Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew sums up visit with Greek ‘diaspora’ in America
November 16, 2009 by John Couretas ·
Turkey, Nov. 10, 2009
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew referred to the great progress made by the Greek Diaspora in statements he made upon his return from a two-week visit to the United States.
Addressing the faithful in the Church of the Taxiarchs in Bosporus, the Ecumenical Patriarch stated that the progress achieved by the Greek Community, its dedication to the Mother Church and the Ecumenical Patriarchate were evident everywhere he went, adding that the Greek-Americans enjoy the respect of the US authorities.
Bartholomew stated that he was received with great honors by the US leadership, the academic world and major institutions.
The Ecumenical Patriarch emphasized the comments made by US Vice President Joe Biden who underlined that the Ecumenical Patriarchate has been brave despite the insecurity surrounding it and the adverse conditions under which it performs its ecumenical mission and service, thus winning great respect and appreciation.
In a formal dinner hosted in the Ecumenical Patriarch’s honor, US Vice President Biden quoted the ancient Greek fabulist Aesop who said “It is easy to be brave from a safe distance,” and addressing Bartholomew stressed: “You have always been brave and never from a safe distance. You have stared down those who seek to erode the authority of the Church tirelessly, professing the Greek Orthodox way for millions of followers.”
Source: ANA-MPA
I was struck by the following:
1.”Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew referred to the great progress made by the Greek Diaspora” in statements he made upon his return from a two-week visit to the United States.
2.”Ecumenical Patriarch stated that the progress achieved by the Greek Community, its dedication to the Mother Church and the Ecumenical Patriarchate were evident everywhere he went”.
3.”Greek-Americans enjoy the respect of the US authorities”.
A pastoral visit truly in keeping with the Lord’s command, “Feed my sheep — but only feed my Jewish ones”.
I guess I’d rather be the Samaritan that was saved than the Pharisee that was …”.
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Then I’m assuming that the Vice President can be forgiven the logical inconsistency of his commending the Ecumenical Patriarch for “tirelessly, professing the Greek Orthodox way for millions of followers.”
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Aren’t we all Greek? Doesn’t Hellenism mean “universal?” Didnt’ the Chief Secretary tell us that this year?
But then we wouldn’t be barbarians, and canon 28 wouldn’t apply.
Never mind.
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Isa: Be proud to be a barbarian. That word does not have two l’s after the first e.
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Yeah. Phyletism:putting the Hell back into Hellenism.
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Had to laugh…at the end of last week’s Orthros service “the Greeks and their beliefs” were specifically spelled out and anathematized…and that book (the one we use) is published by the GOA.
They really should try reading this stuff.
On the other hand, the patriarch made a very specific comment about being “Rhomai”…I think he said he preferred that term.
Personally, I think we need a few more Germans to organize this faith.
Best Regards
dean
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I guess the high praise from a fool like Biden is the best he could have hoped for.
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It’s comments like this that cry-out of the need on this blog for various smiley faces illustrating a variety of emotions and actions that could be inserted here. (For example, falling down on the floor laughing!)
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Suggestion granted.
Trial basis only though.
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Fr.
Where are they?
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You make them with your keys. I’ll see if I can find a bar you can click on.
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“The Greek-Americans enjoy the respect of the American authorities” Is that becasue so many of the the elected Orthodox officials deny their faith and serve the world?
When did it become an article of praise for Christians to enjoy the respect of anti-Chrisitan authorities, or worldly authorities of any type?
Very sad.
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Dean, I know you’re being sarcastic, but if you can find me one Orthodox saint who was born in Germany and served in Germany I’ll be surprised. About the only way Germans make saints is by killing them and making marytrs.
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I remember Fr Pat Reardon once said the same thing about the Turks.
What nationality does the Turkish EP want the GOA bishops to take?
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Michael, I hope you are NOT serious. Here are the German Orthodox Saints, many of whom are german born and not Martyred….(on a German site, of course)
Joseph, German born Orthodox
http://www.orthodoxe-kirche.de/Literatur/Heiligenleben/FmpGoClick/dbTOC.html
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Thank you Joseph, I’ve have looked, off and on, for years since I am of German descent. All of the saints I could find were born somewhere else and then went to Germany (many from England). I’ll take a look at it. My sister-in-law who is native Swiss did quite a study on it and found one or two as I remember. Of course my definition of German may be more restrictive than some.
I’ll look at your link.
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Michael,
Bauman, I thought so
I am Canadian, but frequenting a couple of German speaking Orthodox Forums. There is work in progress to list all the Orthodox German Saints and their shrines in Germany, Switzerland and Austria, of whom are quite a number. Many have beautiful shrines dedicated to them and are pilgimage sites for mainly Roman faithful, but recently there have been organized pilgrimages for the increasing native and immigrated Orthodox of Germany. A similar enterprise is in progress in the British Isles… Fr. Ilya Gotlinksy is planning a pilgrimage to the sites of Orthodox Saints in GB and Ireland next fall…
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Joseph, there are many Orthodox saints who worked in Germany, who loved Germany and combated the paganism and Arianism that was so prevalent (Mother Walburga is a favorite of mine). She and her brother came from England. I am looking specifically for someone born and raised in Germany.
Just as I think the elevation of Matuska Olga that Met. Jonah has promised will mean a great deal for the Church in America, so a saint that was specifically German would be a great thing. I’m not really counting the Swiss and Austrians either.
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Dean: “Rhomai” = “Romaioi” in Greek = “Roman” in English. Thanks for the heads up. Now Ravenna makes more sense.
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The term “Roman” which some modern Greeks use and the context in which
Patriarch Bartholomew was using it has nothing to do with recent
meeting in Ravenna.
The Byzantine Greeks referred to themselves as “Romans” being the
successor state of the old Roman Empire and preserving their
governmental institutions. The term as used by the Byzantine
Greeks had a universal connotation. That is what I believe the
Ecumenical Patriarch meant by referring to himself as “Rhomai”.
Theodoros
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Mine comment was meant to be a punishing pun.
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The Green Patriarch says
The EP should remember the words of St. Ignatius of Antioch who said “Christianity shows its greatness when it is hated by the world”
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Andrew,
I hate to bring up the same topic over again, but the reason why
Greeks like myself maintain respect and devotion for the Ecumenical
Patriarchate is because it has endured and reflected a Christianity
that is in fact hated. This is an alternate side that contrasts
sharply with the whole environmental agenda which has been on display
here.
Theodoros
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Michael,
Here is a list with names of Orthodox Saints in Germany…although some were foreign born, most are of German descent and born in Germany. The list is still far from complete… One can easily find their vitas through Google.
Orthodoxe Heiligenleben
Der hl. Abt Otmar
Der hl. Gaudentius Bischof von Chur und Konstanz
Der hl. Märt. Florian und 40 Gefährten von Lorch
Der hl. Märt. Quirinus von Tegernsee
Die Hl. Sarmannina
Hl. Friulphus
Die Hl. Äbtissin Lioba von Bischofsheim
Der hl. Bischof Valentinianus von Passau
Hl. Erhard von Regensburg
Geistl. Märt. Aquilinus
Die Hl. Jungfrau Hadeloga
Hl. Abt Alto
Der hl. Märtyrerbischof Blasius
Der hl. Kastor von Trier
Die Hl. Äbtissin Walburga von Eichstädt
Der Heilige apostelgleiche Abtbischof Rupertus von
Salzburg
Der hl. Eustasius
Der ger. Märt. Trudpert vom Münstertal bei Freiburg im
Breisgau
Der hl. Isidor von Brandenburg und Rostow
Der geistliche Märtyrer Bonifacius, der Apostel der
Deutschen
Die Geistlichen Märtyrer Bischof Kilian, der Priester
Colomanus, und der Diakon Totnanus von Würzburg
Der Hl. Abba Landelinus
Der hl. Donatus von Münstereifel
Der geistliche Willibaldus Bischof von Eichstädt
Der hl. Prokopij von Lübeck, Wundertäter von Ustjug
Der Hl. Winthir von Neuhausen in München
Die Hl. Märt. Afra von Augsburg
ihre Mutter Hilaria, und ihre Mägde Digna, Eunomia und
Der hl. Abt und Bekenner Wigbertus
Hl. Radegundis
Die hl. Jungfrau Verena, zu Zurzach
Die Jungfräuliche Märtyrerin Wolfsindis,”schnelle Helferin” von Reisbach.
Der hl. Bischof Corbinianus von Freising
Hl. Märt. Landelinus von Ettenheimmünster,
Der geistliche Märt. Heimhrami, im Volksmund Emmeram,
von Regensburg
Der hl. Remedius von Tirol
Der geistl. Märt. Dionysius in Regensburg
Der Hl. Märt. Kassius von Köln
Der hl. Lubentius von Cobern
Der hl. Bischof Burcardus
Der hl. Abba Wulfilaich der Säulensteher
Der Hl. Wendelin von Trier
Der hl. Bischof Willibrordus
Der hl. Bischof Kunibert von Köln und Trier
Bischof Virgil von Salzburg
Hl. Witwe und Stifterin Bilhildis
Der hl. Wunibaldus von Eichstädt
Hl. Bernward von Hildesheim
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Thanks
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And if you want modern Orthodox Saints from Germany: New Martyr, Princess St. Elisabeth Alexandra Luise Alice von Hessen-Darmstadt und bei Rhein and her sister Tzarina St. Alexandra.
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For that matter, Tsar Nicholas was about 7/8th’s Teutonic (German, Danish, probably some Swedish).
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Here we go again! Nothing like having the children of the parish ready to promote the politics of the Green Patriarch.
Check out the following article:
Greek Orthodox: Utahns learning from ‘Green Patriarch’
Bartholomew teaches rising generations to care for planet.
By Peggy Fletcher Stack
The Salt Lake Tribune
Updated: 11/20/2009 11:59:47 AM MST
http://www.sltrib.com/faith/ci_13826924
The quotes that really get your attention are the following:
AND
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RE comment #1: Unless the Patriarch is really holy, he didn’t walk from
Turkey and the jet he took has far more impact than all of the cars he could possibly take anywhere.
RE comment #2: Of course, the gentleman ignores the controversy surrounding the anthrogenic impact on the bioshpere and climate. In any case, I guess it’s just too much to expect that Christians be controversial since the joys of the state are the joys of the Church, no?
Seems as if we could be heading for an offical church and an authentic Church here in the U.S.
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Now wouldn’t that be something, Patriarch walks on Water…!
Seems as if we could be heading for an offical church and an authentic Church here in the U.S. I think you’re on to something. I will endeavour to be always in the authentic church.
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“Patriarch walks on water!” would certainly get more attention than “Patriarch openly rejects dogma of the Church so everyone else will like him!” Matthew 7:22-23 comes to mind…
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