Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens has expressed his excitement about Donald Trump’s election as President of the United States, stating his belief that “Trump is a force for good in the world.”
Archbishop Ieronymos gave an interview to the American news outlet Breitbart News, a conservative U.S. media organization considered friendly to President Donald Trump.
He spoke to a Breitbart journalist through a translator last week from the archbishop’s residence in Athens.
As Archbishop Ieronymos said, Trump’s vision on economic and cultural issues is positive, but he warned that Trump must be careful not to plunge the world into war.
“The election of President Trump was a positive development. I would say to him that we need change, like the reforms he is trying to implement, but reforms that we can and must understand.
For example, if the relationship between the US and China changes along with the changing economic dynamics, it could lead to unintended consequences and escalation, even war. Europe is preparing for such a negative scenario. The economy is changing daily. Rising prices are hitting families, and life is getting harder. My message here is that we must focus our attention on the younger generations.
Referring to the legalization of same-sex marriage in Greece last year, he stressed:
“In the US, Trump is leading the world away from radical insanity.”
He pointedly noted: “In Greece, same-sex marriage is not accepted by a large part of society. We believe in human freedom, but that does not mean extreme actions, protests, or activism that provoke the majority of people.
We cannot and should not force politicians to vote for things they fundamentally disagree with. All of this has shocked the average person in recent years. Then came Trump’s victory, and the president made it clear that there are only two genders, and we saw that many global and EU leaders began to echo the same argument.”
Overall, Archbishop Ieronymos II said he praises President Trump, but also urges caution, warning that the results could backfire if things go wrong.
“In many ways, I admire him and believe he is beneficial to the world,” the archbishop continued. “But he also needs to show some restraint at times. People are afraid that if things go wrong, we could go back to hard times. President Trump needs to be aware of the needs of the average person, and he’s playing that role well.
But I also want to remind him that the Church is a force that can always offer support and strength to the people. I have always admired our ancestors who said that if we want to move fast, we must go slowly and steadily.
I am watching President Trump closely – he is very active. We need a lot of change, but not in a hurry. Step by step, I believe he can make a positive contribution to the world.”
Archbishop Ieronymos also told Breitbart News that he sees a tremendous increase in young people in Greece who are interested in the faith and active in the Church. He said he and other Orthodox Church leaders are actively discussing how to interpret this movement.
It’s a global phenomenon, not just in Greece.
“It’s true that we ourselves wonder whether this phenomenon we are witnessing is a real increase or just a passing trend,” the Archbishop said. “The Greek people have gone through difficult times recently, and many have turned to various kinds of spiritual search. And the truth is that much of the responsibility lies with political parties and ideologies.
You can see it clearly in young people, especially after they finish elementary school. Today’s youth are constantly searching. They want a new kind of world, perhaps influenced by the many signs of the times. The real question is whether we are ready to respond. We must first examine our own responsibilities. I recently had a meeting with some of my colleagues who work with young people.
We found that there is real interest. Today’s youth have broader horizons than we did, and they are always looking for more. But there are two key questions: What exactly are they looking for?
Is it just the mundane, the fleeting, the temporary? The truth is that young people understand that material things alone do not satisfy the human soul. So what do we offer them?
That’s where my role comes in – how can I connect with these young people if I don’t understand everything they’re going through? If I can’t embrace their concerns, or if I ignore them, then I drift away from them. That means I have to adapt in order to build real collaboration.
Translated by Ioanna Georgakopoulou
