Ορθοδόξων Εκκλησιών με το επιχείρημα της πλυθησμιακής υπεροχής  σε αντίθεση με όσα επιτάσσουν και έχουν επιλύσει οι καλώς τα πάντα διαταξάμενοι Πατέρες της Εκκλησίας  σε προηγούμενες Οικουμενικές και Τοπικές Συνόδους.    ΑΚΟΛΟΥΘΕΙ ΟΛΟΚΛΗΡΗ Η ΟΜΙΛΙΑ 

 

elpidoforos_lamprianidis.pngΤου Πανοσιολ. Ἀρχιμ. κ. Ἐλπιδοφόρου Λαμπρυνιάδη,

Ἀρχιγραμματέως τῆς Ἁγίας καὶ Ἱερᾶς Συνόδου τοῦ Οἰκουμενικοῦ Πατριαρχείου

 

Αἰδεσιμολογιώτατε Πρωτοπρεσβύτερε κ. Νικόλαε Τριανταφύλλου, Πρόεδρε,

Αἰδεσιμολ. Πρωτοπρεσβύτερε κ. Θωμᾶ Fitzgerald, Κοσμήτορ καὶ Αἰδεσιμολ. καὶ Ἐλλογιμώτατοι Καθηγητές,  ἀγαπητοὶ φοιτητὲς τῆς Θεολογικῆς Σχολῆς τοῦ Τιμίου Σταυροῦ,

 

Ἔχω τὴν ἐξαιρετικὴ τιμὴ καὶ μεγάλη χαρὰ νὰ βρίσκομαι σήμερα ἐνώπιόν σας μὲ τὴν εὐλογία καὶ ἄδεια τοῦ Παναγιωτάτου Οἰκουμενικοῦ Πατριάρχου κ. κ. Βαρθολομαίου καὶ τὴν συναίνεση τοῦ Σεβ. Ἀρχιεπισκόπου Ἀμερικῆς κ. Δημητρίου γιὰ νὰ μοιρασθῶ μαζί σας μερικὲς σκέψεις σχετικὰ μὲ τὴν παροῦσα κατάσταση τῆς Ὀρθοδοξίας στὴν Ἀμερικὴ καὶ τὶς σχετικὲς μὲ αὐτὴ θέσεις καὶ δυνατότητες τοῦ Οἰκουμενικοῦ μας Πατριαρχείου.

Ἔχετε, ἀδελφοί μου, τὸ προνόμιο νὰ εἶσθε οἱ πολίτες μιᾶς χώρας, στὴν ὁποία καθορίζονται σὲ μεγάλο βαθμὸ οἱ τύχες τῶν λαῶν, ὅπου γεννῶνται καὶ μεταδίδονται οἱ πρωτοπόρες τεχνολογίες, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἰδέες καὶ φιλοσοφίες. Οἱ ἰδιαιτερότητες καὶ τὰ χαρακτηριστικὰ τῶν ΗΠΑ, ὅπως εἶναι φυσικό, ἐπηρεάζουν καὶ ἀντανακλῶνται καὶ στὶς θρησκευτικὲς κοινότητες τῆς χώρας. Δὲν εἶναι τυχαῖο ὅτι καμμία κλασικὴ (ἐνν. ἐξ Εὐρώπης ἢ ἄλλης χώρας) στὴν Ἀμερικὴ μεταφυτευθεῖσα θρησκεία παρέμεινε ἀναλλοίωτη στὸν τρόπο ὀργάνωσης καὶ ἄσκησής της ἀπὸ τοὺς πιστοὺς τοῦ νέου κόσμου.

Τὸ ἴδιο συνέβη ἀσφαλῶς καὶ μὲ τὴν Ὀρθοδοξία στὶς ΗΠΑ, ὅπου ἡ ἐμφάνισή της ἔχει ἰδιαίτερα χαρακτηριστικὰ καὶ ἐπηρεάστηκε ἀπὸ ἀσταθμήτους παράγοντες.

Τὸ πρῶτο καὶ κύριο χαρακτηριστικὸ τῆς ἀμερικανικῆς Ὀρθοδοξίας εἶναι τὸ γεγονὸς ὅτι ἀναπτύχθηκε σὲ ἕνα γεωγραφικὸ χῶρο, ὁ ὁποῖος ἀπὸ διοικητικὴ καὶ τεχνικὴ ἄποψη ὁρολογίας χαρακτηρίζεται ὡς διασπορά. Εἶναι δηλαδὴ ὁ χῶρος, ἡ ἐπὶ τοῦ ὁποίου ἐκκλησιαστικὴ δικαιοδοσία διεκδικεῖται, δυστυχῶς, ἀπὸ πολλὲς «Μητέρες» Ἐκκλησίες, οἱ ὁποῖες θέλουν νὰ διατηρήσουν τὴν πνευματικὴ μέριμνα τῶν πιστῶν τους, οἱ ὁποῖοι μετανάστευσαν στὴν ὑπερδύναμοι ποὺ λέγεται ΗΠΑ.

Μὲ τὸν τρόπο αὐτό, οἱ Ὀρθόδοξοι στὴν Ἀμερικὴ ὀργανώθηκαν κυρίως μὲ βάση τὴν ἐθνική τους προέλευση καὶ ὄχι μὲ βάση τὸ κανονικὸ δίκαιο τῆς Ὀρθοδόξου Ἐκκλησίας, τὴν Ὀρθόδοξη ἐκκλησιολογία, σύμφωνα μὲ τὴν ὁποία ἡ Ἐκκλησία τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἔχει ὡς βάση ὄχι τὴν ἐθνικὴ καταγωγή, οὔτε τὴ χρονικὴ ἐμφάνιση σὲ ἕνα γεωγραφικὸ χῶρο, ἀλλὰ τὴν κανονικὴ τάξη καὶ τὴν μακραίωνα τάξη καὶ πράξη, ὡς διετυπώθησαν στὶς ἀποφάσεις τῶν Οἰκουμενικῶν Συνόδων.

Σύμφωνα μὲ τὰ παραπάνω, σὲ ἕνα γεωγραφικὸ χῶρο ὑπάρχει ἕνας καὶ μόνο Ἐπίσκοπος ὁ ὁποῖος ποιμαίνει θεοφιλῶς τοὺς Ὀρθοδόξους ἀνεξαρτήτως φυσικὰ οἱασδήτινος φυλετικῆς διακρίσεως. Τὸ ἀντίθετο, ὅμως, συνέβη στὴν Ἀμερικὴ καὶ σήμερα ἔχουμε τὴν κατάσταση τῆς παρουσίας τόσων ἐπισκόπων ὑπευθύνων γιὰ τὴν ἴδια γεωγραφικὴ περιφέρεια.

Ἕνα δεύτερο χαρακτηριστικὸ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ποὺ ἔφεραν μαζὶ τους τὴν ὀρθοδοξία στὴν Ἀμερικὴ εἶναι τὸ γεγονὸς ὅτι προῆλθαν ἀπὸ χῶρες μὲ πολὺ χαμηλό, τότε, βιωτικὸ καὶ οἰκονομικὸ ἐπίπεδο. Αὐτὸ δημιούργησε ἀπὸ τὴν πρώτη στιγμὴ ἐντός τους τὴν ἀνάγκη νὰ προσαρμοσθοῦν τὸ γρηγορότερο δυνατὸ στὶς συνθῆκες τῆς νέας γῆς, ὥστε νὰ φθάσουν σύντομα στὸ ὑψηλὸ ἐπίπεδο τῶν προνομιοῦχων κατοίκων τῆς Ἀμερικῆς καὶ νὰ ἀπολαύσουν τοὺς πλουσίους καρποὺς τοῦ ἀμερικανικοῦ ὀνείρου. Στὴν προσπάθειά τους αὐτὴ ἄλλαξαν τὰ ὀνόματά τους, ἔδωσαν βαρύτητα στὴν ἀγγλικὴ γλῶσσα σὲ ὅλα τὰ ἐπίπεδα τῆς ζωῆς, πέτυχαν ὅμως στὸ τέλος νὰ γίνουν σωστοὶ ἀμερικανοὶ πολίτες, ἀνεβαίνοντας διαρκῶς στὴν οἰκονομική, ἐμπορική, μορφωτική, καλλιτεχνικὴ καὶ πολιτικὴ ἱεραρχία τοῦ τόπου. Ἡ ἀρνητικὴ διάσταση αὐτῆς τῆς ἀντίληψης εἶναι ὅτι ἐνίοτε ἡ πιστότητα στὴν πολιτισμικὴ κληρονομία τῆς ἐθνικῆς καταγωγῆς θεωρήθηκε ἐσφαλμένως ὡς τροχοπέδη γιὰ αὐτὴ τὴν πρόοδο καὶ ἄνοδο στὴν ἀμερικανικὴ κοινωνία, μὲ τὴν δημιουργία συμπλεγμάτων τοῦ τύπου ὅτι δῆθεν προέρχονται ἀπὸ κατώτερη τάξη, ἡ ὁποία γιὰ νὰ γευθεῖ τοὺς καρποὺς τοῦ ἀμερικανικοῦ ὀνείρου πρέπει δῆθεν νὰ ἀποβάλει ὁ,τιδήποτε τὸν δένει μὲ τὸν πολιτισμό του. Ἡ τάση αὐτὴ ἐνισχύθηκε καὶ ἀπὸ τὸ γεγονὸς ὅτι οἱ ΗΠΑ εἶναι ἕνα φιλόξενο πολυεθνικὸ κράτος, τὸ ὁποῖο σέβεται καὶ ἀποδέχεται ἰσότιμα ὅλους τοὺς πολίτες του ἀνεξαρτήτως ἐθνικῆς καταγωγῆς.

Τὸ τρίτο χαρακτηριστικὸ ἀφορᾶ τὴ δομὴ καὶ τὸν τρόπο τῆς ἐκκλησιαστικῆς ὀργάνωσης στὶς ΗΠΑ. Οἱ πιστοὶ ὀργανώθηκαν σὲ κοινότητες λαϊκῶν, οἱ ὁποῖοι ταυτίσθηκαν μὲ τὴν ἐκκλησιαστικὴ κοινότητα, κατὰ τὸ πρότυπο τῆς παραδοσιακῆς ὀργανώσεως τῶν πρώτων χριστιανικῶν κοινοτήτων. Ἡ Κοινότητα διοικουμένη ἀπὸ ἐκλελεγμένα λαϊκὰ μέλη, κτίζει ναό, σχολεῖο καὶ ἱδρύματα καὶ μισθοδοτεῖ τὸν ἱερέα. Ὁ τρόπος αὐτὸς τῆς κοινοτικῆς ὀργάνωσης ἀναβαθμίζει, ὅπως εἶναι ὀρθό, τὴ θέση τοῦ λαϊκοῦ στοιχείου στὴν ἐκκλησιαστικὴ διοίκηση, αὐξάνει τὸ αἴσθημα εὐθύνης καὶ συμμετοχῆς του στὰ ἐκκλησιαστικὰ πράγματα καὶ δίνει τὴ δυνατότητα στὴν Ἐκκλησία νὰ ἐπωφεληθεῖ στὸ ἔπακρο ἀπὸ τὸ ἀνεβασμένο ἐπίπεδο τῶν πιστῶν της. Ἀπὸ τὴν ἄλλη ὅμως ἐλλοχεύει ὁ κίνδυνος α) νὰ περιθωριοποιηθεῖ ὁ ἱερεὺς ἀπὸ τὰ διοικητικὰ τῆς κοινότητας, β) νὰ ὑπάρχει δυσκολία ἀπὸ μέρους τῶν λαϊκῶν νὰ κατανοήσουν τοὺς κανόνες, μὲ βάση τοὺς ὁποίους λειτουργεῖ ἡ Ἐκκλησία, γ) νὰ ἐπηρεασθοῦν οἱ κοινοτικοὶ παράγοντες ἀπὸ τὸ κυρίαρχο προτεσταντικὸ περιβάλλον καὶ νὰ προσλάβουν ἀπὸ αὐτὸ ξένες πρὸς τὴν Ὀρθοδοξία πρακτικὲς καὶ δ) καταντήσουν οἱ ἐνοριακοὶ πηρύνες ἀπὸ ἐκκλησιαστικὰ σώματα σὲ λέσχες συνδρομητῶν μὲ ἐκκλησιαστικὸ ἔνδυμα.

Ὅπως γνωρίζετε, ἕνα ἀπὸ τὰ μυστικὰ τῆς ἐπιτυχίας τοῦ ἀμερικανικοῦ οἰκονομικοῦ, πολιτικοῦ καὶ τεχνολογικοῦ θαύματος ἦταν ἡ ἀποδέσμευση ἀπὸ κάθε παραδοσιακὸ πλαίσιο τοῦ παλαιοῦ κόσμου, ἡ θραύση τῶν καθιερωμένων νορμῶν καὶ ἡ ἀμφισβήτηση γιὰ ὁ,τιδήποτε ἐθεωρεῖτο δεδομένο καὶ πέραν πάσης κριτικῆς. Ὡς ἦταν ἀναμενόμενο, ἡ ἐκκλησιαστικὴ ἔκφραση αὐτῆς τῆς τάσεως δὲν ἄργησε νὰ ἐμφανισθεῖ καὶ στὴν Ὀρθόδοξη Ἐκκλησία τῶν ΗΠΑ, ἄλλοτε μὲ πιὸ ἀκραῖες καὶ ἄλλοτε μὲ πιὸ μετριοπαθεῖς τάσεις. Πολὺ σύντομα ἔκανε τὴν παρουσία του ὁ ὀρθόδοξος κλῆρος, ὁ ὁποῖος σὲ τίποτε δὲν διέφερε ἐξωτερικὰ ἀπὸ τοὺς κληρικοὺς τῶν ἄλλων δογμάτων, υἱοθετήθηκαν χορωδίες μὲ μὴ ὀρθόδοξη μουσική, φτώχυνε ἡ λειτουργικὴ παράδοση περιοριζόμενη στὰ στοιχειώδη, καὶ ἄλλα παρόμοια.

Στὴ βαθμιαία αὐτὴ ἐκκοσμίκευση τῆς Ὀρθοδοξίας δὲν ἄργησε νὰ ἔρθει ἡ ἀντίδραση μὲ τὴν ἐντυπωσιακὴ ἐμφάνιση καὶ ραγδαία ἐξάπλωση μοναστηρίων ἁγιορειτικῆς ἐπιρροῆς, μὲ ἄκρο συντηρητισμό, προσήλωση μονολιθικὴ στὸν τύπο καὶ τὸ γράμμα τοῦ νόμου, ἔντονη ἀντίθεση σὲ ὁποιασδήποτε μορφῆς ἐπικοινωνία μὲ ἀλλόδοξες Ἐκκλησίες. Ὅλα αὐτὰ εἶναι ἡ ἔκφραση τῆς ἔντονης δίψας γιὰ τὴν ἀπωλεσθεῖσα ὀρθόδοξη πνευματικότητα καὶ λειτουργικὸ πλοῦτο, τῶν ὁποίων γιὰ τόσο πολὺ διάστημα στερήθηκε ὁ λαός, περιορισθεὶς σὲ ἕνα ἄγονο κοινωνικὸ ἀκτιβισμό.

Τὰ χαρακτηριστικὰ τοῦ ἱεροῦ κλήρου τῆς Ἀμερικῆς ἐμφανίζονται σήμερα ἰδιαίτερα διαφοροποιούμενα.

Ἡ ἔντονη ἐκκοσμίκευση τῆς ἐνοριακῆς - κοινοτικῆς ζωῆς δὲν εἶναι σὲ θέση νὰ ἐμπνεύσει νέους καὶ νὰ καλλιεργήσει τὶς κατάλληλες ἱερατικὲς κλήσεις, ὥστε οἱ ποιμένες νὰ προέρχονται ἀπὸ τὰ σπλάχνα τῆς ἐκκλησιαστικῆς κοινότητας. Τὴν ἔλλειψη αὐτὴ ἔρχονται νὰ καλύψουν ὑποψήφιοι, οἱ ὁποῖοι σὲ ἀσυνήθιστα γιὰ τὰ μέχρι τώρα δεδομένα μεγάλη ἡλικία, ἔχοντας ἤδη ἐπὶ τῶν ὥμων τους οἰκογενειακὰ βάρη, ἀσθμαίνοντες ἐπιδιώκουν τὴν ἀπόκτηση τοῦ ποθουμένου τίτλου σπουδῶν, ὁ ὁποῖος θὰ τοὺς ἐπιτρέψει μεταξὺ ἄλλων καὶ τὴν κοινωνικὴ καταξίωση.

Μεγάλη μερίδα τῶν ὑποψηφίων κληρικῶν εἶναι οἱ ἐκ προσηλύτων προερχόμενοι, οἱ ὁποῖοι λίγη σχετικὴ ὀρθόδοξη ἐμπειρία διαθέτουν, χαρακτηρίζονται ὅμως συνήθως ἀπὸ ἀσυνήθιστη ζηλωτικὴ συμπεριφορὰ καὶ νοοτροπία. Εἶναι ἐνδιαφέρον τὸ γεγονὸς ὅτι οἱ ἐκ προσηλύτων κληρικοὶ ποσοστιαία εἶναι πολλαπλάσιοι τῶν προσηλύτων ἐκ τοῦ ποιμνίου, μὲ ἀποτέλεσμα μία μεγάλη μερίδα τῶν ἐκ γενετῆς ὀρθοδόξων οἱ ὁποῖοι εἶναι φορεῖς κάποιας ἐθνικῆς πολιτισμικῆς παραδόσεως, νὰ ποιμαίνονται ἀπὸ κληρικοὺς οἱ ὁποῖοι, λόγῳ ἀκριβῶς τῆς ἐλλείψεως οἰκειότητος ἢ καὶ λόγῳ συνειδητῆς ἀντιθέσεως, βαθμιαῖα ὑποβαθμίζουν καὶ ἐξαλείφουν τὰ ὡς ἄνω ἀναφερθέντα πολιτισμικὰ στοιχεῖα καὶ ἐκφράσεις τῶν κοινοτήτων ποὺ ὑπηρετοῦν.

            Λυπηρὸ εἶναι τὸ γεγονὸς ὅτι ἡ κρίση στὶς ἱερατικὲς κλίσεις ἔχει ὁδηγήσει στὴν τραγικὴ μείωση καὶ σὲ ποιότητα καὶ σὲ ἀριθμοὺς τῶν ἀγάμων κληρικῶν, οἱ ὁποῖοι ἐκ τῶν πραγμάτων μίαν τῶν ἡμερῶν θὰ ἐπιφορτισθοῦν μὲ τὴν εὐθύνη τῆς διοικήσεως τῆς Ἐκκλησίας αὐτῆς. Ἡ ἔλλειψη πνευματικότητας καθιστᾶ, ἰδιαιτέρως στοὺς νέους, ἀκατανόητο καὶ μὴ ἑλκυστικὸ τὸ μοναχικὸ ἰδεῶδες, πλὴν τῶν ἐσχάτως ἐμφανισθεισῶν μοναχικῶν ἀδελφοτήτων μὲ τὰ ἀναφερθέντα ἰδιαίτερα χαρακτηριστικά.

            Μετὰ τὴν γενικότερη αὐτὴ ἀξιολογικὴ προσέγγιση τῆς ἐν Ἀμερικῇ Ὀρθοδοξίας ἐπιτρέψτε μου νὰ ἀναφερθῶ δι᾿ ὀλίγων πλέον συγκεκριμένως στὴν Ἱερὰ Ἀρχιεπισκοπὴ Ἀμερικῆς, τὴν πλέον σημαντικὴ αὐτὴ Ἐπαρχία τοῦ Οἰκουμενικοῦ Θρόνου.

            Γιὰ τὴν Ἀρχιεπισκοπὴ μας ἰσχύουν σὲ γενικὲς γραμμὲς τὰ ὅσα εἴπαμε παραπάνω περὶ τοῦ τρόπου ἱδρύσεώς της. Χάρη στὴν ὑποδειγματικὴ θυσιαστικὴ ἀφοσίωση τῶν ὁμογενῶν μας μεταναστῶν καὶ ὑπὸ τὶς πτέρυγες τοῦ πρώτου Θρόνου τῆς Ὀρθοδοξίας μὲ τὴν πάροδο τοῦ χρόνου ἀνδρώθηκε καὶ μεγαλούργησε μία ἰσχυρὴ καὶ ζηλευτὴ Ἀρχιεπισκοπή, ἡ ὁποία ἀποτελεῖ καύχημα τῆς Ἐκκλησίας Κωνσταντινουπόλεως. Ἡ Ἀρχιεπισκοπὴ ἀξιοποίησε στὸ ἔπακρο τὶς δυνατότητες ποὺ παρέσχε ἕνα βαθιὰ δημοκρατικό, ἀξιοκρατικὸ καὶ προοδευτικὸ κρατικὸ πλαίσιο, ὅπως εἶναι οἱ ΗΠΑ, γιὰ νὰ ριζώσει ὅσο γίνεται βαθύτερα στὴ γῆ αὐτὴ ἡ ὀρθόδοξη πίστη τῶν πατέρων μας.

            Σὲ αὐτὸ βοήθησε, ὅπως ἤδη εἴπαμε, ἡ ἐνεργὴ συμμετοχὴ τοῦ λαϊκοῦ στοιχείου, τὸ ὁποῖο ἐπέτυχε σὲ κάθε τομέα τῆς κοινωνικῆς καὶ ἄλλης ζωῆς. Πιστεύουμε ὅτι οἱ νεώτερες γενεὲς τῆς ὁμογενείας εἶναι ἀπαλλαγμένες ἀπὸ τὶς προκαταλήψεις καὶ τὰ συμπλέγματα τοῦ παρελθόντος, σύμφωνα μὲ τὰ ὁποῖα γιὰ νὰ ἐπιτύχεις στὴν Ἀμερικὴ πρέπει νὰ ξεχάσεις τὸν πατρογονικό σου πολιτισμὸ καὶ τὴ γλῶσσα καὶ νὰ ἀφεθεῖς γυμνὸς στὴν ἀκανθώδη ἔρημο τῆς ἄγριας Δύσης. Οἱ σημερινοὶ ὁμογενεῖς ἔχουν ξεπεράσει τὴ φάση αὐτὴ τῆς ἄρνησης καὶ ἔχουν κατανοήσει ὅτι τὸ μυστικὸ τῆς ἐπιτυχίας τοῦ ἀμερικανικοῦ πολιτισμοῦ δὲν εἶναι ἡ ἐξαφάνιση τοῦ πολιτισμικοῦ ὑποβάθρου τῶν πολιτῶν του, ἀλλὰ ἡ ἐλεύθερη καὶ δημιουργικὴ σύνθεση καὶ συνύπαρξη λαῶν καὶ φυλῶν, οἱ ὁποῖοι ἦρθαν στὴ φιλόξενη αὐτὴ χώρα γιὰ νὰ ζήσουν ἐν ἐλευθερίᾳ, ἐν πίστει καὶ μὲ ἀξιοπρέπεια. Ἡ πολιτισμική μας παράδοση καὶ ἡ συνείδηση τῆς ἐθνικῆς μας καταγωγῆς δὲν εἶναι μὲ κανένα τρόπο ἐμπόδιο γιὰ τὴν πρόοδο μας καὶ τὴν ἐπιτυχῆ μαρτυρία τῆς πίστεώς μας, τόσο μᾶλλον ὅσον ἡ οἰκουμενικότητα εἶναι στὸν πυρῆνα, στὴν φύση τοῦ ἑλληνισμοῦ, ὁ ὁποῖος εἶναι ἐξ ὁρισμοῦ ἀντίθετος πρὸς κάθε ἐθνικισμὸ καὶ πρὸς κάθε μορφῆς ὑποτίμηση ἄλλων ἐθνῶν καὶ πολιτισμῶν.

            Ἡ Ἱερὰ Ἀρχιεπισκοπὴ Ἀμερικῆς ὑπὸ τὸ Οἰκουμενικὸ Πατριαρχεῖο εἶναι σήμερα στὶς ΗΠΑ ἡ πλέον καλὰ ὀργανωμένη, συγκροτημένη καὶ ἐπιτυχὴς ὀρθόδοξη παρουσία καὶ αὐτὸ δὲν εἶναι τυχαῖο. Αὐτὸ δὲν ἐπετεύχθη ἐπειδὴ ἀπεμπόλησε τὴν πολιτισμική της ταυτότητα. Δὲν ἐπετεύχθη ἐπειδὴ ἀγνόησε τοὺς ἱεροὺς κανόνες καὶ τὶς ἀποφάσεις τῶν οἰκουμενικῶν συνόδων. Δὲν συνέβη ἐπειδὴ ὑπέκυψε στὸν πειρασμὸ τῆς ἐκκοσμίκευσης, οὔτε ἐπειδὴ αὐτοφυλακίστηκε στὸ σκοτάδι τοῦ ἀκραίου συντηρητισμοῦ, τοῦ ἐθνικισμοῦ καὶ τῆς στεῖρας ἄρνησης.

            Λόγῳ ὅμως ἀκριβῶς τῆς ζηλευτῆς θέσεώς της στὴν Ἀμερική, ἐπιβάλλεται νὰ κάνουμε τὴν αὐτοκριτική μας καὶ νὰ ἀμυνθοῦμε ἐποικοδομητικὰ πρὸς τὶς ἄδικες ἐπικρίσεις οἱ ὁποῖες στοχεύουν τὴν δικαιοδοσία αὐτὴ τοῦ Οἰκουμενικοῦ Πατριαρχείου.

            Ἐξετάζοντες λοιπὸν ἑαυτούς, πιστεύω ὅτι ὀφείλουμε νὰ εἴμαστε πιὸ προσεκτικοὶ στὴν εὐκολία μὲ τὴν ὁποία ἑτοιμαζόμαστε νὰ ἐγκαταλείψουμε τὴν ἑλληνικότητά μας καὶ ὡς γλῶσσα καὶ ὡς παράδοση. Ὅπως εἴπαμε καὶ παραπάνω, εἶναι μύθος ὁ ἰσχυρισμὸς ὅτι ἡ ἐλληνικότητα εἶναι ἐμπόδιο γιὰ τὴ δημιουργικὴ καὶ ἐπιτυχῆ ἔνταξή μας στὴν ἀμερικανικὴ πραγματικότητα. Ἡ ἑλληνικότητα εἶναι ταυτισμένη μὲ τὴν οἰκουμενικότητα γιατὶ ποτὲ δὲν μπορεῖ νὰ εἶναι ἐθνικιστική, διότι καὶ τὰ δύο χαρακτηριστικά του: ὁ πολιτισμὸς καὶ ἡ ὀρθοδοξία ἐκ φύσεως εἶναι ἔννοιες ὑπερεθνικές.

            Δὲ ὑποστηρίζω τὴν ἄποψη ὅτι μποροῦμε σήμερα νὰ ὑποχρεώσουμε τοὺς πάντες νὰ ὁμιλοῦν ἀπταίστως τὴν ἑλληνικὴ γλῶσσα, νομίζω ὅμως ὅτι ὀφείλουμε νὰ δώσουμε τὴ δυνατότητα σὲ ὅσους ἐπιθυμοῦν, νὰ τὴν ἐκμάθουν σὲ σοβαρὰ ὀργανωμένα σχολεῖα, μὲ εἰδικὰ καταρτισμένους δασκάλους. Νομίζω ὅτι χρωστᾶμε στὰ παιδιά μας τὴ δυνατότητα τῆς ἐπιλογῆς. Νομίζω ὅτι χρωστᾶμε στὸν πολιτισμό μας τὴν ἐξάλειψη τῆς περιφρόνησης πρὸς τὴ γλῶσσα ποὺ ἐπελέγη ἀπὸ τὸ Εὐαγγέλιο καὶ ἀπὸ τοὺς θεμελιωτὲς τῆς πίστεως, τοὺς Πατέρες τῆς Χριστιανωσύνης γιὰ τὴν ἔκφραση τῶν πιὸ λεπτῶν νοημάτων καὶ δογμάτων.

            Δὲν ὑποστηρίζω τὴν ἄποψη ὅτι οἱ ἀκολουθίες τῆς Ἐκκλησίας μας στὴν Ἀμερικὴ πρέπει νὰ γίνονται ἀποκλειστικὰ στὴν ἑλληνικὴ γλῶσσα. Ἁπλᾶ δὲν καταλαβαίνω πῶς εἶναι δυνατὸν ἕνας κληρικὸς τῆς Ἱερᾶς Ἀρχιεπισκοπῆς Ἀμερικῆς νὰ μὴ εἶναι ἱκανὸς νὰ λειτουργήσει σὲ δύο γλῶσσες. Δὲν καταλαβαίνω πῶς ἕνα Πανεπιστημιακὸ ἵδρυμα δὲν κατορθώνει νὰ διδάξει μία γλῶσσα σὲ κάποιον φοιτητή, τὸν ὁποῖον τὸν ἔχει γιὰ τουλάχιστον 4 χρόνια.

            Ἀδελφοί μου, δὲν εἶμαι ἀπὸ αὐτοὺς ποὺ πιστεύουν ὅτι ὑπάρχει ἱερὴ γλῶσσα (lingua sacra) στὴν Ἐκκλησία. Διερωτῶμαι ἁπλῶς πῶς σὲ ὅλες τὶς Θεολογικὲς Σχολὲς τοῦ κόσμου ὅλων τῶν ὁμολογιῶν οἱ φοιτητὲς θεωρεῖται αὐτονόητο ὅτι ὑποχρεοῦνται νὰ μαθαίνουν τὶς βιβλικὲς γλῶσσες, καὶ μόνο στὴ δική μας Σχολὴ τῆς ἑλληνορθόδοξης Ἀρχιεπισκοπῆς Ἀμερικῆς αὐτὸ φαίνεται ἀναχρονιστικό, ἐθνικιστικό, συντηρητικὸ ἢ ὁ,τιδήποτε ἄλλο;

            Ἐφ᾿ ὅσον γίνεται ὁ λόγος περὶ τῆς Θεολογικῆς Σχολῆς, θεωρεῖται ὑπερβολικὴ ἡ προσδοκία τῆς Ἐκκλησίας οἱ ἀπόφοιτοί της νὰ γνωρίζουν θεολογία, κανονικὸ δίκαιο, νὰ μποροῦν νὰ ψάλλουν βυζαντινά, νὰ μποροῦν νὰ τελέσουν χωρὶς δυσκολία τὸν ὄρθρο, τὸν ἑσπερινό, τὰ μυστήρια τῆς Ἐκκλησίας, νὰ εἶναι σὲ θέση νὰ κηρύξουν τὸν λόγο τοῦ Θεοῦ, νὰ κατηχήσουν τὴ νεολαία μας, νὰ διδάξουν στοὺς πιστοὺς τὴν προσευχή;

            Ἀγαπητοί μου, ἀδελφοί, ἐπιτρέψτε μου τώρα νὰ ἐπανέλθω στὸ θέμα τῆς διασπορᾶς καὶ τῆς δικαιοδοσιακῆς πολυμορφίας ἡ ὁποία παρατηρεῖται καὶ στὶς ΗΠΑ.

            Κατ᾿ ἀρχὰς ἐπιτρέψτε μου νὰ ὑπενθυμίσω ὅτι ὁ ὅρος διασπορὰ εἶναι τεχνικὸς καὶ σημαίνει τοὺς γεωγραφικοὺς ἐκείνους χώρους, οἱ ὁποῖοι βρίσκονται ἐκτὸς τῶν ὁρίων τῶν τοπικῶν αὐτοκεφάλων Ἐκκλησιῶν. Δὲν σημαίνει ὅτι οἱ πιστοὶ ὀρθόδοξοι οἱ ὁποῖοι διαβιοῦν στὶς περιοχὲς αὐτὲς εἶναι προσωρινοί, ὅπως διαστρεβλωτικὰ ἰσχυρίζεται σὲ πρόσφατο ἄρθρο του ὁ Σεβασμιώτατος ἀντιοχειανὸς Μητροπολίτης κ. Φίλιππος (The Word). Σύμφωνα μὲ τὸν 28ο Κανόνα τῆς 4ης Οἰκουμενικῆς Συνόδου ἕνα ἀπὸ τὰ προνόμια τοῦ Οἰκουμενικοῦ Πατριάρχη εἶναι ὅτι ἔχει δικαιοδοσία σ᾿ αὐτὲς ἀκριβῶς τὶς περιοχές, οἱ ὁποῖες εἶναι ἐκτὸς τῶν προδιαγεγραμμένων ὁρίων τῶν κατὰ τόπους Ὀρθοδόξων Ἐκκλησιῶν. Στὸν συγκεκριμένο κανόνα ὁ ὅρος ποὺ χρησιμοποιεῖται γιὰ τὶς περιοχὲς αὐτὲς εἶναι «βαρβαρική» γιατὶ ἀναφερόταν στὸν μὴ γνωστὸ τότε ἐκτὸς Ρωμαϊκῆς Αὐτοκρατορίας κόσμο.

            Γιὰ τὸ συγκεκριμένο ἄρθρο 28, προσφάτως τὸ Οἰκουμενικὸ Πατριαρχεῖο, ὑπέστη μία ἄδικη καὶ ἀνακριβῆ κριτικὴ ἀπὸ δύο Ἱεράρχες Ὀρθοδόξους στὴν Ἀμερική: τὸν προαναφερθέντα Μητροπολίτη Φίλιππο καὶ τὸν σχετικῶς προσφάτως ἐκλεγέντα Μητροπολίτη Ἰωνᾶ.

            Θεωρῶ χρέος μου ἔναντι τῆς ἱστορικῆς ἀληθείας καὶ ἔναντι τῆς ἠθικῆς τάξεως νὰ ἀνασκευάσω τὶς ἀδικίες ἔναντι τῆς Μητρὸς Ἐκκλησίας Κωνσταντινουπόλεως.

            Ὁ Μητροπολίτης Ἰωνᾶς, ὡς Ἡγούμενος ἀκόμη, σὲ μία ὁμιλία του παρουσίασε μία «μοναστικὴ προσέγγιση» ἐπὶ τοῦ θέματος: «Ἐπισκοπικὸς βαθμός, Πρωτεῖο καὶ Μητέρες Ἐκκλησίες». Στὸ κεφάλαιο περὶ «αὐτοκεφαλίας καὶ πρωτείου» ἰσχυρίζεται ὅτι «δὲν ὑπάρχει ἀποτελεσματικὸ κυρίαρχο πρωτεῖο στὴν Ὀρθόδοξη Ἐκκλησία». Ὁ ἴδιος φαίνεται νὰ εἶναι ἀντίθετος μὲ κάθε ἰδέα περὶ ὑπάρξεως θεσμοῦ τοῦ Οἰκουμενικοῦ Πατριαρχείου, διότι θεωρεῖ ὅτι αὐτὸς «βασίζεται ἐπὶ τῆς ἐννοίας τοῦ πρωτείου, τὸ ὁποῖο ἀσκεῖται ἐπὶ συνόδου, ἐχούσης ὡς ὅρια τὰ ὅρια μιᾶς αὐτοκρατορίας» καὶ ὅτι αὐτὸ «ἔχει ἀπὸ μακροῦ καταστεῖ μὴ ρεαλιστικό». Αὐτὸ ποὺ μὲ ἐξέπληξε περισσότερο στὴ «μοναστικὴ προσέγγιση» τοῦ Σεβ. κ. Ἰωνᾶ εἶναι ὁ ἰσχυρισμὸς ὅτι δῆθεν «σήμερα μόνο οἱ ἑλληνικὲς ἐθνικὲς ἐκκλησίες καὶ μερικὲς ἄλλες ἀκόμη ἀναγνωρίζουν τὸ Οἰκουμενικὸ Πατριαρχεῖο ὅπως αὐτὸ ἰσχυρίζεται ὅτι εἶναι». Εἶναι πράγματι λυπηρὴ ἡ παχυλὴ ἄγνοια τοῦ ἐν λόγῳ Ἱεράρχου ὄχι μόνο τῆς ἱστορίας καὶ τῆς κανονικῆς τάξεως, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῆς συγχρόνου καταστάσεως. Πῶς ἀγνοεῖ ὁ Σεβασμιώτατος ὅτι σήμερα δὲν ὑπάρχει Ὀρθόδοξη Ἐκκλησία ποὺ νὰ μὴ ἀναγνωρίζει τὸ Οἰκουμενικὸ Πατριαρχεῖο; Ἴσως παρασύρεται ἀπὸ τὸ γεγονὸς ὅτι τὸ ἐκκλησιαστικὸ σχῆμα τοῦ ὁποίου προΐσταται ὁ ἴδιος καὶ τὸ ὁποῖο τόσο κραυγαλέα ἀντικανονικὰ ἀνακηρύχθηκε δῆθεν αὐτοκέφαλο δὲν ἀναγνωρίζεται παρὰ ἀπὸ ἐλάχιστες Ἐκκλησίες καὶ δὲν εἶναι στὰ δίπτυχα τῆς Ὀρθοδόξου Ἐκκλησίας.

            Ἐπιτρέψτε μου δειγματοληπτικὰ νὰ ἀναφέρω μερικὰ ἀκόμη σημεῖα τοῦ ἰδίου ἄρθρου, τὰ ὁποῖα δὲν πρέπει νὰ μείνουν ἀναπάντητα.

            Ἰσχυρίζεται λοιπὸν ὁ Μητροπολίτης Ἰωνᾶς ὅτι στὴν Ἀμερικὴ «δὲν ὑπάρχει κοινὴ ἔκφραση ἑνότητας ποὺ νὰ ὑπερβαίνει ἐθνικὲς, γλωσσικὲς καὶ πολιτισμικὲς διαιρέσεις». Ἀγνοεῖ ὁ Σεβασμιώτατος τὸ γεγονὸς ὅτι ὑπὸ τὴν δικαιοδοσία τοῦ Οἰκουμενικοῦ Πατριαρχείου στὴν Ἀμερικὴ ὑπάγονται ἕλληνες, παλαιστίνιοι, ἀλβανοί, οὐκρανοί, καρπαθορῶσοι; Ἂν αὐτὸ δὲν ὑπερβαίνει ἐθνικές, γλωσσικὲς καὶ πολιτισμικὲς διαιρέσεις, τότε τί ἐννοεῖ ὁ Σεβασμιώτατος; Μήπως ἐννοεῖ ὅτι οὔτε ἡ SCOBA ἀποτελεῖ κοινὴ ἔκφραση ἑνότητας ποὺ νὰ ὑπερβαίνει ἐθνικές, γλωσσικὲς καὶ πολιτισμικὲς διαιρέσεις;

            Ὁ πλέον προκλητικὸς ἐκ τῶν ἰσχυρισμῶν του εἶναι ὅτι μὲ τὴν ἐμφάνιση τῆς λεγομένης OCA, «ἡ παρουσία πάσης ἄλλης δικαιοδοσίας ἐπὶ τοῦ ἀμερικανικοῦ ἐδάφους καθίσταται ἀντικανονική, ἐνῶ ἡ ἰδιότης τοῦ μέλους τῆς Συνόδου τῆς Ὀρθοδόξου Ἐκκλησίας ἐν Ἀμερικῇ (OCA) γίνεται κριτήριον κανονικότητας γιὰ ὅλους τοὺς Ἐπισκόπους στὴν Ἀμερική». Ἴσως εἶναι σημεῖο τῶν καιρῶν ὅτι ὁ κατ᾿ ἐξοχὴν παραβάτης τῶν ἱερῶν κανόνων, ὁ πλέον ἀντικανονικῶς ἀνακηρυχθεὶς σὲ δῆθεν αὐτοκέφαλο ἀναγάγει ἑαυτὸν εἰς κριτήριο κανονικότητος καὶ χαρακτηρίζει πάντας τοὺς λοιποὺς ὡς δῆθεν ἀντικανονικούς. O tempora o mores!

            Ἀντὶ νὰ ἀναγνωρίζεται ἡ μακροθυμία τῶν ἄλλων Πατριαρχείων, τὰ ὁποῖα παρὰ τὴν ἀντικανονικότητα τῆς οὕτω λεγομένης OCA δέχονται αὐτὴν σὲ κοινωνία, ἀκολουθεῖται ὑπὸ τῶν ἐκπροσώπων της μία τέτοια ἄδικη συμπεριφορά, ἡ ὁποία δὲν συμβάλλει στὴν ὀρθόδοξη ἑνότητα. Ἰδιαιτέρως τὸ Οἰκουμενικό μας Πατριαρχεῖο ὄχι μόνο δὲν εἶναι «ἀνίκανο νὰ ἡγηθεῖ» ὡς δυστυχῶς λέγει παρακάτω ὁ Μητροπολίτης Ἰωνᾶς, ἀλλ᾿ ἤδη ἀπὸ τοῦ παρελθόντος Ὀκτωβρίου (γιὰ νὰ περιορισθῶ στὸ πλέον πρόσφατο γεγονός), κίνησε καὶ πάλι ὑπὸ τὴν προεδρεία τῆς Α. Θ. Παναγιότητος τὴ διαδικασία γιὰ τὴ σύγκληση τῆς Ἁγίας καὶ Μεγάλης Συνόδου. Δὲν εἶμαι σίγουρος ἂν ὁ Σεβασμιώτατος ὅταν ἐχειροτονήθη ἀρχιερεὺς ἠρνήθη νὰ ἐνδυθεῖ τὰ ἀρχιερατικὰ ἄμφια, τὰ ὁποῖα στὸ ἴδιο ἄρθρο, ἡγούμενος ὢν τότε, τὰ ἐχαρακτήρισε ὡς μὴ ἁρμόζοντα στὴν πραγματικὴ φύση τῆς ἀρχιερωσύνης (σελ. 11).

            Ἐπιτρέψτε μου νὰ προσθέσω ὅτι ἡ ἄρνηση ἀναγνωρίσεως πρωτείου τινὸς στὴν Ὀρθόδοξη Ἐκκλησία, ἑνὸς πρωτείου τὸ ὁποῖο δὲν μπορεῖ νὰ ἐνσαρκώσει παρὰ κάποιος Πρῶτος (τοὐτέστι κάποιος Ἐπίσκοπος, ὁ ὁποῖος ἔχει τὸ προνόμιο νὰ εἶναι ὁ πρῶτος μεταξὺ τῶν ἀδελφῶν του Ἐπισκόπων), συνιστᾶ αἵρεση. Εἶναι ἀπαράδεκτο αὐτὸ ποὺ συνήθως λέγεται ὅτι ἡ ἑνότητα μεταξὺ τῶν Ὀρθοδόξων διασφαλίζεται εἴτε ὑπὸ μιᾶς κοινῆς πίστεως καὶ λατρείας εἴτε ὑπὸ τοῦ θεσμοῦ τῆς Οἰκουμενικῆς Συνόδου. Καὶ οἱ δύο αὐτοὶ παράγοντες εἶναι ἀπρόσωποι, ἐνῶ στὴν ὀρθόδοξη θεολογία μας ἡ ἀρχὴ τῆς ἑνότητάς μας εἶναι πάντοτε ἕνα πρόσωπο. Πράγματι, ὅπως στὸ ἐπίπεδο τῆς Ἁγίας Τριάδος ἡ ἀρχὴ τῆς ἑνότητας δὲν εἶναι ἡ θεία οὐσία, ἀλλὰ τὸ πρόσωπο τοῦ Πατρὸς (ἡ «μοναρχία» τοῦ Πατρός), ἔτσι καὶ στὸ ἐκκλησιολογικὸ ἐπίπεδο, στὴν τοπικὴ ἐκκλησία, τὸ σημεῖο τῆς ἑνότητας δὲν εἶναι τὸ πρεσβυτέριο ἢ ἡ κοινὴ λατρεία τῶν χριστιανῶν, ἀλλὰ τὸ πρόσωπο τοῦ Ἐπισκόπου. Ἑπομένως, ἐπὶ πανορθοδόξου ἐπιπέδου ἡ ἀρχὴ τῆς ἑνότητας δὲν μπορεῖ νὰ στηρίζεται ἐπὶ μιᾶς ἰδέας ἢ ἑνὸς θεσμοῦ, ἀλλὰ πρέπει νὰ εἶναι κάποιο πρόσωπο, ἂν βέβαια θέλουμε νὰ παραμείνουμε συνεπεῖς στὴ θεολογία μας.

            Τὸ δεύτερο ἄρθρο, στὸ ὁποῖο ὀφείλω νὰ ἀναφερθῶ εἶναι τοῦ Σεβασμιωτάτου ἀντιοχειανοῦ Μητροπολίτου Φιλίππου, μὲ τίτλο «28ος κανὼν τῆς Τετάρτης Οἰκουμενικῆς Συνόδου - σχετικὸς ἢ ἄσχετος πρὸς τὸ σήμερα;».

            Ὁ ὡς ἄνω ἱεράρχης ξεκινάει τὸν συλλογισμό του μὲ μία ἐντελῶς ἀντιπαραδοσιακὴ καὶ ἀντιθεολογικὴ διάκριση τῶν ἱερῶν κανόνων σὲ 1) «δογματικούς», 2) «συνδεδεμένους μὲ τὴ συνάφεια» καὶ 3) «νεκρούς».

            Μὲ τὴ λογικὴ αὐτὴ θὰ ἤθελα νὰ γνωρίζω σὲ ποιά κατηγορία θὰ κατέτασσε ὁ Σεβασμιώτατος τοὺς κανόνες, γιὰ παράδειγμα, τῶν Οἰκουμενικῶν Συνόδων, οἱ ὁποῖοι καθορίζουν τὰ ὅρια δικαιοδοσίας τῶν παλαιφάτων Πατριαρχείων. Εἶναι ἄραγε «συδεδεμένοι μὲ τὴ συνάφεια;» Ὑπόκεινται δηλαδὴ σὲ ἀλλαγή; Καὶ πιστεύει ὁ Σεβασμιώτατος ὅτι μὲ τὸν τρόπο αὐτὸ ὑπηρετεῖ τὴν ὀρθόδοξη ἑνότητα ἢ θέτει τοὺς θείους καὶ ἱεροὺς κανόνας ὑπὸ τὴν περιστασιακὴ κρίση καὶ ταξινόμηση ἑκάστου ἀρχιερέα;

            Βασιζόμενος στὴν ὡς ἄνω διάκριση, ἐνῷ παραδέχεται ὅτι ὁ 28ος κανὼν τῆς Δ' Οἰκουμενικῆς Συνόδου δὲν εἶναι «νεκρός», ἀφοῦ τόσος θόρυβος γίνεται γι᾿ αὐτόν, πρῶτον μὲν παραδέχεται ὅτι ὄντως δίνει προνόμια στὸν Πατριάρχη Κωνσταντινουπόλεως, ὕστερα ὅμως ἰσχυρίζεται τοῦτο ἔγινε λόγῳ περιστασιακῶν κοσμικῶν καὶ πολιτικῶν συνθηκῶν, μὴ ἐχουσῶν σχέση μὲ τὴ σημερινὴ κατάσταση. Ἀφήνει δηλαδὴ ἐμμέσως πλὴν σαφῶς ὁ Μητροπολίτης Φίλιππος νὰ ἐννοηθεῖ ὅτι μποροῦν σήμερα τὰ προνόμια τοῦ Κωνσταντινουπόλεως νὰ ἀμφισβητηθοῦν. Τὸ ἐρώτημα ἐν προκειμένῳ εἶναι: γνωρίζει ὁ Σεβασμιώτατος περίπτωση Ἐκκλησίας, τῆς ὁποίας τὰ προνόμια (Πατριαρχικὰ ἢ Αὐτοκεφαλίας) δὲν ἐκρίθησαν στὴν ἱστορία βάσει τῶν συγκεκριμένων ἱστορικῶν συνθηκῶν ποὺ ἐπικρατοῦσαν τὴν χρονικὴ ἐκείνη στιγμή; Ἢ μήπως γνωρίζει ὁ Σεβασμιώτατος κάποια Ἐκκλησία, ἡ ὁποία ἔλαβε τὴν Πατριαρχικὴ ἀξία ἐκ θεολογικῶν καὶ μόνον λόγων; Ὅλες οἱ διοικητικῆς φύσεως ἀποφάσεις τῶν Οἰκουμενικῶν Συνόδων γίνονται σεβαστὲς στὸ διηνεκὲς ὅπως καὶ οἱ δογματικές. Σκεφθεῖτε τὶς συνέπειες γιὰ τὴν Ὀρθόδοξη Ἐκκλησία, ἐὰν ἀρχίσουμε νὰ ἐπαναξιολογοῦμε τὸ status τῶν κατὰ τόπους Ἐκκλησιῶν.

            Τὴν ὀρθὴ ἑρμηνεία τοῦ 28ου κανόνος θεωρεῖ ὁ Σεβασμιώτατος ὡς «καινοτομία» ἐπικαλούμενος μόνο πηγὲς τοῦ 20οῦ αἰῶνα, ἐνῷ ἐπιστημονικὰ ἔχει ἐπαρκῶς ἀποδειχθεῖ ἀπὸ τὸν ἀείμνηστο Μητροπολίτη Σάρδεων Μάξιμο ἡ ἀδιάκοπη ἱστορικὰ ἐφαρμογὴ τοῦ ἄρθρου αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ τὴν Ἐκκλησία Κωνσταντινουπόλεως.

            Τὸ ἐρώτημα εἶναι ἁπλὸ ἀδελφου μου:

            Ἐὰν ἡ Κωνσταντινούπολη δὲν εἶχε τὸ δικαίωμα αὐτὸ ἀπὸ τὸν 28ο κανόνα, τότε πῶς ἔδωσε αὐτοκεφαλίες καὶ Πατριαρχικὴ ἀξία στὶς Ἐκκλησίες Ρωσσίας, Σερβίας, Ρουμανίας, Βουλγαρίας, Γεωργίας, Τσεχίας - Σλοβακίας, Πολωνίας, Ἀλβανίας; Μὲ βάση ποιὸν κανόνα παραχώρησε τὴ δικαιοδοσία ἐπὶ τοῦ ὑπολοίπου τῆς Ἀφρικῆς στὸν Πατριάρχη Ἀλεξανδρείας τὸ ἔτος 2002;

            Καὶ ἀφοῦ τὸ Οἰκουμενικὸ Πατριαρχεῖο δὲν ἔδωσε τὸ δικαίωμα στὸ Πατριαρχεῖο Μόσχας νὰ ἀπονέμει αὐτοκέφαλα κατὰ τὸ δοκοῦν, τότε πόθεν δικαιοῦται αὐτὸ νὰ τὸ πράττει εἰς βάρος τῆς ὀρθοδόξου ἑνότητος;

            Συγκεφαλαιώνοντας τὴν εἰσήγησή μου ἐπιθυμῶ νὰ προσελκύσω τὴν προσοχή σας στὰ ἑξῆς σημεῖα:

            1. Τὸ Οἰκουμενικὸ Πατριαρχεῖο εἶναι μία μαρτυρικὴ Ἐκκλησία, ἡ ὁποία συχνὰ δέχθηκε τὴν ἄδικη κριτική, κυρίως ἀπὸ ἐκεῖνες τὶς Ἐκκλησίες οἱ ὁποῖες εὐεργετήθηκαν πλουσιώτατα ἀπὸ αὐτήν. Οὐδέποτε κυριάρχησε σὲ αὐτὴν τὸ ἐθνικιστικὸ πνεῦμα, διότι αὐτὸ εἶναι ἀσυμβίβαστο τόσο πρὸς τὶς ἔννοιες τοῦ ἑλληνισμοῦ καὶ τῆς οἰκουμενικότητος, ἀλλὰ κυρίως πρὸς τὴν ὀρθόδοξη χριστιανικὴ πίστη. Αὐτό, τὸ Οἰκουμενικὸ Πατριαρχεῖο τὸ ἀπέδειξε περιτράνως κατὰ τὸν 17 αἰώνων βίο του, ὅπου οὐδέποτε ἐξελλήνισε, οὔτε ἀπεπειράθη νὰ ἐξελληνίσει τὰ ἔθνη στὰ ὁποῖα διὰ τῆς ἱεραποστολῆς μεταλαμπάδευσε τὸ ἀνέσπερο φῶς τοῦ Χριστοῦ. Τρανὸ παράδειγμα τὰ σλαβικὰ φύλα, τὰ ὁποῖα ὀφείλουν καὶ τὸ ἀλφάβητό τους ἀκόμη στοὺς Θεσσαλονικεῖς ἀδελφοὺς Κύριλλο καὶ Μεθόδιο. Ὁ ὁμιλῶν παρὰ τὸ γεγονὸς ὅτι εἶμαι ἐκ μητρὸς ἀντιοχειανός, σήμερα εἶμαι ὁ Ἀρχιγραμματεὺς τῆς Ἁγίας καὶ Ἱερᾶς Συνόδου.

            2. Τὸ Οἰκουμενικὸ Πατριαρχεῖο δὲν εἶχε ἐπεκτατικὲς τάσεις σὲ βάρος τῶν ἀδελφῶν Ὀρθοδόξων Ἐκκλησιῶν. Ἀπόδειξη εἶναι ὅτι ἐνῷ κατὰ τοὺς δύσκολους 17ο καὶ 18ο αἰῶνες τὰ Πατριαρχεῖα τῆς Ἀνατολῆς εἶχαν οὐσιαστικὰ διαλυθεῖ διοικητικά, ἡ Κωνσταντινούπολη φρόντιζε πάντοτε νὰ ἐκλέγεται κάποιος Πατριάρχης γι᾿ αὐτά, στηρίζοντας παντοιοτρόπως τοὺς προκαθημένους.

            3. Ἡ ὑπαγωγὴ στὸ Οἰκουμενικὸ Πατριαρχεῖο στὸ χῶρο τῆς διασπορᾶς δὲν σημαίνει οὔτε ἑλληνοποίηση οὔτε παράβαση τῆς κανονικῆς τάξεως, διότι μόνο μὲ αὐτὸ τὸν τρόπο γίνεται σεβαστὸ τὸ γράμμα καὶ τὸ πνεῦμα τῶν ἀποφάσεων τῶν Οἰκουμενικῶν Συνόδων. Γνωρίζει ἡ Μητέρα Ἐκκλησία ὅτι παρὰ ταῦτα ὑπάρχει δυσκολία νὰ πραγματοποιηθεῖ αὐτὸ στὶς ὑφιστάμενες ἱστορικὲς συνθῆκες, γι᾿ αὐτὸ καὶ ποιουμένη χρήση τῆς ἐκκλησιαστικῆς οἰκονομίας πρότεινε ἐν καιρῷ καὶ ἔγινε πανορθοδόξως δεκτὸ νὰ ὑπάρχουν στὸ χῶρο τῆς διασπορᾶς διορθόδοξες ἐπισκοπικὲς συνελεύσεις. Γιὰ νὰ σωθεῖ ὅμως τὸ ἐλάχιστο ἀπαιτούμενο στοιχεῖο τῆς κανονικότητος ἐφαρμόζεται ἡ ἀρχὴ τῆς προεδρείας στὸ σῶμα αὐτὸ τοῦ ἐκπροσώπου τοῦ Οἰκουμενικοῦ Πατριαρχείου.

            Ὅπως σίγουρα γνωρίζετε, τὸν περασμένο Ὀκτώβριο τὸ Οἰκουμενικὸ Πατριαρχεῖο συνεκάλεσε στὴν Κωνσταντινούπολη Σύναξη τῶν Προκαθημένων τῶν Ὀρθοδόξων Ἐκκλησιῶν. Οἱ Προκαθήμενοι δέχθηκαν τὴν πρόταση τοῦ Πατριάρχου Βαρθολομαίου νὰ προχωρήσουν οἱ Πανορθόδοξες Προσυνοδικὲς Διασκέψεις, ἐντὸς τοῦ ἔτους 2009, ὥστε συντόμως νὰ πραγματοποιηθεῖ καὶ ἡ ποθουμένη Ἁγία καὶ Μεγάλη Σύνοδος τῆς Ὀρθοδόξου Ἐκκλησίας. Γιὰ τὴν ἱστορία σᾶς παρακαλῶ νὰ σημειώσετε ὅτι ἡ ἀπόφαση αὐτὴ κατέστη δυνατὸ νὰ ληφθεῖ γιατὶ χάριν τῆς ἑνότητος ὑποχώρησε τὸ Οἰκουμενικὸ Πατριαρχεῖο καὶ δέχθηκε στὸ ἑξῆς νὰ μὴ προσκαλοῦνται οἱ αὐτόνομες Ἐκκλησίες, ὥστε νὰ ἀποφευχθεῖ ὁ σκόπελος τῆς Ἐκκλησίας Ἐσθονίας στὶς σχέσεις Κωνσταντινουπόλεως Μόσχας.

            4. Προκειμένου περὶ τῶν ΗΠΑ, ἡ ὑπαγωγὴ στὴν πρωτόθρονη Ἐκκλησία, στὸ Οἰκουμενικὸ Πατριαρχεῖο, ὄχι μόνο προσιδιάζει στὰ χαρακτηριστικὰ τῆς ἀμερικανικῆς κοινωνίας καὶ νοοτροπίας, ἀλλὰ διανοίγει τοὺς ὁρίζοντες τῆς πολλὰ ὑποσχομένης περιοχῆς αὐτῆς, δυναμένης νὰ ἀποτελέσει ὑπόδειγμα διασφαλίσεως δυναμικῆς πανορθοδόξου ἑνότητος καὶ μαρτυρίας.

            Ἡ Μήτηρ Ἐκκλησία τῆς Κωνσταντινουπόλεως ἐξασφαλίζει στὴν Ὀρθόδοξη Ἐκκλησία τῆς Ἀμερικῆς τὰ ἐφόδια ποὺ ἀπαιτοῦνται γιὰ τὴν περαιτέρω πρόοδο καὶ ἐν Χριστῷ προκοπή της.

            Ἐπιτρέψτε μου νὰ κλείσω μὲ μία φράση τοῦ Μακαριωτάτου Πατριάρχου Ἀντιοχείας κ. Ἰγνατίου στὴ Σύναξη τῶν Προκαθημένων τοῦ παρελθόντος Ὀκτωβρίου στὸ Φανάρι:

 

«Στὴν Ὀρθοδοξία ἔχουμε ἕναν πρῶτο (primus) καὶ αὐτὸς εἶναι ὁ Πατριάρχης Κωνσταντινουπόλεως».

(Διάλεξη στὸ Ἱ. Παρεκκλήσιο τῆς Θεολογικῆς Σχολῆς τοῦ Τιμίου Σταυροῦ Βοστώνης)

 

16 Μαρτίου 2009

 

ΤΟ ΑΓΓΛΙΚΟ ΚΕΙΜΕΝΟ

 

ΑΓΝΗ ΠΑΡΘΕΝΕ ΔΕΣΠΟΙΝΑ ΠΡΕΣΒΕΥΕ ΥΠΕΡ ΗΜΩΝ...

panagia_despoina.jpg
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ΤΟΥΤΕΣ ΤΙΣ ΑΓΙΕΣ ΗΜΕΡΕΣ ΤΙ ΑΛΛΟ ΝΑ ΠΟΥΜΕ...ΤΙ ΑΛΛΟ ΘΕΕ ΜΟΥ...ΘΕΕ ΜΟΥ..ΤΙ...



Αποστόλου Παύλου προς Κορινθίους, Ύμνος της αγάπης

Εάν ταις γλώσσαις των ανθρώπων λαλώ και των αγγέλων, αγάπην δε μη έχω, γέγονα χαλκός ηχών ή κύμβαλον αλαλάζον. και εάν έχω προφητείαν και ειδώ τα μυστήρια πάντα και πάσαν την γνώσιν, και εάν έχω πάσαν την πίστιν, ώστε όρη μεθιστάνειν, αγάπην δε μη έχω, ουδέν ειμι. και εάν ψωμίσω πάντα τα υπάρχοντά μου, και εάν παραδώ το σώμα μου ίνα καυθήσομαι, αγάπην δε μη έχω, ουδέν ωφελούμαι. Η αγάπη μακροθυμεί, χρηστεύεται, η αγάπη ου ζηλοί, η αγάπη ου περπερεύεται, ου φυσιούται, ουκ ασχημονεί, ου ζητεί τα εαυτής, ου παροξύνεται, ου λογίζεται το κακόν, ου χαίρει επί τη αδικία, συγχαίρει δε τη αληθεία. πάντα στέγει, πάντα πιστεύει, πάντα ελπίζει, πάντα υπομένει. η αγάπη ουδέποτε εκπίπτει. 

(Απ. Παύλου Α' Κορ.ιγ΄)

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Roma in Sweden: Living in refuge for centuries

HINDUS WANT Sweden to improve the plight of its Roma populace, who reportedly live in apartheid like conditions.

Acclaimed Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, asked how Sweden, which prides itself for its human rights record, was tolerating such reportedly widespread prejudice against a segment of its own society. Maltreatment of Roma was a dark stain on the face of Sweden.

According to Swedish Government’s Human Rights Website, “The Roma still occupy a highly vulnerable position in Swedish society and are exposed to discrimination although this is prohibited by law. Generally speaking, many Roma encounter great difficulties in virtually all spheres of society. This applies to education, the labour market, housing and health care and to possibility of participating in the community on the same terms as the majority population.”

Roma reportedly suffered maltreatment in Swedish history for long time. They were contemptuously referred to as tattare or Gypsies. Many were deported over the centuries to Finland. Various edicts during 17th century decreed that the Roma were to be driven out. During the 18th century, many were drafted into army, while others were dispatched to forced labour or forced settlement. Romani immigration was banned from 1914 to 1954. During the period between two world wars, the tattare/Gypsy issue was the topic of a fierce debate with racist overtones and often drawing on racial biology. The abuse of Roma in the form of forced transportation, banishment, ban on owning businesses, forced assimilation, forced sterilisations, etc, has been a reality.

Despite extensive legislation against ethnic discrimination, additional funding for Roma related prejudice/discrimination issues with Ombudsman, formation of various agencies to improve their living conditions, Roma still reportedly faced political, social and economic exclusion. Can’t the about 9.2 million people of Sweden properly integrate and include their about 60, 000 Roma brothers/sisters, Rajan Zed asked.

Zed, who is president of Universal Society of Hinduism, said that Roma had been living in Sweden since 16th century. How many more centuries they had to reside in Sweden to prove that they were 'real and equal' Swedes like any other, Zed asked. It was moral obligation of Sweden to improve the plight of its Roma population and stop human rights violations suffered by them, who were reportedly the most disadvantaged.

He further said that it was like an undeclared apartheid. The maltreatment of Roma was reportedly outside even the European Union norms. Everybody openly saw the prejudice and various reports had clearly pointed out the brazen discrimination Roma faced in Sweden, but the country seemed to have just ignored it and appeared to lack the will to stop it.

Roma inclusion and integration programs needed to immediately take off the ground providing them with better health and education avenues, higher economic opportunities, sources of empowerment and participation, etc, Zed pointed out.

Zed further said that Church of Sweden, which was the national church and claimed up to seven million membership (out of total about 9.2 million population), should also come out in support of the cause of this distinct ethnic and cultural group of Roma, because religion taught us to help the helpless and it was the duty of majority to protect its minority.

Equality of religions is must: Rajan Zed

MALTA CRIMINAL Code reportedly makes one liable to imprisonment up to six months for publicly vilifying 'Roman Catholic Apostolic Religion', while committing such act against 'any cult tolerated by law' makes one liable to imprisonment only up to three months.

Acclaimed Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, said that it seemed to imply that except Roman Catholic, other religions and denominations, including Hinduism, were just one of the cults.

Rajan Zed, President of Universal Society of Hinduism, argued that it was perturbing to note that a country of European Union, which prided itself for its human rights initiatives, apparently treated crimes against religious sentiment of 'other' religions/denominations as less serious than against majority religion and described religions/denominations other than majority religion as cults.

The Venice Commission of Council of Europe in a report concluded that 'offence of blasphemy should be abolished'. It states core values of effective democracy as: pluralism, tolerance, respect for human rights and non-discrimination. It points to education leading to better understanding of the convictions of others and to tolerance.

Maltese islands were first settled reportedly in 5,200 BCE. Few European countries have such concentrated architecture, history and beaches in so small an area as Malta. Hinduism, oldest and third largest religion of the world, has about one billion adherents and moksha (liberation) is its ultimate goal.

HINDUS HAVE urged the makers of 'Caminho das Índias' (A Passage to India), a popular Brazilian television soap opera, to show the Hindu culture in its



Acclaimed Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, said that Hindus world over were happy that Brazil’s largest TV channel 'TV Globo' was propagating Hindu culture in South America, but he urged it to do thorough research into Hindu traditions before presentation and depict genuine Hindu culture and not the re-imagined version focusing just on audience ratings.

Zed, who is president of Universal Society of Hinduism, said that insensitive handling of faith traditions sometimes resulted in pillaging serious spiritual doctrines and revered symbols and hurting the devotees. If TV Globo needed any expertise on Hinduism related issues, he or other Hindu scholars would gladly provide the resources, he added.

To satisfy, thus, created curiosity about Hinduism and its various aspects, Zed urged TV Globo to conduct workshops for public by experts on Hinduism and Hindu culture in cities of Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Salvador, Belo Horizonte, Curitiba, Fortaleza, Brasilia, Recife, Manaus and Port Alegere.

Moreover, television was a forceful medium and it could create stereotypes in the minds of some audiences. So it should handle faith/culture related subjects very carefully, Zed stressed.

Hinduism was the oldest and third largest religion of the world with about one billion adherents and a rich philosophical thought and it should not be taken lightly, the leader pointed out.

Broadcast since January 19 last, this soap opera is one of the Brazil's highest-rated programmes. It has created a stir with its record audience rates. It is love story showcasing India’s culture and lifestyle. Directed by Roberto Carminati, Frederico Mayrink, Leonardo Nogueira, Luciano Sabino, Marcos Schechtman, its estimated budget is reportedly about BRL 1,000,000.

Hindus laud New Zealand Police for launching guide to major religions

Submitted by Correspondent on March 28, 2009 - 13:00

Hindus have commended New Zealand Police for launching a guide to practices of major religions of the country.

Acclaimed Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, said that this 60-page publication titled “A Practical Reference to Religious Diversity” provided a wonderful resource to the members of police force to effectively do their duties without hurting the religious sentiments of citizens belonging to various faith traditions. It also assisted the general public in understanding the traditions of religions other than their own and thus helping in building bridges.

Zed, who is president of Universal Society of Hinduism, said that police forces of all the countries of the world should come up with such guides to help their personnel in effective and compassionate policing and to create better understanding between various religious communities by knowing about each other’s faith systems. In view of fast changing demographics world over, basic understanding of other peoples’ faith was very important for cohesive and harmonious societies. Basic information about major world religious traditions should be provided in police academies also, Zed added.

This guide covers Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Judaism, and Maori spirituality; giving overview of religion, death and related issues, gender roles and family, physical contact and other sensitivities, religious practices and policing, etc. Rajan Zed suggested that attempts should be made to include the practices of rest of the classical world religions (however small the number of their adherents be in New Zealand) in the next edition of the guide, thus adding Bahaism, Confucianism, Jainism, Shintoism, Taoism, and Zoroastrianism.

Zed also applauded New Zealand Police for making changes to their uniform code to accommodate Sikh police officers.

New Zealand, a geographically isolated country in southwestern Pacific Ocean of the size of Colorado, is one of least crowded countries (population around 4.3 million) with beautiful landscape, which includes fjord-scarred shores, snowy peaks, and sheep dotted pastures. Food, beverages and tobacco are its largest exports.

'Most religious leaders are fools'

The author and playwright Hanif Kureishi was born in London in 1954. He is the author of The Buddha of Suburbia, Intimacy and Something to Tell You. His first play, Soaking the Heat, was staged in 1976, and My Beautiful Laundrette , for which he wrote the screenplay, was released in 1985.

He was appointed CBE in 2007, for services to literature and drama. Here he briefly tells BBC News his thoughts about religion.


Would you describe yourself as religious?

I've always been fascinated by religion. For me it's the deepest form of human expression, along with culture.

Hanif Kureishi
Hanif Kureishi's favourite religious song is the Rolling Stones's "Sympathy for the Devil"

God is mankind's finest creation. Has there been a better idea than that of God?

Do you believe in God, and if so, what sort of god?

I believe in the need to understand what the idea of God, or gods, do for us.

What do you think happens after you die?

You dissolve into the minds of others, and you haunt them until they are tired of you, and even after.

Does it change your view of someone when you find out that they are religious and how?

You have to think about whether they are merely following the values of those around them, or whether they are delusional psychotics!

Is religion a good thing?

That's an impossible question.

Most people in most societies during human history have lived in what could be described as 'religious' communities.

Religions, like novels and myths, describe the world and help make it safer.

What impact has religion had on your life?

It's made me think about the important questions: sexuality, childhood, authority, death, power.

Have you ever had a religious experience and can you describe it?

I was thrown out of the East London mosque for being a dissident writer and critic of radical Islam.

What is your favourite religious song?

Sympathy for the Devil, by the Rolling Stones.

What religious leader, if any, most inspires you?

Most religious leaders are ignorant fools.

It's a shame so few of them are intelligent or even interesting.

It makes you wonder why the dullest people hang around religions. Gives the whole thing a bad name.

What is your favourite religious book?

The most interesting work about the use of religion as a form of organisation of the resentful and envious is Nietzsche's "On The Genealogy of Morals". 

Religion notes

Published: Saturday, March 28, 2009 at 4:30 a.m. 

Last Modified: Friday, March 27, 2009 at 3:11 p.m.

Stanley to assume Saluda pulpit

The Rev. Becky Stanley has agreed to serve as Stated Supply Minister of Saluda Presbyterian Church, 54 Carolina St., Saluda.

Her official duties will begin April 5.

Easter musical at First Presbyterian

The community is invited to join the congregation of Hendersonville First Presbyterian Church for a special program of music, “And the Son Arose,” by Mark Brymer and Cindy Berry, at 10:55 a.m. Sunday.

The program will feature the adult choir, violins, cello, bassoon, clarinet, flutes and three keyboards with piano. Three narrators will assist the pastors in telling the story of Holy Week,

The story of Holy Week will also be told at the 8:30 a.m. Chapel Service. The congregation will sing hymns with flute accompaniment.

Baha’i Faith Sunday’s topic at UUFH

Kitty Herriott will present “One Planet — One People Please! (The Baha’i Faith: An Emerging World Community)” at 9:15 and 11 a.m. Sunday at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Hendersonville, corner of Kanuga and Price roads.

The Baha’i Faith had its beginnings in Persia in 1844 and since then has covered the globe uniting the human family in one common cause. Herriott will share a brief history of the Baha’i Faith and its work to build a vibrant, sustainable patterns of community life as the foundation of a peaceful, just, united world, based on the teachings of its founder, Baha’u’llah.

Herriott was introduced to the Baha’i Faith while living in Guatemala working as a cross-cultural trainer. From 1986-90, she represented the U.S. Baha’i Refugee Office in Pakistan during the upheaval that followed the Islamic Revolution. She currently serves on the United Religions Initiative of Henderson County Circle of Trustees.

T’ai Chi Chih begins Tuesday

First Congregational United Church of Christ will be hosting a series of T’ai Chi Chih sessions at 4 p.m. Tuesdays through June 2. The first session on March 31 will be the free introduction.

There will be nine one-hour class sessions in the fellowship hall. Cost is $60 for UCC members and $80 for non-members for the series.

T’ai Chi Chih is a moving meditation made up of 19 simple, easy-to-learn movements and one pose to reduce stress, promote serenity, flexibility and balance. Teachers for the class will be Vicki Schroeder and Stan Corwin, accredited teachers.

For more information, call the church at 692-8630, Stan at 254-3515 or Vicki at (864) 836-4434.

Supper and worship series continues

Grace Lutheran Church will offer a special Lenten served based on the Stations of the Cross for all members of the community on Wednesday. A soup and sandwich supper (free will offering) will be served at 5 p.m. followed by the service at 6 p.m.

The liturgy for this final Lenten service of the season will be from “This Far by Faith,” the Evangelical Lutheran Church in American African American Lutheran worship resource, first published by Augsburg Fortress in 1999. The Stations of the Cross will be identified around the church sanctuary by original religious subject art works including paintings, sculpture and fabric creations by Mikki Reinicker, Joan Nytrai, Tracy Pace, Hye-Sook Wentzel, Anne Lilly. Leslie Owens and Sterling Edwards, all members of the Grace Congregation.

The Midweek Supper and Worship Series is open to the public. Reservations for supper can be made by calling 693-4890 no later than the Sunday before each Wednesday supper. Reservations are not necessary for the worship service after supper. Grace Luther Church is at corner of Sixth Avenue West and Blythe Street, Hendersonville.

Community Passover Seder planned

Agudas Israel Congregation invites everyone to the annual community Passover Seder Thurdsay, April 9 at the Hendersonville Country Club.

The service will begin promptly at 6 p.m. followed by a full course dinner. The evening should be over by 9 p.m.

For more information, call Ellie Tomberg, 697-2410. The deadline for reservations and payment is April 3.

Women’s chorus at Calvary Episcopal

The William and Mary Women’s Chorus from the College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, Va., will perform at 2 p.m. Sunday, April 4, at Calvary Episcopal Church, Fletcher.

The William and Mary Women’s Chorus is an undergraduate female ensemble of between 50 and 55 members from all different concentrations and interests. The group goes on a spring tour each year traveling to nearby states and sharing its talents with diverse audiences.

At this concert, the Fletcher church will be collecting non-perishable food and/or cash in support of the Calvary Food Pantry, which opens in late April. For more information, call the church at 684-6266.