LAST UPDATE 21:20
The importance of unity and cooperation of all mankind in the fight against catastrophic fires both in Greece and in the US state of California, but also in other countries affected by the blaze, such as Turkey, Albania, and Italy, Archbishop Elpidophoros of America pointed out in his sermon yesterday from the Cathedral of St. George in Philadelphia
“We must all roll up our sleeves and work together to face this nightmare, always asking for God’s help and mercy,” said the Archbishop of America. “Today, he continued, as we see our forests burning and the whole world burning, we must embrace each other and run together to put out the fires and protect nature and not sometimes argue over who is responsible. because, we are all responsible. ”
As he pointed out: “At a time when the ice is melting and the forests are burning, the seas are stormy, the waters are flooding our cities and all nature is protesting, we must reflect on the evil we caused in the creation of God, for the sake of our own selfishness and well-being. “All this, he added, that we do against God’s creation will go back to us and we will lose everything”, as ANA-MPA mentions.
He wondered “how science and technology will help us when we will not have air to breathe, water to drink, and a shadow to rest” and stressed:
“But what is urgent now is to run to put out the fire and save our homes and the houses of our neighbors and make us all feel that no one is alone and that one is there for the other.”
In addition, he praised the solidarity between people who help each other in dealing with natural disasters. “Think about how many peoples and how many countries rushed to help our motherland, Greece. This is the brotherhood between peoples, this is the human virtue, the human support, which transcends different “beliefs” and different perceptions “.
Archbishop Elpidoforos announced that the Archdiocese of America is immediately launching a campaign to help Greece to deal with the fires by creating a special fund. He even called on all the faithful of the Church in America to collect “as Greek Americans and Orthodox all the help they need, where needed, both for our home in California and for our father’s home in our homeland, Greece.”
Finally, he praised the self-denial of all firefighters, police, port officials, ordinary farmers, and volunteers who fight heroically day and night with the flames to save our homeland, Greece, and called on all to pray to God to give His healing and help these heroes in their struggle.
