The Ecumenical Patriarch Mr.. Bartholomew, on the occasion of the great catastrophes caused by the extreme weather phenomena mainly in Thessaly, Central Greece and the islands of the southern Ionian, made the following statement:……..
“We express the sympathy and support of the Mother Church to the trying residents of all regions of Greece who were affected by the unprecedented intense weather phenomena of the previous days, because of which three of our fellow human beings lost their lives and one is missing. We watch with shock the dramatic images of the biblical catastrophe in areas of Karditsa and Lamia, in Zakynthos, in Kefalonia, in Lefkada and Ithaca, but also in other areas of Greece, which measure the “wounds” caused by the deadly storm. Our prayers, during these difficult times, intensify and unite with those of the brothers of the Most Holy Metropolitans of these areas and all those who sympathize. May God rest the souls of our fellow human beings who lost their lives and strengthen their relatives and all those affected. We wish our Lord to strengthen the competent State and local authorities to deal with the situation, caused by the Mediterranean cyclone Janos, as well as to support and comfort all those who suffer.
But we would like to point out once again that such extreme weather phenomena, as well as those that recently hit Evia, they come to remind us, in the most revealing and dramatic way, the need to respect and protect the natural environment. Form, as everything testifies, the visible effect of climate change, consequence of disrespectful human intervention in nature. We all need to understand what is happening and change our attitude towards nature, whose crown is man. The,what we do somewhere in the world, in our common house, has an impact everywhere, to all our fellow human beings. Respecting nature, we protect our lives and ensure a better future for the next generations”.