WASHINGTON -
The Vice President of the United States Joseph Biden and his wife hosted a formal dinner yesterday Nov. 4, at the Vice Presidential Residence to honor His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew who during this third leg of his trip to the United States is visiting Washington, DC.
His All Holiness and the Vice President had a long and fruitful meeting immediately prior to the dinner, where issues of mutual interest were discussed including religious freedom and religious tolerance, the interreligious and intercultural dialogue initiatives of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the re-opening of the Theological School of Halki and the leadership role of His All Holiness for the preservation of the natural environment. Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew has just concluded hisEighth Religion, Science and Environment Symposium
in New Orleans, focusing on the Mississippi River.
"We are with you, [and] we support the Ecumenical Patriarch as a leader of global standing," said Vice President Biden addressing the Ecumenical Patriarch and quoting the Ancient Greek fabulist Aesop who said "It is easy to be brave from a safe distance," the Vice President said to His All Holiness: "You have always been brave and never from a safe distance. You have stared down those who seek to erode the authority of the Church tirelessly, professing the Greek Orthodox way for millions of followers."
"Your Holiness I am truly grateful for your work on environmental awareness across the United States of America... You delivered a moving address in New Orleans and in New York, and you have inspired hundreds of thousands of Americans along the way," continued Mr. Biden and added "you have been a champion for tolerance and interfaith dialogue reaching out to both the Catholic Church and the Moslem community, both in your native country Turkey and throughout the world."
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew in his response to the Vice President thanked him for the love, the hospitality and his "lifetime of public service" for his fellow citizens and in defense of justice and freedom and he underlined current worldwide conditions:
"The current worldwide economic crisis has fast become a crisis of hope for the peoples of the world. The youth of the world are in doubt as to the security of their economic future, the stability and tranquility of the world's many governments and nations, and the health and well-being of the planet that we all call "home."
"For those of us who serve ancient and venerable spiritual institutions like the Ecumenical Patriarchate, we are challenged daily to convey spiritual truth in a context of acceptance and understanding of every person, whether they are adherents of our faith or not. We have the awesome task of instilling hope for the future in the hearts of the people of the world. Our message is not confined to any grouping, identity or language. For in these challenging times, Mr. Vice President, while you seek solutions in the worlds of finance, diplomacy, and social welfare, we offer the lasting and existentially meaningful alternatives to the "opiates of the people". We have the sacred duty and trust to offer compassion, mercy, sacrifice, generosity, and ultimately love." (for the full text see
http://www.patriarchate. For the rest of this News Release, visit the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America website
Come Receive the Light Schedule - November 2009
November 2, 2009
Come Receive the Light, the only nationally syndicated Orthodox Christian radio broadcast, is a weekly program that features interviews with noted Orthodox Christian clergy, theologians, and lay leaders on theological, spiritual, pastoral, and modern social issues.
November 6
Speaker: Dr. Elizabeth Prodromou
Topic: Prodromou on Patriarch's visit
Friend of the show Dr. Elizabeth Prodromou returns to talk with Fr. Chris about Eccumenical Patriarch Bartholomew's recent trip to the United States and what it means for Orthodox Christians here in the United States and around the world. Also on the show is Orthodox priest and prolific author of New Testament commentaries Fr. Lawrence Farley. He's here to tell us about St. James the Apostle, the first bishop of Jerusalem, whose Feastday we celebrated on October 23rd.
November 13
Speaker: Fr. Antonio Perdomo
Topic: Perdomo on reaching out to Spanish-speakers
On today 's episode of Come Receive the Light, we welcome Fr. Antonio Perdomo of St. George the Great Martyr Orthodox Church in Pharr Texas to the show. He talks about his work reaching out to Spanish-speaking people with the Word of our Holy Orthodox Faith. In a short segment, Dr. David C. Ford of St. Tikhon's Orthodox Theological Seminary tells a little about St. John Chrysostom, whose Nameday we celebrate on November 13th. All of us know of this important Saint, but many of us don't know much about who he was.
November 20
Speaker: Fr.Timothy Chrapko
Topic: Chrapko on baptism
Fr. Timothy Chrapko, associate pastor at St. Volodymyr's Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Alberta, Canada, is here to talk with us about the sacrament of Baptism. Learn more about the history of this ancient rite and how it fits into our daily spiritual walk. Also on the program is Eva Kokinos, who's the director of youth ministries for the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Detroit. She and Fr. Chris talk about internet resources and safety, since not everything on the web is as enriching as OCN's website!
November 27
Speaker: Subdeacon Irenaios Anderson
Topic: Anderson on Nahum & Habakkuk
On December 1st and 2nd, we celebrate the Feastdays of the prophets Nahum and Habakkuk. Subdeacon Irenaios Anderson from Saint Herman Theological Seminary in Kokiak, Alaska, will tell us about the role of prophets in the Old Testament and these two prophets in particular. Plus, it's always a pleasure to have Frederica Mathewes-Greene on the show, and she's back with us to talk about her new book "At the Corner of East and Now."
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Come Receive the Light, the only nationally syndicated Orthodox Christian radio broadcast, is a weekly program that features interviews with noted Orthodox Christian clergy, theologians, and lay leaders on theological, spiritual, pastoral, and modern social issues. Heard on the radio in more than 100 cities in the United States and the Bahamas, this unique weekly broadcast offers the ancient, Christ-centered message of Orthodox Christianity to the modern world. You can listen to past programs on demand and find many other online resources to deepen your faith at
Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America website
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew Addresses the Archdiocesan Council
November 1, 2009
Archbishop Demetrios of America welcomed His All Holiness to a unique session of the Archdiocesan Council yesterday morning, attended by more than 100 members, all the Metropolitans of the Holy Eparchial Synod, the Auxiliary Bishops and Metropolitans Athanasios Geron of Chalchedon and Emmanuel of France accompanying His All Holiness.
NEW YORK – Archbishop Demetrios of America welcomed His All Holiness to a unique session of the Archdiocesan Council yesterday morning, attended by more than 100 members, all the Metropolitans of the Holy Eparchial Synod, the Auxiliary Bishops and Metropolitans Athanasios Geron of Chalchedon and Emmanuel of France accompanying His All Holiness.
“All of you are indispensable members of this responsible body of the Church – bishops and presbyters, clergy and laity, men and women, young and old,” said His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew in his paternal and patriarchal exhortation to the members of the Archdiocesan Council of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America that had gathered in New York City for their regularly scheduled Fall meeting.
The Ecumenical Patriarch expressed his “special pride” and “sincere gratitude” for the achievements of the Archdiocesan Council and the Church in America, for the “unfailing commitment” of the members and for their “fervent love for Christ and His teachings.”
As His All Holiness spoke of the long and uninterrupted tradition of the Holy Mother Church of Constantinople and as he offered his Patriarchal Blessing upon the members exhorted them: “…never lose sight of two things: First, of your sacred and historical roots, which lie in the Mother Church of Constantinople, which has known glory and martyrdom alike over the centuries, and to this day maintains the unity, sanctity, catholicity and apostolicity of the Orthodox Christian Church; And second, of your spiritual and heavenly goal, which lies in the Kingdom of God, to which all of our actions and our ministry should aspire.”
Following his exhortation to the Archdiocesan Council His All Holiness offered a private audience to the National Philoptochos Executive Committee, during which he expressed the gratification of the Mother Church for the important philanthropic work of the National Ladies Philoptochos Society.
Later in the day, His All Holiness attended a Luncheon in his honor by the Permanent representative of Turkey to the United Nations, Ambassador Ertugrul Apakan.
Contact: Stavros Papagermanos
Tel.: (212) 570-3530 or (718) 415-5850
Email:
pressoffice@goarch.org
"Tribute to Peacemakers" A Concert in Honor of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and Archbishop Demetrios
October 30, 2009
“It was a prayer for peace,” said His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew yesterday, following the conclusion of a concert entitled “Tribute to Peace Makers” at the renowned Alice Tully Hall in Manhattan’s Lincoln Center.
American Bible Society Commemorates U.S. Visit with Exhibition at Museum of Biblical Art
NEW YORK – “It was a prayer for peace,” said His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew yesterday, following the conclusion of a concert entitled “Tribute to Peace Makers” at the renowned Alice Tully Hall in Manhattan’s Lincoln Center.
The Concert was organized by the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America in honor of His All Holiness and in celebration of the tenth anniversary of the Enthronement of His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America, and was attended by nearly a thousand people, faithful and guests, from the greater New York Metropolitan area.
The Manhattan Philharmonic, under the direction of its Maestro Peter Tiboris performed Verdi’s Overture to La forza del destino, Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 1 with virtuoso Vassilis Varvaresos at the piano, and Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5.
The special appearance of the Archdiocesan Metropolitan Youth Choir was received with enthusiastic applause as it performed, under the direction of Maria Koleva and the accompaniment of Vassilis Varvaresos, favorite pieces like Miller/Jackson’s Let There Be Peace on Earth, Bernstein’s America from West Side Story, Spanoudakis’ Petrina Hronia, Kaldaras/Pythagoras’ I Smirni and Zoudiaris’ Vosporos with soloist Flora Kirou.
Following the concert Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew praised the musicians, the children of the choir, the conductor and the choir director and told those in attendance that music has “the power to kindle love…
not only for our own people, but for all the world and for every member of the human race.”
And His All Holiness added: “The flame of brotherly love fires the forge of peace. Let the song of the children be the anthem of all tonight: Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me… with every step I take, let this be my solemn vow .”
Exhibition at Museum of Biblical Art
Earlier in the evening, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew visited the Museum of Biblical Art (MOBIA). The American Bible Society in tribute of His All Holiness’ Apostolic Visit to the U.S. organized an exhibition of sacred texts and icons celebrating the history of the Orthodox tradition, which opened yesterday Oct. 30 and is continuing through Jan. 24, 2010.
ABS President and CEO Dr. R. Lamar Vest hosted privately His All Holiness who then toured the icon exhibition and a pictorial tribute for the Ecumenical Patriarch’s prophetic and pioneering leadership for the environment. In his presentation to the Ecumenical Patriarch Dr. R. Lamar Vest said: “In Your All Holiness’ ministry, the Gospel is made relevant to the most pressing matters of the day, as you apply the truths and mandates of Scripture on issues of socioeconomic justice, human freedom, religious tolerance, and especially on the environmental crisis.” Dr. Vest presented to His All Holiness a commemorative edition of the Paschal reading from the Gospel of John, entitled,
In the Beginning Was the Word,
in forty different languages.
Contact: Stavros Papagermanos
Tel.: (212) 570-3530
Email:
pressoffice@goarch.org
Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America website
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