Welcoming a group of Teachers from Greece and Cyprus referred to its September 1955
On the 66th anniversary of his September 1955, “Of the violent, sad and tragic events to the detriment of the Greek Diaspora, during which most of the Orthodox churches of the city and other monuments of Romiosyni were destroyed or severely damaged ”, The Ecumenical Patriarch Mr.. Bartholomew welcoming on Monday, 6 September 2021, at the Patriarchal Church in Fanari, multi-member group of Teachers from Greece and Cyprus, who participated in the Forum "Ecumenical Initiative for the protection of the environment and culture".
"We believe that behind the destruction of religious monuments is the very bad alteration of our freedom., which also causes ecological problems. Religious fanaticism, this morbid expression of religious belief, and the "complex of the human god", the new procurement, which does not recognize measures and limits, but he wants man to be the absolute ruler of nature, are today the great challenge and the terrible threat to nature and culture. It is no coincidence that the Holy and Great Synod of the Orthodox Church (Crete 2016) referred with emphasis to the modern ecological crisis and the destruction of religious monuments, and condemned humanism and fundamentalism in all their forms. ”.
His Holiness then underlined the important role that education plays in the formation of the new generation and in the transmission to it of top values and principles..
"Many and essentially for the future of humanity depend on whether and to what extent education will be able to transmit to the new generation the principles of ecological ethics., understanding diversity and respecting human dignity and spiritual values. We repeat, that an education without ecological, Humanitarian and spiritual orientation is a parody of education. The future belongs to an authentic education of responsible freedom, in the service of Being and not of Having, of shareholder rather than property culture, of solidarity and not of securing the rights of the inclusive individual.
We are glad to have you here in the City of Cities. We are sure, that and those of you who came here as ordinary visitors, they will have already discovered that they became pilgrims, that here is an essential part of their identity. This is where the logic of the heart works, which enables us to see what square logic fails to see and understand. We are here, we keep Thermopylae, immovable, never out of debt non-moving, θαραλλέοι, looking to "Christ only", fully aware that "without Him we can do nothing"..
The Forum, organized by the European Center for Byzantine and Post-Byzantine Monuments in collaboration with the Ecumenical Patriarchate, was held on Saturday at Sismanogleio Megaron and on Sunday, at the Holy Theological School of Halki. On the occasion of the topic of the Forum, His Holiness referred to the lush and pine-covered landscape that surrounds the School, in which he himself lived for eleven years, and added:
"In that sense, We consider the conduct of the Forum for the environment and the monuments in the Theological School of Halki to be very successful and extremely symbolic, where nature and culture coexist harmoniously and surround each other. Moreover, Many ecological seminars and conferences were organized in this area, the first three Halki Summit, choose, meetings, discussions on culture and various other important events. For sure, you will see from afar the Prince's Orphanage, this famous wooden edifice, boast and symbol for the Greek Diaspora, integral part of the island landscape, for the salvation of which sustained efforts are underway ".