References and parallelisms to the two-hundredth anniversary of the Greek Revolution were made in the New Year’s message of Archbishop Sotirios of Canada, entitled “Year 2021 Study the past – Plan the future”, which was published in the National Herald.
In a personal style the Archbishop of Canada addressed every believer in the parishes of Canada saying “Let’s have a chat. Let’s talk about our troubles and complaints.”
Read below the full message of Archbishop Sotirios of Canada:
“Let’s go back 200 years and listen to the Old Man of Moria, Theodoros Kolokotronis. Listen. Are you listening? Here is what he says:
‘Greeks, God signed for our freedom and he won’t take His signature back.’ A handful of lads swore freedom or death for the Holy Faith in Jesus Christ, for the freedom of our homeland, for the honor of our family. Who expected it? Disorganized, ragged, barefoot, unarmed as they were to win the revolution? They won, because they believed in God. They believed in themselves. They believed in the intended and righteous purpose.
In 2021 we celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Greek Revolution. Let us remember a couple more things as well.
The year 2020 is reminiscent of sorrows, disasters and problems. The coronavirus turned our world upside down. What are we going to do? We will not sit on our hands. The vaccine is here. The coronavirus will be defeated.
The coronavirus was and is a good lesson for all of us. Why did God allow this to happen? Nobody knows. Is it for our arrogance? Is it for our selfishness? Is it for our infidelity? Is it because we thought that we could dethrone God and sit on His Throne? Do you remember what happened to Lucifer? He fell. Do you remember what happened to the smoke? In the first wind it dissolved. The same happens to anyone who forgets God and that his egoism does not let him see in front of him.
We are now at the beginning of the year 2021. What are we going to do? The enemies remain the same. Satan does not change his tactics. Turkey also does not change its tactics. Will we surrender? No. We will plan the future with faith in God, with faith in ourselves and with faith in the intended purpose.
That way we will turn out winners. No matter the risks, we will win. We are ready to respond to any enemy with the third mega no. The first was ‘Molon lave’, the second was, the OHI of 1940 and of course the Revolution of 1821. We won. The third no will be double, no to Satan and no to every enemy.
The Schedule is to eradicate from ourselves every evil, to raise our children in faith and in the church. The sapling needs care to become a tree. Water it. Prune it. Sprinkle it. The child in order to grow up and become a righteous person, a true Christian, needs more attention. More care. If we do not do our duty, we will not win the war. We will lose everything.
Let’s live in Canada as a real family. The Church is our home. Let’s take care of our churches, our schools, our institutions, the youth and the elderly that is our parents, our grandparents and our grandmothers. Let’s be united around the church, tied to the church like strings on the guitar. When the strings are tied tightly to the guitar, then there is harmony and great progress.
God signed our salvation with His sacrifice on the cross. His sacrifice was not in vain. Our salvation requires our consent and our effort. Is it in our interest to deny it? No. ‘No more needs to be said’.
The road is uphill. The fight is great. The benefit is big, progress of Orthodoxy and Hellenism in Canada, conquest of the present and even more important, conquest of heaven.
Come on, everybody, all together, let no one be left behind. Do not be afraid. We have God by our side. The victory is ours.
Happy New Year with Christ at the helm”.
