Pursuant to the last post regarding Athenagoras, and the main “theme”…these may be of interest:
Regarding Conferring Sainthood upon Patriarch Athenagoras
http://www.orthodoxnews.netfirms.com/12 ... etired.htm
Dear Editor,
Glory to Jesus Christ!
I was saddened by the article "Greek Orthodox Retired Clergy Vote to Confer America’s Model of Sainthood upon the Ever-remembered Archbishop and Ecumenical Patriarch Athenagoras" (posted July 13) because of the motivation to find "a model Saint for the Greek Orthodox Church of America" and to "seek to venerate one of our own."
One of our own?? Are not all Orthodox saints equally our own inasmuch as we are in communion with one another in the Lord? Do we not "stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel" (Phil 1:27)? Or does each ethnic group need its "own" saint?
While other American Orthodox ethnic groups may have produced saints – Russians gave us Herman, Innocent, Tikhon, et al, Alaskans gave us the Martyr Peter the Aleut, Arabs gave us Raphael of Brooklyn, Serbs gave us Nicolai of Zicha, and Carpathians gave us Alexis of Minneapolis & Wilkes-Barre – Greek-Americans have equal claim to these (and all) American saints. So, why play Me Too? It seems to lean toward Philetism.
In Christ,
Rev. Bartholomew Wojcik
St. Nicholas Orthodox Christian Mission
Pella, Iowa
Published by The Archdiocesan Retired Greek Orthodox Clergy of America, July 10, 2004
Greek Orthodox Retired Clergy Vote to Confer America’s Model of Sainthood upon the Ever-remembered Archbishop and Ecumenical Patriarch Athenagoras
In the forefront of the Greek Orthodox Faith in the United States, His Eminence Archbishop Athenagoras cum Ecumenical Patriarch, proclaimed throughout his life in both messages and acts the first Christian Ecumenical Council of Nicaea in 325. He made Christian Orthodoxy known to the West during his years as the Archbishop of the Americas. The Association of the Archdiocesan Greek Orthodox Clergy Retirees will at the forthcoming 37th National Clergy-Laity Congress conference in New York (July 23–30, NEW YORK MARRIOT MARQUIS) honor Patriarch Athenagoras for heroism in the practice of virtue far beyond the ordinary minimum of goodness. History records the popular veneration of an Orthodox Saint as one whose role model and love of God shone brightly and possessed an aura of holiness. Athenagoras lived an extremely virtuous life. At an advanced age, in what was to be his mortal illness, and ebbing strength, he succumbed to the pains of a martyr’s death.
Although death ended Athenagoras’ earthly life, it did not end his legacy. The Archdiocesan Retired Greek Orthodox Clergy in America aware of the vacuous absence of a model Saint for the Greek Orthodox Church of America, agreed in 2004 to nominate officially a Clergy, who following sanctity by the Patriarch, His All Holiness Bartholomew, to be chosen the first Greek Orthodox Saint in America.
The Archdiocesan Retired Greek Orthodox Clergy of America, seek to venerate one of our own, who lifted up Christ Jesus as our lens through which we see, understand and vibrantly know God and His creatures. A former Archbishop and Patriarch whose style of preaching was straightforward and full of good common sense and our Christian faith. His Eminence Archbishop Athenagoras, became a beacon of humanity in America for 18 years and was subsequently elected His All Holiness, Ecumenical Patriarch of the world’s Orthodox Churches and the 300 million Orthodox adherents.
His All Holiness Patriarch Athenagoras, even in difficult situations, is remembered as remaining calm, always expressing thoughts with sweetness, love, patience, tolerance and affection. One of the newly-elected Bishops in America has depicted Patriarch Athenagoras, as possessing a remarkable capacity of befriending and hailed him as the Moses of the Church in the Americas whose communicants came to Florida in the seventeen hundreds.
AUTHOR: REVEREND CONSTANTINE N. DOMBALIS, served a four decade tenure as pastor and dean of the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of Virginia; four year term on the Board of Visitors at Virginia Commonwealth University; appointed by President Ronald Reagan, representative to the 38th Session of the United Nations; U. S. Holocaust Memorial, Honorary degrees: Univ. of Richmond (D.D.) and Randolph Macon College (D.H.L.); Biography: Who’s Who in Medicine and Healthcare, Who’s Who in America, and Who’s Who in the World.
Kind of makes you wonder, "who is next"; Metaxakis, Sergius?
Saints!? Masons!? Initiators of Schisms!? Who is next...Lenin?
John
