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
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew Presides Over Ninth Annual Prayer Service for the U.N. CommunityOctober 27, 2009
Last evening, Monday, October 26, His All Holiness, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew presided over the Ninth Annual Orthodox Prayer Service for the United Nations Community, at the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Archdiocesan Cathedral, the traditional site when the service is hosted by an Eastern Orthodox Church. The Ecumenical Patriarch was accompanied to the Service by Metropolitan Geron Athanasios of Chalcedon, Metropolitan Emmanuel of France, Metropolitan Ambrosios of Korea, and clergy and lay leaders of the Church of Constantinople.
NEW YORK – Last evening, Monday, October 26, His All Holiness, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew presided over the Ninth Annual Orthodox Prayer Service for the United Nations Community, at the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Archdiocesan Cathedral, the traditional site when the service is hosted by an Eastern Orthodox Church. The Ecumenical Patriarch was accompanied to the Service by Metropolitan Geron Athanasios of Chalcedon, Metropolitan Emmanuel of France, Metropolitan Ambrosios of Korea, and clergy and lay leaders of the Church of Constantinople.
This Service is sponsored annually by the Joint Commission of the Standing Conference of the Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas (SCOBA) and the Standing Conference of the Oriental Orthodox Churches of America (SCOOCH).
His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America welcomed His All Holiness and the assembled Hierarchs, Clergy, Ambassadors and Dignitaries of the UN Diplomatic Corps and laity to the Cathedral, which was filled to overflowing. Over 70 clergy of the Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox Churches were in attendance. The Choir of St. Vladimir’s Seminary provided the processional and recessional hymns, while the Choir of Holy Cross Seminary chanted a traditional Vespers Service in English.
Archbishop Demetrios led the Members of the SCOBA, including Bishop Antoun representing the Antiochian Archdiocese, Archbishop Nicolae of the Romanian Archdiocese, Metropolitan Christopher of the Serbian Archdiocese, Metropolitan Jonah of the OCA, Bishop Ilia of the Albanian Diocese and Archpriest Alexander Abramov of the Representation of the Moscow Patriarchate in the USA. The Metropolitans of the Eparchial Synod of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America as well as other Hierarchs were also in attendance.
His Eminence Archbishop Khajag Barsamian , Primate of the Armenian Orthodox Church and Chairman of SCOOCH led the following Hierarchs of the SCOOCH delegation: Archbishop Mor Cyril Aphrem Karim of the Syrian Orthodox Church, Archbishop Zecharius of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, Bishop David of the Coptic Orthodox Church, and Archbishop Mor Titus Yeldho of the Malankara Syrian Orthodox Archdiocese Archbishop Celestino Migliore, the Ambassador to the UN for the Vatican, led a very large showing of the UN diplomatic corps, which included the Ambassadors of Orthodox countries and those countries where the families of the Christian Churches represented by SCOBA and SCOOCH exist locally.
Greetings from Secretary General Ban-Ki-moon were delivered by Under-Secretary-General Vijay Nambiar , Chef de Cabinet, with special words of welcome to Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. The address was delivered by the President of the Brookings Institution, former Deputy Sceretary of State Strobe Talbott . In his remarks, Talbott highlighted the pioneering work of His All Holiness for ecological responsibility in the faith community. He also commented on the recently concluded work of the Eighth Religion, Science and Environment Symposium that His All Holiness convened last week in New Orleans on behalf of the Mississippi River.
In his response, His All Holiness stressed both environmental responsibility and dedication to religious freedom that are integral to the message of the Gospel. He also spoke of service to the world:
[W]e Orthodox Christians are called to offer service to humanity without expectation of anything in return, and also, to be examples for others to do the For the rest of this News Release, visit the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America website
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew in the Wall Street Journal
October 26, 2009
His All Holiness, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew was published this morning on the editorial page of the Wall Street Journal in an op-ed piece entitled: "Our Indivisible Environment."
New York, New York
10/26/09
His All Holiness, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew was published this morning on the editorial page of the Wall Street Journal in an op-ed piece entitled: "Our Indivisible Environment."
The editorial, which can be found on page A-17 of the print edition, and on the website at
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704500604574485341504345488.html
is a powerful statement for the Orthodox Christian view of creation and the need for the protection of the environment. The 18 year patriarchy of His All Holiness has been characterized by this utmost concern for the environment. The Ecumenical Patriarch also finds common cause with all faith communities and non-believers as well, when he states:
Moreover, just as God is indivisible, so too is our global environment. The molecules of water that comprise the great North Atlantic are neither European nor American. The particles of atmosphere above the United Kingdom are neither Labour nor Tory. There can be no double vision, no dualistic worldview. Faith communities and nonbelievers alike must focus on the common issue of the survival of our planet. The natural environment unites us in ways that transcend doctrinal differences.
The Ecumenical Patriarch has just concluded his Eighth Religion, Science and Environment Symposium in New Orleans, focusing on the Mississippi River. His Apostolic Visit to the United States continues in New York, Atlanta and Washington DC until November 6th.
More information about His All Holiness, the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the environmental work of the Church and the Apostolic Visit to the United States may be found at:
www.usvisit2009.org and www.patriarchate.org.
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