Archbishop Elpidophoros of America visited the fire-stricken areas in northern Chios, where recent wildfires destroyed more than 11% of the island’s territory.
During his visit, he expressed his solidarity with the residents, stressing the need to protect the environment and to coordinate efforts for the restoration of the damage.
The Archbishop emphasized that the Church will stand by those affected, calling for unity and responsibility toward both nature and society.
“With great sorrow I visit the places where the destructive wildfire of human negligence and indifference passed before me. We see the consequences of human error, when the paradise we all inherited—the earth, our beautiful nature, and for us Greeks in particular, this paradise called Greece—is turned into a wasteland, a hell, a place of terror, fear, and grief for us all.
We must first find a way to protect our nature, to safeguard and love our environment. Secondly, we must all work together so that what destruction has left behind, we can restore—transforming our land once again into paradise,” he stated.
