LAST UPDATE: 9:35 22/6/2021
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew referred to the Holy Synod of the Orthodox Church, which began on Monday of the Holy Spirit in 2016, who presided over the Divine Liturgy on Monday, June 21, at the Church of the Holy Trinity of the Stavrodromi Community.
On the occasion of the central motto of the Great Synod, “He called all to unity,” the Ecumenical Patriarch pointed out that this unity was promoted by the 2016 Synod, despite the absence of four Autocephalous Orthodox Churches.
“It is difficult for our hearts not to travel to Crete, to Kolymvari in Chania, where the Holy and Great Synod of the Orthodox Church met five years ago on this day, on Monday of the Holy Spirit under the central motto “He called all to unity.”
The Ecumenical Patriarch also referred to the “last-minute” absence of four Autocephalous Orthodox Churches, which “did not honor their signature, nor did they respect the efforts of their representatives and the sacrifices of decades, which all Orthodox Churches made, first the Great Church of Christ, which was the one that generously took over the financial charge of the council.”
However, he added, the Synod is already a historic event, and called on everyone to study its important texts-decisions, and “to be inspired by them, to walk in your life with the will of the Lord.”
The Ecumenical Patriarch pointed out that the Ecumenical Patriarchate is always eager to invite all in unity and solidarity.
“From our part, there is all the mood and effort, and we call on all, in response to the call of the Mother Church, which, as always, is at the disposal of all its children throughout the world. Because ministry, sanctification and salvation is the reason for its existence.
The eyes of the souls of millions of believers from all over the world are reverently turned to the Great Church, our Patriarchate.
And this happens, not just for emotional reasons, but because the Ecumenical Throne has proven over the centuries that it is a beacon of light, capable of offering light, hope and relief in all directions, to all in various ways.”
At this point, recalling the words of the late Patriarch of Antioch Elias, who, in his speech in 1976, had emphatically referred to the importance and role of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the Ecumenical Patriarch stressed, among other things, that “however little oil left, the Phanar will not stop emitting light and proclaiming the Truth in every direction.”
The Patriarch cordially thanked Metropolitan Germanos of Tranoupolis, Hierarchical Head of the Community of Stavrodromi, “for his sacrificial ministry in the region of Stavrodromi for almost half a century,” as well as Bishop Benjamin of Tralleis, who assists the Metropolitan of Tranoupolis.
Concluding his speech, the Ecumenical Patriarch addressed all the children of the Greek Diaspora and especially the students of Zografeion Lyceum, whose delegation attended the service, along with the headteacher and teachers of the historical school.
