29 Οκτώβριος 2002                     πρόβλημα στην ανάγνωση;  provlima stin anagnosi?  you can't read it?

NEWS

The Holy Synod on Patriarch's hostage

The Holy Synod of the Church of Greece has addressed an official letter to the Prime Minister of Israel Ariel Sharon asking him to recognize as soon as possible the elected Patriarch of Jerusalem Irineos.

Inner circles within the Patriarchate of Jerusalem do not hide their displeasure since Patriarch Irineos has been in a state of confinement in Israel for more than a year and thus a hostage. Israel announced last April that it is confirming the election, something that was announced officially by the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs, however that decision has never been ratified.

According to the influential Israeli daily Ha'aretz, the official recognition of Patriarch Irineos has been trapped in turmoil of interests: the Israeli government is pressed "by business people, brokers, land dealers, financiers, contractors and various large companies from Israel and overseas." "It may be an Israeli extortion ploy: the ownership in exchange for official recognition", the editor added.

His Beatitude Ignatius IV, Patriarch of Antioch and of all East officially visited the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria and All Africa between October the 11th and the 14th, 2002. On the very first day the two Heads of the Churches discussed the problems that torment the Middle East and ways of supporting the Patriarch of Jerusalem.

The two Patriarchs met with H.H. Shenounda, Patriarch of the Coptic Church. The three Heads of Churches discussed issues relating to the Orthodox and Coptic Church as well as the function and the future of the Middle East Council of Churches. There was a unanimous decision to call a meeting of the current and former Presidents of the four families of the MECC to discuss various issues before the General Assembly that will take place in November 2003.

Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology in cooperation with the Onassis Foundation University Seminars will host on Tuesday, November 5th at 7:00 pm a lecture by Professor Evangelos Chryssos on the topic "Byzantium Facing the Dilemma: War or Peace?"

[Source: Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America]

Άρθρο του καθ. Μανόλη Δρεττάκη

Ελευθεροτυπία, 19/09/02

«H παγκόσμια διάσταση και συμβολή της Ορθοδοξίας στον παγκόσμιο πολιτισμό δεν πρέπει να αγνοείται ή/και να υποτιμάται από Ελληνες, όταν έχει αναγνωριστεί στο παρελθόν και αναγνωρίζεται και τώρα από ιστορικούς, διανοητές και πολιτικούς -πολλοί από τους οποίους δεν είναι ορθόδοξοι -σε όλα τα πλάτη και τα μήκη της γης.