Commemoration of the Attack Through Terrible Threats and Violence by the Barbarian Raid

Commemoration of the Barbarian Raid Against Constantinople (June 5th)

On this day we commemorate the philanthropy of God in the attack against us through terrible threats and violence in the barbarian raid, when all of us who were destined to justly be taken prisoners, and given over to be killed by knives, the compassion and philanthropy of God through his inner mercy, redeemed us who were beyond hope.

It is unknown which barbarian raid this refers to, but it is clear that this commemoration was made on this day because a barbarian raid took place against Constantinople, and the citizens of the City, although feeling as if they were beyond hope, were saved in some way by the mercy of God.

Palestinian Muslims Beat, Torture and Threaten Greek Monks in Jerusalem

The abbot of the Monastery of Saint Theodosios in Jerusalem, Elder Hierotheos, describes in the video below what the Orthodox monks of the Holy Land are made to endure at the hands of Palestinian Muslim extremists.

The story of Elder Hierotheos is one of the many stories of the monks of the Holy Land, who are daily tormented and endure hardships.

The Martyrdom of Contemporary Christians (Metr. Hierotheos of Nafpaktos)

The Cross and Skull of the Apostle Andrew

Below is a homily by Metropolitan Hierotheos of Nafpaktos and Agiou Vlasiou, delivered on the feast of the Holy Apostle Andrew, on the 30th of November 2015, in the Cathedral of the Apostle Andrew in Patras, Greece.

Each saint is celebrated on the day of their dormition or the day of their martyrdom, because this day is considered their birthday, a particular charism. Saint John Chrysostom considers martyrdom a charism, which he describes as a spirit of power, for a person receives strength from the Holy Spirit to sacrifice themselves. "When they receive the charism of martyrdom, it is said they have the spirit of power, that is, a charism." And because "that which is gifted is from the Holy Spirit, the charism is also called a gift." Martyrdom is thus a charism, a spirit of power, a gift. This is how Christian martyrdom is different from any other self-sacrifice for an ideology.

Overcoming Both Fear and Fearlessness

By Metropolitan Hierotheos of Nafpaktos and Agiou Vlasiou

The terrorist attacks in Paris, in the heart of Europe, created very deep pain for all of us and we commonly condemn the criminal acts, while we have prayed for the victims of these actions. One cannot transfer a covert war amid civilian people, when they have made it a standard program to be carefree from every evil. Whatever arguments they use to support such outrage cannot eliminate the brutality of the event.

However, the aim of this article is not to stress the nonnegotiable good of freedom and respect for others, but to comment on aspects of the subject which can be specifically summarized in the words fear and fearlessness, and how to overcome them.

Easter in the Middle East

By His Eminence Metropolitan Hierotheos

of Nafpaktos and Agiou Vlasiou

The Easter issue of the American magazine TIME was dedicated to Christians who are "persecuted" in the Middle East and Egypt. A few items are suggestive of the situation in these countries in relation to its Christian element. Reference will be made according to reports from Kathimerini.

"I'm Gonna Tell God Everything"

By His Eminence Metropolitan Hierotheos

of Nafpaktos and Agiou Vlasiou

Christ had great communication with children; He loved them, hugged them and encouraged His disciples to let them come near Him, teaching His listeners to become like children in order to be saved. He also worked many miracles for them, among other things. He saw in children the purity of their hearts, their immaculate sensitivity, the sincerity of their words, their search for truth, the manifestation of their love.

Terrorists Behead Christian in Syria for Wearing His Cross

According to Syrian Free Press Network, terrorists opened fire on a car on the Homs-Marmarita Road and then attacked the two passengers, beheading one of them.

Firas Badr Nader, who survived the attack, recounted at Al-Bassel Hospital in Tartous that he and his friend Fadi Michael Matta were coming back from work in a hotel in Homs when five terrorists intercepted them and opened fire on the car. Nader said that he was shot and lost control of the car, causing it to crash, and as the terrorists approached the car he played dead, and then the terrorist dragged him and his friend out of the car and tied the latter's hands.

He then heard one of the terrorists instructing one of his accomplices to "slit his throat" at which point they decapitated Matta, then they stole all the documents and money they had and fled after trying to burn the car and failing.

After he was sure that the terrorists had left, Nader opened his eyes and saw that Matta was lying down covered in blood and decapitated. He said he ran until he reached a friend's house in al-Meshtaye area where he called the authorities, and an ambulance arrived soon at the scene of the crime and transported Nader to Al-Bassel Hospital and took Matta's body to a hospital in Marmarita.

According to dmc-sy.org, a priest in Homs further reported that the reason why they decided to behead Fadi Michael Matta was because he was wearing a cross around his neck. When the gunman noticed the cross, they beheaded him and planted the cross into his chest.

Pillager of Monasteries in Maaloula Found Dead

On December 26, 2013 vocative.com published the article The Religious Spoils of War, which featured an interview with Syrian rebel Abu Jafar, leader of the "Battalion of the Martyr Abu Taan", which is an offshoot of "Free Kalamoon". Abu Jafar was revealed to be the one responsible with pillaging the Monasteries of Saint Thekla and Saint Sergius in Maaloula which he sold in Lebanon to support the war effort, and kidnapping the nuns of the Monastery of Saint Thekla. In the interview he claimed good intentions and that what he was doing he did for the war effort.

According to maaloula.org, reported just after midnight on January 14, on Sunday 12 January 2014 Abu Jafar was found mysteriously murdered. Local news says that all the members of his family were found dead as well. It is suspected there was some sort of disagreement between him and his "comrads".

With news of his death, other news has come to light. The Lebanese Calam reported on January 13 that "jihadists plundered the grave of Saint Thekla". According to Father Makarios Gulwma, secretary of the Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East for the Catholic Melkites told RIA Novosti: "The fighters of Al Nousra and Free Sham removed the bells of the churches of historic Maaloula, torched the iconostasis of the Monastery as well and that of the Monastery of Saint Sergius, and they plundered the grave of St. Thekla after digging it. They burned all the crosses and destroyed them." The same witness complains they stole the bronze statue of the enthroned Jesus adorning the Monastery erected by the Orthodox Foundation of Saint Paul of Syria. The statue was sculpted by the famous Russian sculptor Alexandre Rukavhanikov. Fr. Makarios conveyed the indignation of this martyric town: "They stole our most important symbols, even the bells that call us to prayer. Men of Al Nousra burned our homes. They want to extinguish the last vestige of Christianity and void out her existence."

The Number of Christians Murdered Doubled in 2013

Tom Heneghan

January 8, 2014

Reuters

Reported cases of Christians killed for their faith around the world doubled in 2013 from the year before, with Syria accounting for more than the whole global total in 2012, according to an annual survey.

Open Doors, a non-denominational group supporting persecuted Christians worldwide, said on Wednesday it had documented 2,123 “martyr” killings, compared with 1,201 in 2012. There were 1,213 such deaths in Syria alone last year, it said.

“This is a very minimal count based on what has been reported in the media and we can confirm,” said Frans Veerman, head of research for Open Doors. Estimates by other Christian groups put the annual figure as high as 8,000.

The Open Doors report placed North Korea at the top of its list of 50 most dangerous countries for Christians, a position it has held since the annual survey began 12 years ago. Somalia, Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan were the next four in line.

The United States-based group reported increasing violence against Christians in Africa and said radical Muslims were the main source of persecution in 36 countries on its list.

“Islamist extremism is the worst persecutor of the worldwide church,” it said.

Christianity is the largest and most widely spread faith in the world, with 2.2 billion followers, or 32 per cent of the world population, according to a survey by the U.S.-based Pew Forum on religion and Public Life.

It faces restrictions and hostility in 111 countries, ahead of the 90 countries limiting or harassing the second-largest faith, Islam, another Pew survey has reported.

Michel Varton, head of Open Doors France, told journalists in Strasbourg that failing states with civil wars or persistent internal tensions were often the most dangerous for Christians.

“In Syria, another war is thriving in the shadow of the civil war – the war against the church,” he said while presenting the Open Doors report there.

About 10 per cent of Syrians are Christians. Many have become targets for Islamist rebels who see them as supporters of President Bashar al-Assad.

Nine of the 10 countries listed as dangerous for Christians are Muslim-majority states, many of them torn by conflicts with radical Islamists. Saudi Arabia is an exception but ranked sixth because of its total ban on practising faiths other than Islam.

In the list of killings, Syria was followed by Nigeria with 612 cases last year after 791 in 2012. Pakistan was third with 88, up from 15 in 2012. Egypt ranked fourth with 83 deaths after 19 the previous year.

The report spoke of “horrific violence often directed at Christians” in the Central African Republic but said only nine deaths were confirmed last year because “most analysts still fail to recognize the religious dimension of the conflict.”

The report had no figures for killings in North Korea but said Christians there faced “the highest imaginable pressure” and some 50,000 to 70,000 lived in political prison camps.

“The God-like worship of the rulers leaves no room for any other religion,” it said.

There was now “a strong drive to purge Christianity from Somalia,” the report added, and Islamist attacks on Iraqi Christians have been increasing in the semi-autonomous Kurdish north, formerly a relatively safe area for them.

Mr. Veerman, based near Utrecht in the Netherlands, said that killings were only the most extreme examples of persecutions. Christians also face attacks on churches and schools, discrimination, threats, sexual assaults and expulsion from countries.

Open Doors, which began in the 1950s smuggling Bibles into communist states and now works in more than 60 countries, estimated last year that about 100 million Christians around the world suffered persecution for their faith.

Shooting Pregnant Women as Targets

By His Eminence Metropolitan Hierotheos 

of Nafpaktos and Agiou Vlasiou

The news coming - as much as does come - to light will make your hairs stand on end regarding the civil war being carried out in Syria. We hear of and see bombings, killings, the displacement of people and massacres reminiscent of the times of the persecutions in the third and fourth centuries, and this causes us unbearable pain. This area needs to be continuously in our prayers and we pray for its peace, especially for our Orthodox Christian brethren, clergy, monastics and lay people, who are suffering and living in fear of a horrible death.

However, one piece of news that has reached us is "the game of shooting pregnant women as targets". A British doctor who worked voluntarily in hospitals in Syria, David Nott and his colleagues, found that pregnant women were shot by snipers of the Assad regime, in specific parts of their bodies, when attempting to go from region to region in order to find food and other supplies. They observed that they had been shot in the area of the stomach as if doing exercises shooting pregnant women in the location of the fetus. The British doctor said that "Syria was the first country seen to use pregnant women as targets", and described it as "a bullet stuck into the fetal brain". Distributed also was an x-ray photo of an embryo in which "a bullet is distinguished above the eyes". At the same time he said: "I cannot describe how shocking it was. Usually, civilians are injured or killed when they fall into a crossfire. It was the first time I saw something like this. It was hell beyond hell." (Ta Nea, 10/21/2013).

One thinks of the innocent fetus preparing to enter a world of unrest and war, and in the first months of fetal life they experience the fury of people and the horrors of war. In what kind of world of atrocities and hatred do we live! Can we not even protect fetuses, these innocent beings. After such things, are there any who proclaim that devils do not exist! Of course demonic powers exist, which are fallen angels, but also in our time people themselves have become instruments of demons, and they themselves are altered into demons by the hatred and vengefulness that distinguishes them. For this reason, every time I liturgize I pray for and commemorate our brethren who are being tested hard in Syria, the Middle East and throughout the earth.

I cannot, however, not make other associations. Many feel horrible that fetuses are dying by the bullets of snipers, but at the same time do not feel horrible when, daily, fetuses are murdered by the "scientific" powers of physicians with the parents themselves! When one studies the methods by which abortions take place, then one would be appalled from these events and the hypocrisy of people, since they stigmatize that they are "shooting pregnant women as targets" during war and are silent every day when this targeted crime is done in clinics.

Life has value and should be protected, especially when the one that has life, such as a fetus, cannot protect themselves.

Source: Ekklesiastiki Paremvasi, "Σκοποβολή μέ στόχο ἐγκύους", November 2013. Translated by John Sanidopoulos.

See also: Assad Regime Snipers 'targeting unborn babies'

The Man Who Stole the Right Arm of Saint Polycarp Identified

Kostas Zafirios
November 19, 2013

Ierovima.gr

An Albanian connected with robberies is the illicit dealer in antiquities that desecrated the Monastery of Ambelakiotissa last March in mountainous Nafpaktos and stole part of the relic of Saint Polycarp. Police sources said that in the Monastery there were found fingerprints and genetic material of the sacrilegious offender. They also have messages and telephone calls from his cell phone on the night of the theft in the area, which came about after removing confidentiality as requested by the authorities.

Finding the right hand of Saint Polycarp is a high priority for the police, as there is a keen interest in ecclesiastical circles. Senior officers of the Greek Police are in constant communication with Metropolitan Hierotheos of Nafpaktos throughout the course of the investigation.

The relic of the right hand of Saint Polycarp adorned for the last 500 years the Monastery of the Dormition of the Theotokos in Ambelakiotissa of Nafpaktos, where the faithful would go to receive his blessing, and it is considered miraculous.

Translated by John Sanidopoulos.

See also: Mystagogy Helps Bring Relic of St. Polycarp to Thousands in Romania

Hell in the Land That Speaks the Language of Christ

Aimilios Polygenis

September 26, 2013

Crime.gr

In Syria there are not only victims of a civil war that seems to have no end. The people of Assad and the rebels are not the only ones fighting. There has manifested in Syria another war, even if it is indirect - the religious one.

In the ancient Christian city of Maaloula, Islamic organizations with ties to Al Qaeda have begun a war in this land for a while now. And though Christians may not be their direct target, they have become on a daily basis "collateral damage". Nobody cares about what will happen to them.

Until recently Maaloula was one of the safest places for Christians in Syria. It was one of their few shelters. And although the Syrian forces have achieved major victories, the area - as if it is paying for some unknown sins - does not seem to bring peace.

"We are going through hard times. May God protect us," came from the stammered lips of a nun in the Monastery of Saint Thekla, one of the two oldest Monasteries in Maaloula where forty Christians are trapped.

The new Patriarch of Antioch has appealed to all: "Help those who are trapped in the Monastery of Saint Thekla." Months ago his brother was kidnapped and his whereabouts remain unknown. Today he lives the agony of Christians who find themselves trapped in the Monastery due to the heavy fighting outside between the rebels and the regime.

In Maaloula, one of the earliest cradles of Christianity, images reveal something that has nothing to do with Christianity. And certainly not the love taught by religion. There where they still speak Aramaic, the language of Christ, hell, unfortunately, is much closer.

Translated by John Sanidopoulos.

Assembly IV of Bishops Concludes, Issues Statements to the Faithful

The fourth annual meeting of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of North and Central America closed with the release of the following press release.

Assembly IV Concludes; Assembly Issues Statements to the Faithful

Friday, September 20, 2013

In the final day of its annual meeting, the Assembly agreed to issue two statements—one on the Church’s unchanging position on marriage and one expressing grave concern over the escalating violence in the Middle East. The Assembly also released a message to the faithful on the conclusion of Assembly IV.

The three statements can be found here: statement on marriage; statement on violence in the Middle East; and message to the faithful. In other business, the Assembly voted unanimously to re-elect Bishop Basil as secretary and Metropolitan Antony as treasurer. Archbishop Demetrios recognized and commended them for their devotion to the Assembly over the past three years. The Assembly also reviewed and approved the 2014 budget. The Assembly expects to hold its next meeting in September 2014. More documents pertaining to the Assembly, including the minutes and 2014 budget, will be forthcoming on the Assembly’s web site.

The hierarchs concluded the meeting by singing the Apolytikion of Pentecost: Blessed art Thou, O Christ our God, Who hast shown forth the fishermen as supremely wise by sending down upon them the Holy Spirit, and through them didst draw the world into Thy net. O Befriender of man, glory be to Thee.

Source

Remembering Septembriana: 6-7 September 1955

SEPTEMBRIANA

6-7 September 1955 

Constantinople

With the Organization and Guidance of the Government, the Turks, in One Night, Burned and Plundered:

4340 Greek Stores

2600 Christian Homes

73 Churches

26 Greek Schools

110 Greek Restaurants

21 Greek Factories

27 Greek Pharmacies

3 Greek Newspapers

Source: Asia Minor Association. Translated by John Sanidopoulos.

See also:

Turkey’s Pogrom of September 6-7, 1955

Anniversary of Istanbul Pogrom (September 6-7, 1955)

Turkish Film Takes Serious Look At Anti-Greek Riots in Istanbul on September 6-7, 1955

Albanian Officials Order Seizure of Church in Permet

On August 16th, the day after the feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos, government officials in Permet, Albania violently seized and looted the Church of the Entrance of the Theotokos into the Temple, and prevented worshipers from entering.

The church has existed there since the early 17th century. In the 1960's communists turned the church into a cultural center. The Supreme Court of Albania ruled in 1996 that the building belongs to the Orthodox Church, and liturgical services resumed and have continued there since.

Yesterday, from the Cathedral of the Resurrection in Tirana, Archbishop Anastasios was particularly critical of what happened in Permet. Among other things, he said: "We are reliving the nightmare of 1967 when the communist party thought they could uproot forever the religious faith of the Albanian people," and he added, "We cannot allow the desecration of our churches in the 21st century, in this Europe of freedom and human rights." Archbishop Anastasios also made the following comment: "If one of us Orthodox took a Koran from a Mosque and threw it on a truck, would there not would be a revolution? Justifiably! But then they say to us why are we complaining? Of course we are protesting." The Archbishop also stated: "We do not know the details of who is behind this, but it is a great insult." And he wondered: "Who are those who want to bring us back in time?" (The video of this sermon can be seen here.)

A Greek report on what happened can be seen here. Metropolitan Kosmas of Aitolia calls this "an insult to Orthodoxy and Greece," in an effort to encourage Greece to get involved in this issue.

Below are videos of what took place together with an official declaration by the Orthodox clergy and photos.

OFFICIAL DECLARATION

From the Clergy of the Holy Metropolis of Gjirokaster

Today in Permet the Orthodox Community witnessed the most brutal violation of the very notion of democracy or human rights; in particular the right to religious freedom as sanctioned by the Constitution, as well as violation of the most basic conditions that must be guaranteed within the framework of a state that ensures equal rights.

This morning, Friday, August 16, 2013, while all the Orthodox Community continued to observe the great feastday, the Dormition of the All-holy Virgin Mary – often called “the Summer Pascha”, paramilitary groups (with the aid of municipal employees and the silent support of municipal authorities) inflicted many forms of violence on the clergy and faithful of Permet, on the pretext that they were responding to a judicial issue.

Our entire Church stands behind the faithful of the “Entrance of the All-holy Virgin Mary into the Temple” parish in protest today because:

- the clergy of this city were beaten barbarically.

- the faithful were violently prevented from entering their church in order to carry out the duties of their faith.

- many church articles were stolen on the pretext of executing a judicial decision which had not been implemented in the proscribed time frame.

- grave sacrileges were committed as those who forcefully entered the church handled sacred church items (icons, sacred vessels used for worship, etc).

Those in power that speculate different legal procedures in fact aim at the violent removal of the faithful from their place of worship. The State, on the other hand, has ratified the Agreement between the Council of Ministers and the Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania with specific laws, where particular priority is given to securing the freedom of the Church to use its holy places for worship purposes.

We raise our voices in protest and at the same time declare that we are determined to continue our efforts, with whatever means and methods possible, that our right to the property and free use of the parish church, “Entrance of the All-holy Virgin Mary into the Temple”, be completely secured.

These dark forces which have committed today’s violent acts are without any control of a state of law and the spirit of tolerance and social cohesion. We demand that they receive the rightful punishment set forth by the Law.

The Last Christians of Aleppo, Syria

Mar Elias Home for the elderly of Syriac Catholic confession in Aleppo shelters the remaining Christians in a region controlled by opposition gunmen. 7 Christians live in this home, four among them are elderly women who are over 70 years old.

The report above will shed light on the plight of the Christians who suffer dreadful living conditions and are provided with basic supplies allowing them to survive amid raging battles.

Aleppo once held the largest Christian community in Syria. In the video below they give their thoughts on the Free Syrian Army, whom they hold responsible for their demise.

In the video below is shown evidence of the attack of the FSA on the Christians of Aleppo.



Read also:

The Declining Number of Christians in Aleppo, Syria - February 18, 2012

Aleppo’s Christians arm against Islamists - July 31, 2012

“Living as a Christian in the Hell of Aleppo”: Besieged by Syrian “Opposition” Rebels. Testimony of a Priest - October 19, 2012

Aleppo priest advises Christians to leave - April 24, 2013

The Battle for Aleppo - June 5, 2013

Trailer for a Documentary on the Palestinian Christians

The above trailer is for the documentary called The Stones Cry Out: The Story of Palestinian Christians, which focuses on the story of the Christians of Palestine that is rarely told.

www.thestonescryoutmovie.com

The Persecution of Christians in Syria

By Metropolitan Hierotheos of Nafpaktos

We are following whatever comes to light from the war occurring in Syria. Whatever is going on there is presented as a civil war, but in actuality other external powers are involved, that want to have influence in the region. On one side is Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, and on the other side is Russia, Iran and China. Clearly we have here a geopolitical crisis, because Syria is in a critical area where many nations have interests.

However, that which escapes the attention of many is that in Syria there is a massacre of the Christian population. Recently there came to light the disclosure of the fact of the abduction of the Orthodox Metropolitan Paul and the Syro-Jacobite Metropolitan John-Ibrahim. It is a sad fact that shows the savage face of war in the region and its consequences. Yet, the problems are even worse for Christians.

Stathis Efstathiades ("To Vima tis Kyriakis" 05/19/2013) gives us important information and I will quote it below:

From a bulletin of the Commission of the EU on April 16 we are informed that the number of Christians that have been killed, murdered or are missing "it is believed to have surpassed 1,220". A Syro-Orthodox Clergyman of Amman (Monophysite) told the Arabic CNN that "we have a persecution equivalent to the massacre of Diocletian". He continued: "Those who did not manage to leave will have the fate of our fellow Orthodox in Iraq".

And because there is mention of the Christians in Iraq, we should record the statements of Nina Sia who is the spokeswoman for the American Commission on Human Rights, according to whom that during the two-year period of 2012-2013 in Iraq "a total 2,310 Iraqis, members of religious minorities of which Christians are the majority, were murdered, strangled and disappeared". Also, on Christmas in 2012 "there was not one church to liturgize", since they had been burned and destroyed, while most of the Clergy fled Iraq or went into hiding "because they are and remain the main target of Islamists". And these things are happening in Iraq after May of 2005, when the war "officially" ended. It seems that "there has begun an organized, systematic persecution of Iraqi Christians".

This year, which is 1700 years since the Edict of Milan (313 A.D.), which established freedom of religion in the Roman Empire, there are occurring terrible persecutions against Christians (Orthodox, Monophysite), who are being decapitated and killed, religious freedoms are being overturned and violence and inhumanity have returned.

Whatever is happening in Syria, in Iraq and in the eastern Nations, unfortunately is being done with the assistance, tolerance and participation of western Christian Nations, because above all there are economic factors.

And what are we Orthodox Christians to do? How do we react? Are we moved by the plight of our brethren? Does their drama concern us? Are we praying for them? Pained?

Source: Paremvasis, "Οι διωγμοί τών Χριστιανών στήν Συρία", May 2013. Translated by John Sanidopoulos.

Patriarch Bartholomew: What the Edict of Milan Means For Us Today

May 16, 2013

Asia News

Some 1,700 years have passed since Emperor Constantine granted Christians the right to believe in God, yet "the persecution of Christians has not ceased"; thus, "the Church of Christ will never cease to generate martyrs" until God "enlightens everyone, so that they understand that peace, reconciliation, tolerance, meekness, and mercy can only have a positive effect on human society in general, especially in terms of deeds and words."

Religious freedom and the journey of a divided Church "towards unity according to the Lord's command" are central to the thoughts Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I expressed this morning at the ecumenical prayer that saw him in Milan's Basilica of Sant'Ambrogio in Milan, together with Cardinal Angelo Scola.

The celebration of the Edict of Constantine is behind the Ecumenical Patriarch's visit to the Archdiocese of Milan. For the Orthodox Church, the emperor is a saint, and the event provided the two 'sister Churches' an important opportunity to reaffirm their ecumenical will. Indeed, the patriarch's words and attitudes are evidence of this, as are the "fraternal greetings" Pope Francis sent him yesterday.

The spirit of the Constantinian document issued in the year 313 naturally centres on religious freedom.

If in his message Pope Francis expressed hope that "today as then, the common witness of Christians of East and West, sustained by the Spirit of the Risen One, can contribute to spreading the message of salvation in Europe and throughout the world and that, thanks to the far-sightedness of civil authorities, the right to public expression of one's faith is respected everywhere and the contribution Christianity continues to offer to culture and society of our time is welcomed without bias," Bartholomew noted instead that, "with great sorrow today we see Christians, of all denominations, persecuted in many places, deemed enemies of society and the state; [we see that] the Christian faith is not tolerated in many countries and under many laws. Despite the progress apparently noted in the world with regard to respect of human rights, the persecution of the Christians has not ceased."

Similarly, Card Scola noted that "such freedom is trampled upon in many different ways, from martyrdom in the lands of the Middle East to legal obstacles that prevent its full implementation as sometimes happens in Europe."

The patriarch's visit begun yesterday with a celebration in the church of Santa Maria Podone - which the diocese gave to the Orthodox community - and continued in the afternoon in the Hall of the Caryatid in Milan's Royal Palace, Bartholomew and Card Scola gave keynote addresses on the topic of religious freedom as a fundamental right from which stem all other human rights.

Today, the Patriarch stressed the "great benefit" the Edict of Milan offered humanity. "For the first time, religious freedom was enshrined into the law of an Empire, the Roman Empire, which then influenced 'the fate' of the world. Because of this freedom that had been given, and thanks to the reforms of Constantine the Great at all levels of legislation and life of his empire, under the strong influence of Christian teachings, the bases and foundations of basic human rights were laid."

"However," he added, "the laws are unfortunately changed on the whim of those in power. Sometimes for the better, but most of the times for the worse, under various pretexts, when it comes to human rights. We have all experienced, even today, the will of those in power and those who have rejected and denied from the start the Christian message of love and sacrifice."

Another aspect of Constantine's work that Bartholomew highlighted is the fact that "the Emperor was very interested, and rightly so, in the unity of the Church, which presupposes unity in faith, without which it is essentially impossible. Constantine the Great understood the need for spiritual unity among his subjects, as a commitment to the prosperity of the state, and as his ardent desire to see the people of his empire united under one and only guide of life and love, our Lord Jesus Christ."

"The organisation of a united Christian empire was part of Constantine the Great's broad vision, in which peace, fraternity, solidarity, harmony and love would have reigned. Certainly, without such a vision, today's Europe, speaking by analogy, would not have this spiritual heritage. The world too would not have caught with the same depth the spread of the Christian message on God, man and the world, a message that has and should have the single purpose of man's deification man. With faith, man conquers selfishness, leaves the bounds of the "self", and enters a new transcendent reality, in which new laws are in place: "the old things have passed away; behold, new things have come'(2 Cor., 5:17-18).

Bartholomew concluded by saying, "By living according to the commandments of the Holy Gospel and acting with wisdom and continued sanctification, we are trying not to let fear stop us from resisting the destructive power of globalization and material life in today's world-with, as our role models, Constantine the Great and of Saint Ambrose, whose relics are preserved in this temple 'to cheer and delight' all our hearts, collected in order to announce 'what is to happen to you in days to come' (Genesis, 49:1)."

Patriarch Bartholomew: "I have no fear, no concern"

May 12, 2013

Agioritikovima

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew made the following comments after being informed of the arrest of a suspect who planned his assassination.

"I have no concern, no fear," said the Ecumenical Patriarch on Saturday when he visited the Church of Saint John in Adrianople.

"I believe that God helps us, and employees of the state guard us well. I am not afraid, I have no concern. That's why I came here. I go everywhere. I do not change my schedule. Glory to God, I'm in safe hands," said the Patriarch.

Turkish authorities are looking for two suspects and continue to interrogate Serdar A., who has so far denied that he planned to assassinate the Ecumenical Patriarch on May 29th, which is the 560th anniversary of the Fall of Constantinople.

Translated by John Sanidopoulos

Read: Plot To Kill Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew Uncovered By Turkey

Patriarch Bartholomew: God and state will protect me

May 12, 2013

Today's Zaman

Ecumenical Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew I, commenting on a recently uncovered alleged plot to assassinate him, has said that he is not concerned over assassination claims as he believes God and his state will protect him.

The Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office launched an investigation into an alleged plot to assassinate Patriarch Bartholomew on the 560th anniversary of the conquest of İstanbul by the Ottomans.

The probe was launched on an anonymous letter sent to the Kayseri Chief Public Prosecutor's Office that informed officials about the plot. According to the letter, Serdar A., who was later detained by police, and two other suspects, who have yet to be identified, were planning to assassinate Bartholomew on May 29, the anniversary of İstanbul's conquest.

The letter said the suspect traveled to İstanbul between April 15 and 20 as part of their plan. He later returned to Kayseri to inform his two friends about the details of the plot to assassinate the patriarch.

Bartholomew attended the opening ceremony of a culture center, which was once an Orthodox church, in Uzunköprü, a town in the northwestern province of Edirne, on Saturday. In response to a reporter's question regarding the recent investigation into his planned assassination, Bartholomew said he did not give much attention to the incident, adding: “I know God, first of all, and then the security forces of our state protect us very well. Therefore, I am not concerned at all over such incidents and I don't have any fear. That is why I am here [in Edirne] now. I go wherever I want without any fear. Thanks to God, I won't change my schedule [out of fear of such incidents].”

The police detained Serdar A. in the Melikgazi district of Kayseri as part of the investigation and are reportedly searching for the two other suspects. During a police interrogation, the suspect denied accusations that he was planning to kill the patriarch. He said he visited his relatives during his İstanbul visit and looked for a job there.

“I do not even know where Bartholomew lives. I do not know what his title or job is. I just saw him in the media. I have no plans or intentions to kill him,” he reportedly told the police.

Police officers later sent the suspect to the Kayseri Courthouse to be interrogated by prosecutors. Serdar A. was arrested and sent to jail pending trial after the prosecutor's questioning.

Police sources said the suspect has been detained six times before for being involved in various crimes, including issuing threats and racketeering. This is the second time Turkish authorities have discovered a plot to assassinate Bartholomew.