The Secretary-General of the Interparliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy and Member of the Hellenic Parliament, Maximos Charakopoulos, sent a letter of sympathy to the President of the French National Assembly, Richard Ferrand, on the recent terrorist attacks.
The letter was also notified to Jean-Marc Aveline, Metropolitan Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Marseille and André Marceau, Bishop of Nice.
In his letter, the secretary-general expressed condolences on behalf of the Interparliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy regarding the recent terrorist attacks. He also expressed full support and solidarity with the French people “where intolerance and religious fanaticism try to impose conditions of threat and terror in our daily lives.”
The secretary-general highlighted: “We still believe that the only approach for humanity is peaceful coexistence, mutual understanding, and cooperation between all states and religions.”
Read the full letter of Secretary-General of the Interparliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy Maximos Charakopoulos:
The Interparliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy (I.A.O.) extends sincere condolences and its deepest sorrow to you and the French people on the recent terrorist attacks, with victims innocent and defenseless fellow human beings. The fact that these terrorist acts take place in Holy Temples gives them an even more dramatic dimension.
We express our full solidarity with the French people at this critical time, where intolerance and religious fanaticism try to impose conditions of threat and terror in our daily lives.
Europe is the continent of freedom of speech and expression, tolerance, and democracy, with strong foundations based on three strong pillars of its history: the ancient Greek thinking, the Roman law and Christianity.
It is inconceivable to dismiss these principles and acquis in the name of religious fanaticism, which is becoming a political tool.
With respect to every religion and their symbols, we must preserve peace and mutual understanding. Let us not allow those with other people’s motives, seek to instrumentalize religions to open up rifts in European culture and our societies.
We stand particularly critical of those who choose to incite religious fanaticism and a war of cultures and religions, in order to achieve their own political goals.
We still believe that the only approach for humanity is peaceful coexistence, mutual understanding, and cooperation between all states and religions.
Brutal behaviors and obscurantist threats, such as those that occurred in your country these past days, will not bend our beliefs.
