To indulge "in the open spirit of Romanism", eliminating "The entanglements and rigidity of the nationalist view of ecclesiastical affairs" Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew invited the students of the Athoniada Academy, during his visit to the school last night, in Karyes of Mount Athos.
"Constantinople is the womb and generative cause of all Orthodox peoples" underlined the Ecumenical Patriarch and added:
"And as well as in your school you coexist from different places and different ethnicities, you were immersed in the open spirit of Romiosyni. From this age to get rid of the entanglements and rigidity of the nationalist view of ecclesiastical things. Romiosyni means tolerance, understanding, reciprocity, patience, mood of exchange and endless love. That is, education, full of Christ. These to love, our dear children. Get addicted to them. To put these in the innermost is of your existence ".
Mr.. Bartholomew explained to the children that many times the word "rum" in Greece is misunderstood, underestimated for its Greek burden and meaning, while the exact opposite happens.
The word "rum" is from the Roman Empire… We too are successors and descendants of the Eastern Roman Empire, of Byzantium. I can say that we are more Greek, no less ".
Mr.. Bartholomew pointed out that in their efforts the students of Athoniada have the "helper" of the entire Mount Athos community, so that in the future they will be "diaprusian ambassadors" of Athonos and he expressed his joy for his meeting with them, remembering also his own studies at the Theological School of Halki.
"The joy is great, because cat’ analogy we remember those blessed times when we too were teenagers, full of life and visions, we were studying at the Holy Theological School of Halki" said Mr. Bartholomew.
The Ecumenical Patriarch emphasized to the students that now the foundations of their whole existence are being built and at this sensitive age their character is being formed., while "the malleable psychic world" utilizes their various stimuli, that will mark their future.
"Obviously, the education you receive here is of paramount importance for your future development " said Mr.. Bartholomew. He added that the level of studies of the Athoniada Academy has always been very high, but pointed out as "even more important" is the "coupling" of the provided knowledge with the interaction with the holy nature and environment and with the devotional and monastic life, of which they become "shareholders" in Mount Athos.
The Ecumenical Patriarch heard the students sing traditional songs of his special homeland, of Imbro, and moved, he referred to the difficult years of the 60s for the island, when the then "national security council of Turkey" took, as he said, "tough" decisions, tragic", for the purpose of "Alteration of the composition of the population" of the island, who was entirely Greek. He reminded that at that time the schools were closed, fertile fields changed hands, detainees released by terrorizing residents and eventually forcing the vast majority to leave the island.
"It simply came to our notice then, out of seven thousand we were left three hundred persons. Destroyed the island, I was a student in Rome at the time and my parents and brothers wrote to me, how the demolition of romiosity began, I could not believe it" said Mr.. Bartholomew and continued:
"Many decades have passed, with a lot of effort, many people and many factors, the government of our country prospered, where our Ecumenical Patriarchate is located to allow the reopening of Roman schools, to have Greek education on our island again, there is no mention of Tenedos, there are very few Romans… And not only the primary schools in Imvros reopened, but for the first time in our history we also have a high school…. we have about sixty children, is a large number for Imbros, which now has six hundred Roman Christians ".
"There is optimism for the future, an auspicious prospect. We will never reach seven thousand, that it once was, but we will live more humanly " added Mr.. Bartholomew.
The commander of Mount Athos and president of the lords of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, Athanasios Martinos wished to have the opportunity until the graduation of today's students of Athoniada Academy, as graduates, to be able to continue their studies in an open, until then, Halki Theological School. The Ecumenical Patriarch attributed it to the Protestant of Mount Athos, the symbolic amount of one thousand euros, in order that, either to be distributed equally to the students or to be procured by the Athoniada Academy,what it is considered to need for its operation.
Earlier, yesterday afternoon Mr.. Bartholomew visited the monastery of Megisti Lavra.
In the morning, the Ecumenical Patriarch will officiate at the Divine Liturgy at the Holy Temple of Protatos in Karyes.