Responding to recent ceasefire agreements, Archbishop Elpidophoros of America shared his prayers for peace and increased humanitarian relief in Gaza.
“In my new capacity as Chair of the Governing Board of the National Council of Churches,” he wrote, “I have also called upon all humanitarian agencies within our member communions—including the International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC)—to renew and coordinate their efforts to bring relief and healing to Gaza.”
He also emphasized the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America’s collaboration with Churches for Middle East Peace for the Let Children Live campaign, “which seeks to safeguard and uplift children in Gaza and the West Bank—innocent victims who bear the heaviest burdens of war.”
Concluding his encyclical, Archbishop Elpidophoros called on faithful to remain “steadfast in prayer and compassion,” noting that “the suffering of the region is far from over, and the wounds of generations will not be healed overnight.”
“May the Prince of Peace, our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen us to be peacemakers and co-workers in His Kingdom,” Archbishop Elpidophoros said.
Read the encyclical below:
My beloved sisters and brothers in Christ,
In recent days, the attention of the world has once again turned toward the Middle East. With profound relief and heartfelt thanksgiving, we learned the news of a ceasefire agreement and exchange of hostages, marking an end to the devastating bloodshed in the region. Coming as it does near the second anniversary of the tragic events of October 7, 2023, this development marks an initial yet decisive step toward what we fervently pray will lead to lasting peace in the Middle East. For this, I call upon all of our communities to lift our hearts in thanksgiving to the Almighty God.
We echo the words of the Patriarchs and Heads of the Churches in Jerusalem, who recently declared: “In this spirit, we join with our fellow Christians and others of goodwill around the world in giving thanks to the Almighty for leading us to this auspicious moment, even as we realize that the work of peacebuilding has only just begun. May God grant us all the grace to rededicate ourselves to this vital task, shepherding us toward that golden age of peace so long envisioned by the prophets and sages of old—and for which our Lord Jesus Christ himself gave up his own life, rising to new life beyond the grave.”
Needless to say, the needs of the people remain immense. The call for humanitarian relief and reconstruction is urgent and undeniable. For this reason, in my new capacity as Chair of the Governing Board of the National Council of Churches, I have also called upon all humanitarian agencies within our member communions—including the International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC)—to renew and coordinate their efforts to bring relief and healing to Gaza. Moreover, I take this opportunity to highlight the Archdiocese’s collaboration with Churches for Middle East Peace through the Let Children Live campaign, which seeks to safeguard and uplift children in Gaza and the West Bank—innocent victims who bear the heaviest burdens of war.
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
As we welcome these seeds of peace with thanksgiving, let us remain steadfast in prayer and compassion. The suffering of the region is far from over, and the wounds of generations will not be healed overnight. Yet, as Orthodox Christians, we are called to be ministers of reconciliation and instruments of divine mercy. Let us, therefore, continue to pray and strive for a just and enduring peace, one that embraces all peoples of the Holy Land – Jews, Christians, and Muslims alike – so that harmony, justice, and mutual respect may prevail.
May the Prince of Peace, our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen us to be peacemakers and co-workers in His Kingdom.
Article by Corinna Robinson /Photo by Orthodox Observer/Dimitrios Panagos
