Archbishop Sotirios of Canada issued an Encyclical on the celebration of the Greek letters and education, emphasizing the importance of Greek Orthodox education for children.
While acknowledging the prosperity and comfort in Canada, he cautions against the potential harm of luxury and calls for a reassessment of life’s purpose.
The Archbishop urges Greek parents to prioritize Greek Orthodox education, which encompasses Greek Christian values and constructs a Greek Orthodox conscience.
He emphasizes that such education is essential for children, providing spiritual nourishment and preparing them for eternal life.
The Archbishop advocates for the establishment of more Greek Orthodox schools to ensure all Greek children receive this education.
Read the encyclical below:
We have often said that Greek parents are amongst the best parents. They truly love and care for their children. They sacrifice themselves for their children’s wellbeing. They provide them with the best possible home, the most convivial conditions for their upbringing, the finest food, the best clothes. Greek parents especially emphasize education. They possess a deeply engrained aspiration for their children to receive nothing less than a university education.
We live in Canada which is arguably the best country in the world in terms of quality of life. We basically have it all and do not lack for anything. Many in world envy our situation and wish they lived in Canada. In comparison to many other countries, our lives resemble in several ways a sort of paradise on earth. Many of us truly live in the lap of luxury.
But can this same comfort and luxury turn end up hurting us? As the famous English saying goes, “On the soft beds of luxury most kingdoms have expired.” Perhaps this comfort and opulence can lead us to overlook and neglect what is most valuable for life.
We need to continually reassess the purpose of life as well as the ideals which we hold dear. Are we meant to live by the saying: “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!”? If we act like this, we are literally finished. We will face much sorrow and distress in this life, and most importantly, we will completely miss out on life eternal.
Life does not begin with birth and end with death. It continues beyond the tombstone. And the life beyond the gravestone depends on the life that we lead in this world. We fashion the life to come with our works and faith in this life.
Let us come back to our main topic, Parents and Greek Letters. Do all the good parents which we described at the beginning understand the value of Greek Letters? When we say Greek Letters, we do not mean simply learning the alphabet, or learning to read or to speak a few words in broken Greek. When we refer to Greek Letters, the entire breadth and scope of Greek Orthodox education is implied.
Greek Orthodox education primarily encompasses Greek Christian values. The purpose is to construct a Greek Orthodox conscience. We are rightfully proud to be Greek, given the illustrious history of our ancestors. At the same time, we recognize that the Orthodox Christian faith provides the way that truly enables us to pass from earth to heaven, to reach God and live eternally with Him.
Do parents fully understand these two facets of Greek Letters? Are they investing in giving their children a Greek Orthodox education which will best equip them to not only face life on earth, but also to inherit life eternal?
I am certain that Greek parents understand the value of Greek Letters. I am afraid, however, that they do not always ensure that their children benefit from an authentic Greek Orthodox education. They easily get carried away and focus on other priorities for their children, while in fact there is no more essential priority for children than providing them with a Greek Orthodox education.
A Greek Orthodox education for children provides the necessary nutrients and oxygen that nurtures them like trees which mature and flourish in nature. A Greek Orthodox education sustains immortality, spiritually nourishing our children and preparing them to live forever in eternity.
If parents come to fully comprehend the significance and impact of Greek Orthodox education, providing a Greek Orthodox education will become the absolute priority.
Greek parents, your children crave for a Greek Orthodox education. Your children yearn to be connected to Christ, for the benefit of their souls. Ensure that your children receive a Greek Orthodox education in Greek school and Sunday school. Make no mistake. Children do not remain Greek without the necessary Greek Orthodox education. Our focus should therefore be on the schools. We need more schools. All Greek children should attend Greek schools, but not only Greek children. At the Greek Orthodox day school “Metamorphosis,” we also have children who are not of Greek origin. Greek Orthodox education is beneficial for everyone, but it is essential for Greeks.
With fatherly love and blessings,
ARCHBISHOP SOTIRIOS
GREEK ORTHODOX ARCHDIOCESE OF CANADA
