NEW YORK – Fordham University conferred yesterday its highest honor, the Honorary Doctorate of Laws, to
His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew
“for his remarkable service to the world community and for the principles that he continues to uphold.”
The solemn and historic conferral ceremony was held in the University Church at the Rose Hill Campus in Bronx, NY and was attended by many hundreds of people, University officials and trustees, professors and students, clergy of the Roman Catholic and the Greek Orthodox Churches, honored guests and hundreds of faithful.
“It is a grace to welcome your All Holiness,” said
Stephen Freedman
, Senior Vice President and Chief Academic Officer, acting as the Master of Ceremonies.
His Excellency Timothy M. Dolan
, the Roman Catholic Archbishop of New York offered the invocation.
“AXIOS” (meaning “worthy” in Greek), was exclaimed several times by Fordham University President, the
Reverend Joseph M. McShane, S.J.
, as he highlighted the Ecumenical Patriarch’s work in the advancement of ecumenical dialogue, his devotion to the promotion of peace and his dedication to the cause of environmentalism.
His Eminence Edward Cardinal Egan,
Papal Delegate of His Holiness Benedict XVI conveyed the welcome and brotherly greeting of the Pope and in his comments underlined the importance of dialogue which one day will lead to becoming one as “it is the wish of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Fr. McShane read the Citation and along with,
John N. Tognino
, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees conferred to His All Holiness the honorary degree. The Fordham University Choir sung the Ecumenical Patriarch’sPolychronion
(a prayer hymn for health and many productive years).
His All Holiness delivered a very important address entitled “Discerning God’s Presence in the World” in which he emphasized “
the primacy of ecumenicity or the value of opening up in a world that expects us ‘always to be prepared to give an answer to everyone that asks us to give the reason for the hope within us
.’” (1 Peter 3:15) In concluding the address, His All Holiness summarized the theme of his remarks:
"Opening up to the heart; opening up to the other; and opening up to creation. Our age demands no less than openness from all of us. We hear it stated often that our world is in crisis. Yet, never before in history have human beings had the opportunity to bring so many positive changes to so many people simply through encounter and dialogue
.” (see full text below)
For the rest of this News Release, visit the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America website
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew Meets With U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon
October 28, 2009
His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew as part of his Patriarchal and Apostolic Visit to the United States met yesterday, Wednesday, October 28, with U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon at the United Nations Headquarters.
Visits Park East Synagogue, Meets with former President Bill Clinton
NEW YORK – His All Holiness
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew
as part of his Patriarchal and Apostolic Visit to the United States met yesterday, Wednesday, October 28, with
U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon
at the United Nations Headquarters.
The Secretary General warmly received the Ecumenical Patriarch, and after the two were photographed together, His All Holiness signed the official visitor’s book.
The meeting that ensued was held in a cordial atmosphere. The discussion revolved around the issues of mutual environmental concerns, climate change and the initiatives for dialogue among people, religions and cultures.
In a comment to the Press, following the meeting, His All Holiness said that Mr. Ban Ki-moon is aware of the environmental initiatives of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and its efforts toward the advancement of interfaith dialogue. He also made the point that the work of the Ecumenical Patriarchate is aimed at some of the same goals as those of the United Nations: the betterment of humanity both through interfaith dialogue and through the efforts for the protection of the natural environment.
Following the meeting, His All Holiness visited the Park East Synagogue in Manhattan, where he was received by
Rabbi Arthur Schneier
, President of the Appeal of Conscience Foundation and other Jewish religious and lay leaders. Rabbi Schneier offered a warm welcome to the Ecumenical Patriarch, a few passages from the Book of Psalms were read and children sung hymns and songs. Rabbi Schneier presented His All Holiness with a silver Menorah as a gift.
Later in the afternoon at his hotel, the Ecumenical Patriarch met with former U.S. President
Bill Clinton
. In the evening
Archbishop Demetrios of America
hosted an Archdiocesan Leadership Dinner in honor of His All Holiness at the Boathouse Restaurant in Central Park.
During the activities of the day His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew was accompanied by Archbishop Demetrios of America and Metropolitans Athanasios of Chalcedon, Emmanuel of France, and Ambrosios of Korea and the Metropolitans of the Holy Eparchial Synod of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, Iakovos of Chicago, Maximos of Pittsburgh, Methodios of Boston, Isaiah of Denver, Alexios of Atlanta, Nicholas of Detroit, Gerasimos of San Francisco and Evangelos of New Jersey.
Contact: Stavros Papagermanos
Tel.: (212) 570-3530 or (718) 415-5850
Email: pressoffice@goarch.org
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