In today’s world of “surface, appearance, and frivolous crises,” the true solutions to the problems of the human soul lie “in the depth of the heart, of contemplation… in the depth of prayer,” and in the “search for modesty and salvation,” emphasized Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. The Ecumenical Patriarch presided this morning over the first patriarchal liturgy ever celebrated in the Church of St. George (Rotunda) in Thessaloniki, sending a heartfelt message to the faithful of the city.
“Put on the saving Orthodox faith and teaching and strive to excel in works of orthopraxis, works of sanctification and salvation, works of spiritual progress,” urged the Ecumenical Patriarch.
He noted the historic significance of the moment: “It is the first time that an Ecumenical Patriarch has celebrated in this historic church.” He then recalled the long and rich history of the Rotunda, built by Emperor Galerius, first used as a temple under Emperor Theodosius I, later serving as the Temple of the Bodiless Powers, as the Old Metropolis, and, following the liberation of Thessaloniki in 1912, as the Church of St. George.
With evident emotion, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew expressed his joy at being in Thessaloniki once again:
“With emotion and joy, we are once again in the nymph of Thermaikos, the city of Saint Demetrios, Saint Gregory Palamas, Saint Nicholas Cabasilas, Saint Efstathios of Thessaloniki, and so many other great saints.”
He also highlighted the importance of the Second International Scientific Conference of the Journal “Theologia,” with the central theme ‘Orthodox Theology and the Ontology of Technology,’ which begins tomorrow and runs until October 1. “This gathering has given us a wonderful opportunity to meet again, to coincide, to pray together, to confer, and to rejoice in one another, in the grace of Jesus Christ,” he said.
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew highlighted that Thessaloniki is the birthplace of his great predecessor on the Patriarchal Throne, Saint Gregory Palamas, as well as Archbishop Efstathios of Thessaloniki.
At another point in his address, the Ecumenical Patriarch reflected on the path offered by faith to confront the problems of daily life and their psychological consequences, which weigh heavily on the faithful in today’s world.
“Our time is a time of surface, appearance, frivolous crises, distractions, empty talk, turbulence, and preoccupation with what is secondary, fleeting, external, and of no real value. This whole situation, ineffective and fruitless as it is, only deepens the uncertainty and anxiety of modern man,” said Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew.
He added: “The crucial, the salvific, the healthy, the God-loving, the truly useful and beneficial are found in the depths: in the depths of the heart, in the depths of contemplation, in the depths of the mind, in the depths of silence, in the depths of hesychia, in the depths of prayer, in the depths of divine study and in the search for modesty and salvation.
It is there that Christ calls us today—to enter our inner treasury, to turn the eye toward the innermost parts of our hearts and thoughts, into the existential gaps of our souls. This secret and sacred work of salvation in silence is not the exclusive privilege of monks and hermits, but also belongs to pious Christians living in the wilderness of modern cities, thirsting for true life.”
The Ecumenical Patriarch also made special reference to the late Professor of Theology at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Chrysostomos Stamoulis, whose memorial service was celebrated today in the Rotunda.
Metropolitan Philotheos of Thessaloniki addressed the Ecumenical Patriarch, emphasizing that it was the first time an Ecumenical Patriarch has presided over the Divine Liturgy in the Rotunda, and underscored the importance of his visit.
He also warmly recalled the life and contribution of the late Professor Stamoulis.
The service was attended by the Deputy Minister of the Interior for Macedonia-Thrace, Kostas Gioulekas; Deputy Minister of Development, Stavros Kalafatis; Deputy Minister of Education, Nikolaos Papaioannou; the Mayor of Thessaloniki, Stelios Angeloudis; the Deputy Regional Governor of Thessaloniki, representing the Region of Central Macedonia, Kostas Gioutikas; the Secretary General of the New Democracy parliamentary group, Maximos Charakopoulos; Members of Parliament Army Simopoulos, Dimitris Kouvelas, Rania Thraskia, and Michalis Chourdakis; former Deputy Prime Minister Evangelos Venizelos; Metropolitans of Northern Greece and of the Ecumenical Throne; hierarchs and clergy; as well as representatives of the Security Corps, the Armed Forces, and local institutions.
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