For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind. The terrorist attack in Syria was, tragically, inevitable. When ecclesiastical leaders fail to confront the obvious realities in their teachings, how can fanatics remain uninvolved?
Patriarch John of Antioch, as widely known, openly aligned himself with the Moscow Patriarchate. Yet, no meaningful interest has emerged regarding the fate of the Syrian Orthodox faithful. Once the political maneuvers have run their course, who truly cares about faith?
The Russians withdrew their vital support from the Assad regime, which until then had offered the Orthodox community a degree of protection. Assad retreated to Moscow, leaving the Orthodox Christians in Syria abandoned—left alone at the mercy of God. Alone.
The Patriarch of Antioch was effectively isolated. Under the new regime of fanatical Muslims imposed by global powers, the Christian population is expected to bear the brunt of persecution.
This is no coincidence. It is no accident that an Orthodox place of worship was struck in Syria. The new Syrian leadership is complicit, giving tacit approval to fanatics who are likely to intensify their cleansing against Christians.
So, what remains to be said? Prayers and condemnations from ecclesiastical leaders —yet no tangible efforts to protect persecuted Christians.
At both the Phanar and in Moscow, the primary concern is selfish power struggles—who will dominate—while the future of Christians in these lands is relegated to a secondary issue.
Absent Foreign Policy
Where has the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs been in recent years while the Greek Orthodox Patriarchates face existential threats? Silent and inactive. Even if Giorgos Gerapetritis and Alexandra Papadopoulou had wanted to act, their efforts would likely have been futile given the scale of neglect and loss.
Yet, under their watch, matters have only worsened. Our allies vanish one after another. Our voice on the international stage is faint or nonexistent. No one feels safe anymore. Christians share the same dire fate.
Kyriakos Mitsotakis must therefore decide what course to take. Will he invest in the Orthodox Churches and Patriarchates, or will he allow them to become prey to other countries and political interests?
In Egypt, the Monastery of Sinai is lost. In Syria, the Orthodox Churches are being decimated. In Africa, there is no serious policy to prevent Russian encroachment.
Where is the Greek state? Literally nowhere. What is urgently needed is a comprehensive strategy and strong political will —not to reclaim what has already been lost,
but to prevent further losses that are imminent.
Melchizedek
*Published in the newspaper “Orthodoxi Alitheia”
