NEWS 

Theophilos Was Enthroned Patriarch of Jerusalem

Elisabeth Behr-Sigel Passed Away

Churches Call for a Common Vision for a Social Europe



NEWS 

Theophilos Was Enthroned Patriarch of Jerusalem

The enthronement of the new Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos took place in a humble ceremony in the Church of the Resurrection in Jerusalem on 22 November, held in the presence of Hellenic Republic President Karolos Papoulias, Archbishop Christodoulos of Athens and All Greece (photo: on the right of the new Patriarch), as well as representatives of all Churches and Patriarchates, and Deputy Foreign Minister Panagiotis Skandalakis. Also present were representatives of Palestinian and Jordanian authorities.

In his enthronement speech, the new Patriarch referred to the recent ordeal the Patriarchate went through, pointing out the weight of the mission he undertakes. “Only under the auspices of the Holy Fathers and the Holy Spirit can we draw the vessel that is the Church out the bay of corruption and deceit,” he said.

Hellenic Republic President Karolos Papoulias stated that this is a historic day for the Patriarchate signaling the beginning of a new course. He said that the ceremony was humble and at the same time glorious, reflecting the personality and noble goals of the Patriarch. He pointed out the role of the Patriarchate characterizing it as a factor of peace and stability in the region and concluded by stressing that Greece will always offer its assistance.

Deputy Foreign Minister Panagiotis Skandalakis stated that with the enthronement ceremony of the Patriarch of Jerusalem a long and difficult period of unsettlement is being closed.

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Elisabeth Behr-Sigel Passed Away

Mrs Elisabeth Behr-Sigel, major Orthodox theologian of the 20th century, fell asleep in the Lord on the night of 26th November.

Retired professor from St. Sergius Orthodox Theological Institute, Paris, Dr. Behr-Sigel’s deep involvement in consultations over the past twenty years on the role of women in the Church gives her an authority and depth of experience unique in Orthodoxy.

Known for her zeal and love for the Orthodox Church, Dr. Behr-Sigel’s balanced perspective offers frank evaluations of the positives and negatives in the western women’s movement as well as in Church practices.

She has been called “The Grandmother of Western Orthodoxy” by her friends and colleagues in France, among whom are many of the great Russian Orthodox emigres, including Vladimir Lossky, Paul Evdokimov, Mother Maria Skobtsova, and Frs. Sergius Bulgakov and Lev Gillet.

Dr.Behr-Sigel has commented, “To be living, this Tradition must, in fidelity to the original and fundamental message, attempt to find answers to the new questions asked to the Church in its new circumstances.”

A prolific author, four of her recent books in English will be featured at the conference: Discerning the Signs of the Times, The Ministry of Women in the Church, The Place of the Heart, and The Ordination of Women in the Church (with Bishop Kallistos Ware).

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Churches Call for a Common Vision for a Social Europe

"At the European level there are many different kinds of social models. All of them need reforms in order to respond to the big challenges of today," said former EU Commissioner Anna Diamantopoulou opening the conference "A common vision for a social Europe: Towards quality of life for all." "What the different social models have in common," she stated, "is that solidarity at the European level is something the State has to deal with. There is a social network where not only the State and the local authority participate but civil society as well. In our reforms we have to strengthen and organise in a better way the participation of civil society. This means that churches and their structures can play an even more important role." Ms Diamantopoulou, presently a member of the Greek Parliament, was Commissioner for Employment and Social Affairs of the European Union (EU) from 1999-2004 (photo: with Archbishop Christodoulos – archive).

64 representatives from 30 European countries attended the conference organised by the Conference of European Churches (CEC) and Eurodiaconia from 22-24 November in Brussels.

During the opening session, Archbishop Karl Gustav Hammar (Church of Sweden, Lutheran) stressed the role of the churches in the development of a social Europe. "The contribution of the churches to a social Europe must be more than giving support to certain priorities on the social agenda of Europe. The contribution is to be a more radical one (in the literal sense of the word), to ask for the roots of our social activity. As churches we must move beyond comparison and competition, the win-lose race in the economic world, and emphasize what unites human beings" Archbishop Hammar said.

As Archbishop of Athens and all Greece Christodoulos wrote in June 2005 to President Baroso, “ Only if economic growth be pursued together with the heightening of shared social responsibility, will the European society be able to progress. Only if the pursuit of technological development be connected with sociality and spirituality, will it lead to an upgraded, higher-quality society. What the European needs is indeed a society marked by cohesion, unity and solidarity, by a sense of justice and understanding for the weak. Such a society will be able to tackle in the best possible way the problems that our imperfect society, as the work of man, will always have.”

See full text of Archbishop Christodoulos.

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