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Ref. no. 1170 + PETROS VII By the Grace of God Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa. Beloved and devoted children of the Church, The Birth of Christ, which we celebrate today, is one of the most important events in the world, not only because it divided history into Before Christ (B.C) and After Death (A.D), or because it brought a new teaching, but because it offered man a new life. Christ, through His incarnation, regenerated man, reformed him, giving him new potential and a new perspective through which to see God, his fellow man, the world, the creation, life. This was achieved because Christ's Birth brought new knowledge. In the Recessional hymn (Apolytikion) of the Christmas feast we sing : Your Birth, Oh Christ our God, brought the light of (the true) knowledge. With His Birth, the Lord gave us new knowledge which is connected with the Light of His Deity. The new knowledge of God is very significant and at this point distinguishes the old century from the new. With His Birth Christ revealed Himself, the Trinity of God, and the true face of man. For this reason, we believe that with His Birth, the light of true knowledge came forth. This is not a discovery of man's mind, but a revelation of God Himself. There are three new elements of T h e o g n o s i a (the Knowledge of God) which can be seen clearly with Christ's incarnation: First - that God is Triune - in other words, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. No-one can pray in the Name or with the Name of Christ if he does not have the Grace of the Holy Spirit. Second - that Christ is God-man. He is neither simply God, nor simply man, but He unites the divine and human nature in one Person, that of Jesus Christ. This is of the utmost importance because it offers to man, to each and everyone of us, the opportunity to achieve theosis. Third - that Christ is not separate from the Church. The Church is the Body of Christ and Christ is the Head of the Church. If we examine the life and witness of the Saints of the Church, we discover that they are in full communion with all three elements. The knowledge of God, which Christ's Birth revealed to us, is Triadological, Theanthropical, Ecclesiological; which means that whoever wishes to meet God cannot do so outside of the Church. This must be said very clearly, because outside of the Church, away from the teachings and the life of the Church, we cannot meet with the true God, but only with the idol of God. And the modern world is full of such idols. Throughout the twenty centuries since Christ's incarnation, we have been able to distinguish two forms of knowledge: the first is "psychic knowledge", which is connected with the created light of man's mind, and the second is "spiritual knowledge", which is related with the Uncreated Light of God. It follows that the two forms of wisdom and knowledge still exist today. On the one hand, there are people who are enclosed within their biological life and exhausted by it; they live all the consequences of that "psychic knowledge": stress, insecurity, passions, conflict, anxiety. On the other hand, there are people who are infused with the spiritual knowledge which Christ Birth brought. They experience all its rewards: faith, love, peace of heart, fulfillment. It follows that human wisdom and human knowledge find their fulfillment within the wisdom of Christ. With Christ's Birth, life itself takes on new perspective. Through the true spiritual knowledge, we see the world, man, all creation, our work and family, in truthfulness. We are not discouraged by the pettiness and difficulties of daily life. We are no longer prisoners to the human senses or cold logic. Without ignoring material things, we overcome them. We discover their true existence and their meaning. We know the fullness of life and in this way, we overcome biological life; we put Death to death. I paternally pray, with all my heart, that this true Light of knowledge, which is not intellectual but existential, which is not cerebral but of the heart, which is not a discovery of man's logic but the revelation of God, may fill your hearts and enlighten us all along our historical path.
May the Grace of our Saviour Jesus Christ be with you. With warmth prayers to God for all of you. + PETROS VII Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa In the Great City of Alexandria. Christmas 1998. Petros VII Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa at the 12th International Meeting "People and Religion" "Ecumenism" 31st August, 1998. The meaning of the word "Ecumenism" is closely related to the Eastern Orthodox Church. It expresses the universal message of the Gospel and the capacity of the Christian Faith to be accepted by the whole world, regardless of race or language. Therefore, the Byzantine Empire, as well as the Patriarchate of Constantinople, were called "Ecumenical". These days the word "Ecumenism" is also used in a different way: it expresses the idea of the universal amalgamation of various religions, Christian and non Christian, into one universal Religion. This type of Ecumenism, which is in reality a new "Syncretism", is rejected without any hesitation, completely and unconditionally by the Orthodox Church. The Orthodox Church of Christ seeks and desires dialogue with all other heterodox Churches, based on equal conditions and provided it be conducted in the fear of God and the witness of the One Divine Truth, which the incarnated Logos and Son of God the Father, our Lord and Saviour has revealed to the world. The Orthodox Church aims for dialogue which seeks the love of man and which will unite all under the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church as one body, the secret Body of Christ. There is no place in the body of the Church for untruths. The Church does not hold a part of the Truth, but the whole Truth; because Christ, who is the Head of the Church, is the Truth. The dialogue of the Orthodox Church is conducted in the spirit of love and truth. The Church determines the ecclesiological and moral preconditions and obligations which those who partake in this dialogue must accept, in order that such dialogue will take place without self-serving motivation or hidden purpose. This means that it is impossible, from the Orthodox point of view, to ignore or to sacrifice the true interpretation of the Divine Revelation, simply for the sake of an insincere, superficial and senseless union. Neither can we ignore the element of love as being the highest good in the relationship between men and institutions. Prudent, honest and effective dialogue takes place at all levels of theological confrontation, debate and conversation, and throughout this intellectual process, the Truth of Christ is projected. All men must accept this Truth. If we wish to proceed to unity of the faith through theological discussion, we must on the one hand, respect the equality of the conditions upon which dialogue is based, and on the other hand, accept the Truth in love and in all its perfection. The restoration of unity amongst the Churches will be achieved only when full communion is restored. This communion is based upon unity of faith in accordance with the common experience and tradition of the ancient Church. All attempts to restore this unity in the past have failed, and in many cases have served only to reinforce dissension, firstly, because they did not respect the precondition of equality within dialogue, and secondly, because they based the dialogue on self-interest, which is alien to the pure unity of the Church. The dialogue of Truth and Love is the only way to restore the full communion of Christianity. We must never forget that the communion of faith is the participation of the faithful in the sacrament of Christ in the Holy Spirit. This communion allows those who believe correctly to embrace God the Father, and finds its expression in the experience of holiness and the communion of the saints within the Church which our Lord instituted. The mystery of salvation is that of being in Christ within the Church, which is the only Ark of Salvation. Our Lord Jesus Christ instituted the Only One Church, the members of which constitute the mystical Body of Christ. Thus, no one has the right to split or divide the unity of this Body or to proclaim teachings alien to the Apostolic Tradition. We, the Bishops especially, must never forget the words of St. Paul: "Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he had purchased with his own blood" (Acts 20:28). The study and deep understanding of the Word of God will greatly assist the true and fruitful continuation of contemporary theological dialogue, as was understood and experienced by the Fathers of the undivided Church. This systematic study will help to bring our communion into the spirit of truth, assisted by simple brotherly love. The Church of Christ is not static, but diachronic. It moves in time and faces contemporary problems according to the Divine Revelation. The Theology of the Orthodox Church is life, by which the faithful become "partakers of the divine nature" (2 Peter 1:4). Theological dialogue is a blessing from God and must be upheld with patience, mutual understanding, and especially, with prayer. For dialogue to be productive, it is not enough just to talk, but also to listen. We must pray to Holy God to grant us all His divine enlightenment, so that we will have the awareness and the ability, not only to distinguish the essential from the unessential, but to comprehend the modifications which have taken place over time. In this way, our conversations will be fair and pragmatic, and based within the historical reality. On the table of theological dialogue we must clearly place all the facts and experience of our Christian Faith. Only then will we have the right to judge how "bona fide" our discussions and our interlocutors are. The Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria and All Africa actively seeks Dialogue. It aspires to and encourages dialogue. It is our heartfelt desire that the paths which lead towards the unity of the faith be open wide to new possibilities and prospects; that the dialogue between the faithful of various religions be carried out in good will and co-operation. Through such dialogue, we hope that we will be able to contribute essentially to the reign of the Divine Revelation of the Glory of our Triune God, Who is worshipped for ever. Petros VII Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa to the 12th International Meeting "People and Religion" "Christianity and Islam in Dialogue" 31st August, 1998. It can be said that dialogue between Christianity and Islam springs from the essence of Christianity, which is the foremost religion of dialogue. God Himself in the Old Testament, as the God Creator, speaks with man (cf. Gen. 1:28; 17:1-2, Exod. 3:4-6) and reveals the uniqueness of His divine existence (cf. Deut. 6:4); and the same God, in the New Testament, in the person of the incarnated Logos of God, reveals Himself to the world (cf. John 1:14) and calls everyone to repentance (cf. Mark 1:15) and salvation (cf. John 1:13-19). There are basic and essential differences between the religions of Christianity and Islam, which cannot be ignored, but there are also common elements which can be discussed. Subjects concerning man and the world, especially matters which deal with everyday problems, can lead in this dialogue. The existence since the 7th century A.D., of both religions in the same geographical locality, for example, in the Middle East and North Africa, can inspire mutual respect and the peaceful acceptance of the beliefs of both religions. Christianity, through and within dialogue, aims to learn more about Islam, its teachings, its history and traditions, always in the spirit of truth, pure love and respect. Today, more than ever before, each religion feels the need to proclaim its existence and authenticity in the contemporary world. Communication and co-operation between religions make an essential contribution to the abolition of religious fanaticism, an intellectual sickness of the religious person; to friendship between nations, and towards the encouragement of the rule of the ideals of freedom and peace in the world. Our co-operation in finding solutions to the contemporary problems of mankind, will assist in our peaceful coexistence and common understanding. The religions of Christianity and Islam are two individual fountains, from which their faithful receive the inner strength to follow their faith and grow spiritually. According to this principle, each religion claims its autonomy when confronting any theoretical or practical problems faced by their flocks. Unfortunately, racial and religious discrimination often aggravate the minds of men and bring back the painful past. As a result, Christian and Muslim communities often have reservations about approaching one another and about the feasibility of peaceful coexistence. Religious fanaticism can bring only new social and religious problems upon the people who are ruled by it. Religious confrontations and clashes are the result of this sick religious phenomenon. Christians and Muslims alike are obliged to turn their attention towards the future, so that they can bring about the vision of God’s peace upon Earth. But why, although these two religions have coexisted for such a long time, does the smallest political disturbance inflame religious intolerance? It is here that dialogue between Christianity and Islam can offer a great deal to mankind. Productive dialogue can help realise heavenly peace on Earth, and protect the holiness of life and man’s dignity. Religions do not enforce peace, but can mark out the man of peace, and adapt his mission to the needs of his time. Dialogue which is based, not only on theological matters, but on worldly issues, can be both hopeful and fruitful. The secularity, coldness and anonymity of society, the destruction of the environment, the lack of world justice and peace, hunger, poverty, nuclear threat etc., are issues which touch the soul of the unfortunate man of our time. The world is tired of religious wars and conflicts. Let us not forget, that many local Churches, such as the three ancient Greek Orthodox Patriarchates of the East (Constantinople, Alexandria and Antioch), live today in the Islamic world. Orthodoxy coexists and seeks dialogue with Islam; dialogue which presupposes freedom of speech and equality between the two parties. In Eastern Christianity one sees respect towards the religious experience of others, forbearance and mutual understanding. Basic theological faith held that the "calling" and the "desire for God" guide all men. Man, even after his Fall, had the ability to receive the divine presence. St. Paul emphasised this by saying: "And had made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and had determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; that they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us" (Acts 17:26-27). Religious experiences do not represent only an insistent inner movement of man towards a higher reality, but an acceptance of the divine radiance within this world. For the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria, which for thirteen centuries has lived in the friendly country of Egypt, dialogue with the Islamic world has special and vital meaning. Islam is our close neighbour and the Patriarchate is not alien to it. Alexandria, where the ancient Patriarchate was founded by St. Mark the Apostle and Evangelist, is alien neither to the West nor to the East, because it is a Greek environment from where Greek civilisation and the theological thoughts of the Fathers of the Church have been channelled. The meeting and coexistence of the second-ranking Patriarchate of Orthodox Christianity with the eastern civilisations has its roots deep in history. For centuries, a large part of Orthodoxy lived in the Islamic world, although not always as an equal member of its society. Despite difficult times, confrontations and misunderstandings, the bonds between them were never broken. This productive spiritual communion between the Greek and Arabic world, between the Christian and Islamic civilisations, is in itself a dialogue of centuries which has enlightened and benefited the people of both East and West. In conclusion, we must say that dialogue is necessary, and indeed, is the only acceptable way to bring our two religions closer. It is our common desire that all misunderstanding and preconceptions be put aside. We must cultivate mutual trust in order to achieve a better understanding. Dialogue is necessary if we are to overcome the past and the present of alienation, confrontation, enmity and hatred. Those who are responsible for this dialogue must make every effort to solve the prevailing problems of our world, to build a more human society characterised by justice and fraternal love. While being fully aware of our common responsibility, Christians and Muslims are duty bound to respect absolutely each others religious beliefs and overcome antagonistic feelings. We must strive for solidarity if we are to resolve the problems facing the world, for the Earth is the common home of all nations wherein we are called to worship the One True God. PETROS VII, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa, on the occasion of the Sylliturgon. Helsinki. Sunday, 14th June, 1998. (10:00 am - 12:00 m.) Your Eminence, John, Archbishop of Karelia and All Finland, beloved brother and co-celebrant in Christ our God, During the Last Supper when our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ spoke to His Holy Apostles and Disciples, He spoke with kindness, with His heart, knowing that His last moments were at hand. He entrusted to them His last Commandment and Will. The world will distinguish you from the others, if you have love for God and your fellow man. Christ wishes all men to know that He loves the world for which He sacrificed His own life. He knows all too well that man suffers from doubt, is weak and will abandon Him repeatedly, but still He loves man and wants him to be saved. This is the reason He allows Himself to be crucified and on the third day to rise from the dead, so that the fallen man who has been enslaved to sin, will be able to rise with Him. He calls all men who believe in His name, to become witnesses of His Resurrection to the whole world. By the Grace of the Holy Spirit, we are able to achieve our God-given mission to the world. We become servants of God in spreading His Heavenly Kingdom. The instruction: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Matth. 28:19-20), is realised within the daily life of the Orthodox Church. Within this body of the Holy Orthodox Church, the Body of Christ, man partakes in the life of Christ and becomes one with God. Within this Body, man’s deification, sanctification and salvation are achieved. Through the Grace of our Resurrected Lord, man draws away from sin and imperfection, and in doing so, his whole being is renewed and sanctified. In Orthodox Spirituality, man lives the words of St. Paul, who said, “I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me” (Gal. 2:20). Thus God’s plan for man is fulfilled, and we are “predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son” (Rom. 8:29). The time has come for us to send out new preachers of God’s Gospel to the four corners of the earth. It is time to renew the spirit and strength of the Orthodox Church, according to the commandment which the Church has received from Her Leader. “The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few. Pray therefore to the Lord of the harvest, that He will send forth labourers into his harvest” (Matth. 9:36-37). The world awaits the light of the Resurrected Lord. It seeks to quench its thirst with the divine water which springs from the fountain of life. Man’s soul yearns to hear the eternal hymns, and we must sing them aloud for all the world to hear, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). In the spirit of love and close co-operation, we can spread the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church throughout the whole world; spread this Faith, established on the teachings of the holy Apostles and Prophets, with Christ as its cornerstone. This co-operation is even more essential today. Nowadays, everyday life and the development of society in the modern world present us with more and more moral and social problems; problems with which the Orthodox Church is deeply concerned and which fundamentally effect our local churches. The faithful entrust their hopes in the Church and therefore the Church is called upon to fulfil Her divine calling and mission in the world. In this spirit of co-operation, we have accepted your hospitality, friendship and love. We consider Your Eminence to be a most true friend and offer our hand in ever closer co-operation. The Autonomous Archdiocese of Karelia and All Finland assures us that it will always champion the cause of the Patriarchate of Alexandria and concern itself with the issues and problems which we face. And so once again, I thank Your Eminence for Your hospitality and love, and I pray that God may grant You many healthy years in His service. PETROS VII, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa, on the occasion of His visit at the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, Helsinki- Finland. Thursday, 11th June,
1998. Your Eminence John, holy brother and co-celebrant in Christ, Archbishop of Karelia and All Finland, beloved people of God, In His Prelate Prayer Our Lord Jesus Christ appealed to His father saying, “Holy Father, those who You gave Me … preserve them in Your name … I do not ask for You to take them away from the world, but to protect them from evil” (John 17:11,15). God’s people are in the world, just as His Church is in the world and not distanced from it. Evangelism is one of the most important roles of the Church. Its manifestation is revealed in life. The essence of the missionary work of the Church is to bring man to God and for man to accept the God-man Jesus as his Lord and Saviour. The Gospel preaches one living Christ, and as Christ is the centre of the Christian life, so to bring man to Him is the essential and utmost aim of the Orthodox Church in today’s society. Man’s eternal destination depends on his true relationship with God. The evangelism of the world is God’s work, of which we the clergy are instruments and humble servants. It is not our personal work, but that of the Crucified and Resurrected Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. It is in this spirit that we must strive to spread Orthodoxy to those who are distanced from our Church. In spreading the Gospel we help the power and grace of the Holy Spirit to change the sinful man into a living temple of the Divine Love and Holiness. As witnesses and preachers of God’s Divine Grace, we must partake of and experience this change. We must learn also to love our neighbour, just as Christ loved us, for this our Lord’s commandment, “to love one another as I love you” (John 15:12). The Orthodox Church is the instrument of God which He uses to spread the truth of the Gospel of His Son throughout the world. It is the divine institutional Communion, wherein we partake of God’s Grace to achieve our sanctification and salvation. The Church offers these gifts through the preaching of the Word, worship and through participation in the sacramental life of the Church. The faithful are called to live the life of Christ in their own lives. Thus St. Paul urges us to, “always have within our bodies the death of our Lord Jesus, so that the life of Jesus be manifested in our bodies” (2 Corinth. 4:10). The tragedy of this world lies in the fact that it does not know the Lord nor recognise Him as the Judge and Master of its history. Man was not created to be the slave of a sequenced repetition of events and of vain hope. It is within the Church that he finds hope, faith in God and love towards his fellow man. The Orthodox Missionary movement which is achieving success in Africa, brings the light of the Gospel to our poor brothers of the Dark Continent. The Missionary work is the tradition and life of the Patriarchate of Alexandria. Because of the importance of its Mission, the Patriarchate must give priority to learning from experienced missionary clergy who are distinguished by their warmth, faith, heartfelt zeal, education and the purity of their hearts. Despite the numerous and profound problems facing Christianity, the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of St. Mark the Apostle, lives within the spirit of the Missionary movement. Your Patriarch, the Archbishops of the Throne and the clergy, all work together in the belief “that the tribulations of this time are not worthy compared to the future glory which will be revealed to us” (Rom. 8:18). The Autonomous Orthodox Archdiocese of Karelia and All Finland is a part of this holy effort. For many years now, pious Finnish clergymen and laymen have assisted in this difficult, but sacred task. Beneath the dome of this holy temple, dedicated to the Virgin Mary, Mother of God, we reverently pray to the Saviour of the world to send out workers of His Gospel; workers who will be overwhelmed with sacred zeal to spread our Orthodox Faith to the nations which have not yet had the opportunity of knowing the light of the True Faith in Christ and still live within the darkness of ignorance. Your Eminence, holy Archbishop of Karelia and All Finland, in Christ beloved brother and co-celebrant, pray to our Lord, “that He send out workers to work in His harvest, for the harvest is much, but the workers are few” (Matth. 9:37-38). PETROS VII, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa, at a lunch given by the City of Joensuu - Finland. Thursday, 11th June, 1998. (11:30 a.m. - 13:00 p.m.) Honourable Mayor, Your Eminence, holy brother John, Archbishop of Karelia and All Finland, Honourable member Councillors of the City of Joensuu, Ladies and gentlemen, It gives Me great pleasure to be with you in this beautiful city of Joensuu and to bring you the blessings of St. Mark, the Apostle and Evangelist, the founder of the Holy See and ancient Patriarchate of Alexandria. God uses the world to spread His Word and Holy Gospel amongst men. His Church is the society, which was instituted by the love of the Saviour of the world, to fulfil man’s spiritual needs. The Orthodox Church and especially the Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria, through its Missionary work, offers to our poor brothers of the Dark Continent, the love of the Unique God-man. The Patriarchate of St. Mark is the Patriarchate of the poor brethren of Christ. It consists of Orthodox from the countryside and villages, and from the deepest parts of Africa. In the Missionary work for the African Nations, our Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria has on its side, as a full-time and dedicated assistant, the Autocephalos Archdiocese of Karelia and All Finland. I have to stress here, that we are very proud and honoured to work with the Finish people, who support the needs of their fellow men, and who with pure love give from their hearts. Today the Orthodox Church is called to give the guide line to the true Faith in Christ, not only to the contemporaneous Europe, but to Africa and to the whole world. The message of Orthodoxy is a message of love, peace and friendship, without any rules or any hidden purposes. It gives clearly the message of the Gospel to man, and prays that all nations will partake in the Heavenly Truth. The decisions of those with worldly power, who look to gain material interests, must submit themselves to the Divine Will. It is not right, that man in one part of the world suffers hunger and poverty, while in other parts of the world man spends numerous amounts of money, in vain, attempting to conquer the universe. The Greek Orthodox Church of Alexandria, which is the oldest Christian Church in Africa, faces many problems today. Some of these are economical. Others concern the lack of dedicated priests and laymen, who will take up the work of Christ. We direct our hopes and trust in the Divine Providence of God, in your support and in the assistance of the local Orthodox Church of Finland. The path is difficult, but God always helps. I thank you, from the bottom of My heart for your warm hospitality, and I pray that the Grace of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ blesses your Honour, and all your City Councillors. May His Holy Spirit grant you health and strength, so that your work will benefit the people of the city of Joensuu and generally speaking, all Finland. May God be with you. PETROS VII, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa, On the occasion of His visit to the Church of theSts. Peter and Paul, Kajaani - Finland. Wednesday, 10th June,
1998 Your Eminence, John, Archbishop of Karelia and All Finland, holy brother and concelebrant of My humbleness, beloved brother in Christ, Our Lord and Saviour jesus christ through His sacrifice on the Cross destroyed the middle wall which seperated man from God and called all the nations to unity of the one Faith. He has called us in obedience of His Divine Will. We are under the dome of this sacred Church of St. Peter and Paul, the first and up most Apostles, and we bring with fatherly love to the Finish people the blessings of St. Mark, the Apostle and Evangelist, the founder of the Holy See of the Greek Patriarchate of Alexandria and All Africa. The Orthodox Church is a service of evangelism to the world. It reveals the truth of the Gospel, just as these teachings were taught by the Lord’s Disciples and Apostles. This service is a service to the Resurrected Christ. It is a service to God, through which the Kingdom of God come into man’s life. It is a service of Christ’s Resurrection, through which the powers of death and evil have been destroyed once and for all. It is a service of Christ, Who governs the world through His mercy and love. In the Church and its service man lives the Grace of the Holy Spirit, who strengthens the change of the faithful. The Holy Spirit changes the life of sinners. Man renewed in Christ, is called to witness His Gospel, as this was experienced by the two great Apostles Peter and Paul, of whom the first denied the crucified Lord, and the second persecuted the Church of the Resurrected Christ. The love of the Resurrected Jesus Christ conquered the hearts of all those who loved Him and confess Him as their Saviour and Redeemer. This love forces us to share with all the world the inexpressible benefits which the Divine Love has granted to us. It has as its aim to bring all into the splendour of God’s happiness. God’s people are in the world, as the Orthodox Church is in the world. Without the Gospel, the world has no meaning; but without the world the Holy Gospel remains out of this reality. The Gospel is the function of the Church of God within the world. The holy Apostles Peter and Paul aimed through the evangelism of the world to free man from the slavery of sin and death. They achieved to lead him to freedom of the Kingdom of the Son of God. We thank God, because the unity in Christ is a reality between the Patriarchate of Alexandria and the Autocephalus Archdiocese of Karelia and All Finland. We share and enjoy our communion in Christ, and for this we thank our Saviour. May the Holy Apostles Peter, Paul and Mark be paradigmatic prototypes of unity and the good friendship between for the glory of our Resurrected Lord and saviour Jesus Christ, as well as for all Orthodoxy. Farewell message of His Beatitude PETROS VII, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa, at a dinner given by the City of Helsinki - Finland. Tuesday, 9th June, 1998. Your Eminence, John, Archbishop of Karelia and All Finland, beloved brother and co-celebrant in Christ, Just a few moments ago, we stood before the Holy Table of the Lord, partaking in the Heavenly Sacraments of Christ; now we are together again at this table partaking of the fruits of the earth. During these past few days we have enjoyed the hospitality of Your love and would like to take this opportunity to express our great and heartfelt appreciation towards Your Eminence and the people of Finland. The brotherly love shown to us by Your Eminence and all the Finnish people, who piously pass on the sacred flame of Orthodoxy through the Mission, has been a lesson to us all. Your Eminence works tirelessly, in God’s name, to achieve all that is good and beautiful about our Orthodox Faith. Thus, You bring to all the blessings of our Holy God, Whom We humbly pray may give You health and strength in order to continue Your Missionary work and diaconate within the Church. The course which modern history follows is somewhat like that of Socrates, who went against all the philosophers of his time by turning his attention towards man. For this reason it was said that he brought philosophy down from heaven to earth. Contemporary theological thinking, now more than ever, has also turned its attention towards man. Theology struggles to provide solutions to man’s problems, so that he can learn about himself. In Orthodoxy man meets with eternity, which surrounds the mystery of God’s divine incarnation. God lives within man when man lives in accordance to God’s Will. It is our sacred duty to teach and spread the true teaching concerning God. To do this, we must unify our efforts and become servants to mankind and to the whole world. It is our duty to assist one another, hand in hand, along the path of Orthodoxy and virtue. We must bring the light of God’s Revelation to enlighten our neighbour and bring him into communion with Christ. This was the purpose of My visit to Finland. In Your Eminence we find the connecting strength which brings our two Thrones closer in practising love and peace. On behalf of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria, I would like to express our gratitude towards the Primate of Finland, Archbishop John of Karelia and All Finland, and to all the Finnish people for their love and friendship. Your Eminence, we pray that our Holy God will grant You long life, health and enlightenment as Archbishop of this glorious nation. May God bless You. His Beatitude PETROS VII, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa during the doxology at the Cathedral of St. Nicholas, Kuopio, Finland.
Your Eminence John, Archbishop of Karelia and All Finland, in Christ our God, beloved brother and co-celebrant in Christ, At this most sacred moment, I am deeply moved, and I thank our beloved God, Who in His Kindness has made us worthy to be with Your Eminence and to enjoy the hospitality of the Holy Orthodox Autonomous Archdiocese of Karelia and All Finland. My visit, as Primate of the ancient Patriarchal See of the Apostle and Evangelist St. Mark, is an expression of the heartfelt love and respect which I feel towards You and the Autonomous Archdiocese of Finland. I consider My visit to be of great importance, as it aims to steer the two Thrones towards ever closer friendship, co-operation and love. Within the bounds of love, the law of the Holy Gospel, we seek to practice the Teachings of the Unique Leader of our Faith, our Lord Jesus Christ. The Orthodox Christian Faith is the force which aims to realise the holy and sacred teaching of the divine commandment, the commandment of LOVE. These modern times overwhelm us with technical achievements, developments and revolutionary theories of various ideological movements, so that ever more we need to apply the principles of the Holy Gospel. This practice is substantiated in the Life and Worship of Orthodoxy. Thus Orthodoxy is not static, but is the constant modernisation of the religious reality, through the divine teachings of which, we find solutions to our contemporary problems. Even more, these times require that all Orthodox nations build a closer communion in their relationships and co-operation. The Autocephalous and Autonomous Orthodox Churches are indeed striving to achieve this goal. Co-operation and assistance based on good will, support the work of God, which is sanctified by the Divine Grace of the Holy Spirit. The Archdiocese of Karelia and All Finland has practised this abundantly in its Missionary work, which greatly assists the Patriarchate of Alexandria in spreading Orthodoxy amongst the people of the African Continent. The Message of the Gospel is being spread successfully, sincerely and selflessly, without thoughts of gains or interests. Throughout the historical course of the Church, and often under difficult circumstances, the Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria has preserved the Christian Principles; Principles which we proudly continue to uphold to this day. I hope and pray, that the Autonomous Archdiocese of Finland will continue to participate actively in this common aim, to project and spread Orthodoxy in Africa. I greet You, Your Eminence holy brother and co-celebrant in Christ, with heartfelt love, friendship and respect. I bring You the blessings of the patron and founder of the ancient Holy See of the Patriarchate of Alexandria, St. Mark, the Apostle and Evangelist. I greet You and Your Holy Church with love, and pray that our Lord Jesus Christ, Who gave His Blood for His Holy Church (Acts 20:28), may bless our efforts to fulfil His divine Will for the benefit of all mankind and the glory of His Name. Message of His Beatitude, Petros VII, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa, at the Graduation of the Students of the Patriarchal Seminary "MAKARIOS III", Nairobi - Kenya. 20th May, 1998. My dear brethren, co-ministers of Christ’s divine Mysteries, beloved children, Christ is Risen! Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ addressed the multitudes near the Sea of Galilee. After finishing His speech, He sent them away peacefully. His disciples and Apostles sailed out. Jesus, on the other hand, withdrew into the mountains to pray to His Father in solitude. A great storm arose and they feared for their safety. In the middle of the storm Jesus appeared walking on the water, calling, "Be of good cheer. It is I; don’t be afraid" (Matth. 14:27). Peter asked Jesus to call him to go to Him, and Jesus complied. Peter started to walk on the sea, but was overwhelmed by his fear of the wind and started to flounder. He called upon Jesus to save him. Jesus immediately caught him and lifting him up, said, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?" (Matth. 14:31). "Seek first the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you" (Matth. 6:33). Service to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ begins within our hearts. It is a commitment to our God and Saviour. Peter had little faith, as his trust in Christ had its limitations. The result of this is that he could not walk on the water, as Jesus did. Instead, he was seized with panic and fear. In Matthew chapter 6, verse 33, Christ teaches us that our first priority in life is to seek the Kingdom of God. Without His Kingdom, man is lost and without Christ he cannot achieve anything (John 15: 5). Our Orthodox faith is established on Christ’s Holy Cross. The vertical line of the Holy Cross reaching downwards symbolises God’s love towards man and the contrary signifies our love to God. The horizontal bar represents God’s love embracing all mankind and indicates our love for one another. This is our faith: God’s unconditional love toward man and man’s unconditional love for God who dwells in each of us. The first pillar of our faith is the sacramental life and the Holy Eucharist. Without receiving the Body and Blood of Christ, Christ cannot dwell in us, nor we in Him. He has instructed us to partake in the Eucharist as the means to our salvation. Without the Holy Eucharist, there is no Orthodoxy. Our entire faith centres upon Jesus Christ and our imitation, celebration and commemoration of His life. "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing" (John 15:5). To accept Christ is to submit ourselves to His Will. We meet Him in the Holy Eucharist and within the Holy Scriptures where we find the Way to salvation. Every word of Christ is an instruction and a guideline for us to act on, in order for us to become a manifestation of His Glory. Nothing was impossible for Christ. At the beginning of His Ministry, did He not change water into wine? Did not Christ heal the sick and gave sight to the blind? Was it not Christ who rose Lazarus from the dead? In the greatest miracle of them all, was is not He who rose Himself from the dead? In all these miracles Christ’s Divinity was manifested. To be of service to Christ, one must imitate Him being the Good Shepherd (John 10:11). The role of the servant of Christ, is to serve Him as his King, Lord and Saviour. A shepherd, protects his flock from all dangers. As a good shepherd, he is always vigilant and alert so as not to lose any of his sheep. He searches for them, even if they distance themselves from the flock or put themselves into dangerous situations. The shepherd lives a sombre and humble life. A servant of Christ, in today’s society is somewhat similar to a shepherd. Christ assured us that, "He who has my commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him" (John14:20-21). We are instructed time and time again in the Holy Scriptures to love one another unconditionally, equally, constantly and without any prejudice. The very words of the Scriptures teach us exactly to imitate Him, so that by His Grace we may achieve our salvation. "Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort in love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition, or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus" (Phil. 2: ). My spiritual children in Christ, This is the occasion for which you have struggled earnestly for three years. Today, you, with God’s Grace, graduate from the Orthodox Patriarchal Seminary, here in Riruta, Nairobi-Kenya. Some of you are already priests, or deacons. Some of you will be catechists; others clergy in due time. Some may serve our Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria and All Africa, in other ways. You have persevered toward achieving your graduation. But, unless you put into practice what you have learnt, it will have very little meaning. Use the learning from your books and the lectures. You are called to seek first the Kingdom of God and to built your faith in Christ, alone. You are called to practice a spiritual life which is a service of sacrifice. Christ sent His disciples out to preach the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick. Christ calls you, through our Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria, to do the same. You are the inheritors of the Apostolic faith and you must uphold it undefiled and unchanged. You are instructed to teach others to follow this Holy Faith. This is your ministry. It begins in your very own hearts when you learn to love and submit yourselves to Christ. You cannot carry the Word to another until you yourselves have put on Christ. Your faith must become the light of the World, a reality. You must express your Orthodox faith with those whom you live and work with. From this point, your ministry can grow and expand. Let the seeds of our Orthodox Faith, planted in your hearts at this Seminary, and nurtured here at the Orthodox Patriarchal Seminary, find fruition in your service. Be loyal and faithful to our Church, and spiritually oriented servants of Christ, working hand in hand with one another, and with your Metropolitan, for the greater glory of Jesus Christ.
Go this day as an example of Christ, reflecting the good teachings
you have received. Throw away that which has been evil within your hearts
and repent. Depart from this Holy Place with love towards one another,
with forgiveness and unity, so that you can enter into your new role as
servants with God’s Grace. Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa to the Consul General of Greece in Johannesburg and the Lyceum of Greek Women, I thank our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, who gave His Blood for the salvation of all mankind, and through His Sacrifice on the Cross reconciled man to God, the Father. The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria and All Africa is proud to observe the joint cultural activity of the Consulate General of Greece and the Lyceum of Greek Women aiming at promoting the arts within the South African Hellenic Community as well as basic christian values such as charity. I am touched by your love for charity. For Christ’s new commandment is to love one another as He loved us (John 15:17). No other virtue in Christianity can bring man closer to God, as charity. Charity is an imitation of God’s love expressed to man. When man loves his neighbour, he fulfills God’s Will. Love is above all virtues, as they consist of love. You cannot pray even to God, if you do not love your neighbour. You cannot be moral, if you do not love morality. You cannot be charitable, if you do not have love within your heart. No matter how man practices the law of charity, he is pleasing God, Who is the source of all good. Practice charity and you will see God’s blessings overflowing your hearts, souls and granting protection to your families. Through charity you imitate Him, Who because of love, gave His life for the salvation of the whole world. And we are proud to have such faithful children in our Greek Orthodox Church, who struggle in their daily life to practice God’s commandments and to show kindness, love, compassion and understanding towards the sufferings of man. My beloved children in Christ, I thank you from My humble heart for the opportunity which you gave Me to address you with these words. I pray that our beloved Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ grants to you all and to your families, health and peace, and may the Light of His Resurrection always shine the path which will guide you to a virtuous life. May God bless you. With Fatherly love. + PETROS VII Pope And Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa In the Great City of Alexandria 16th May, 1998 |
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