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 same. Christ tells us to do good, to
practice virtue, to practice virtuous works, to love our
enemies-not just to love our friends. Christ also calls us to be
teachers and guides through example, to serve God's created
order-whether we serve as priest or lay person or diplomat.
In concluding his remarks, His All Holiness noted the progress made
in the process of unity between the Christian families of
Churches:
The theological dialogue between our two Christian families
- that is the Orthodox Church and the Ancient Oriental Churches,
has formally ended the misunderstandings of the past. It is not
theology that divides us. Rather, we are united in our commitment
to address the pastoral, liturgical and ecclesiastical issues on
which we may ever build our unity in Christ more and more. The
dialogue must continue, and we must continue to seek opportunities
for mutual exchange. As our knowledge grows, our love will grow as
well.
After the Service concluded, a reception for over 600 was held in
the Social Hall of the Cathedral.
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
.
