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ARCHBISHOP OF ATHENS SPEAKS OUT ON GAY MARRIAGE

A few days ago we related an exclusive interview that Breitbart journalist Matt Boyle (link) had with Greek Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis in the run up to the annual Delphi Economic Forum (part 1, part 2). During his stay in Greece, Boyle also had an interview with Archbishop Hieronymos II of Athens and All Greece (link).

His Eminence Archbishop Hieronymous II meets with Matt Boyle. 


















"Hieronymos II, in the rare interview, spoke out through a translator when he sat with Breitbart News last week at his office in Athens. He said Trump’s vision on economic and cultural issues is a good vision, but also warned that Trump needs to be careful to keep the world from spiraling into war."

"The powerful words from a key religious leader who oversees the Greek Orthodox Church in Athens and throughout all of Greece come in the middle of Holy Week. This year is also a rare year where Easter Sunday falls on the same day, this coming Sunday, in both the Catholic and Orthodox Churches".

Boyle is pointing out "there are more than 15 million Church of Greece members estimated in Greece and worldwide through Greece’s diaspora, and it’s a critical part of the broader international Eastern Orthodox Church network that includes much of eastern Europe and huge populations in the Middle East as well."

"Worldwide, there are an estimated hundreds of millions of members of the Orthodox Church -- close to or possibly more than 300 million people. It is the second largest Christian communion worldwide after the Catholic Church."

Regarding the legalization of gay marriage in Greece (link), his Eminence stated:

"In Greece same-sex marriage hasn’t been accepted by a large portion of society. We believe in human freedom, but that doesn’t mean extreme actions and demonstrations or activism that largely provokes people.

We can’t and we shouldn’t force politicians to vote for something they fundamentally disagree with (a reference to party discipline exerted on Members of Parliament to vote for the Bill). All of this has shocked the average citizen in the previous years.

Then Trump’s victory came and the President made it clear that there are only two genders and we noticed that many global leaders and EU leaders started to repeat the same argument."

'Overall, Hieronymos II said he commends President Trump but also urges the president to exercise caution because if things backfire then the radical left may retake power."

Regarding the surge in conversions to Eastern Orthodoxy he said:

"It’s true that we ourselves are wondering whether this phenomenon we’re seeing is a real increase or just a passing trend".

Regarding young people getting more active in the Church he added:

"Today’s youth are searching. They want a new kind of world, perhaps influenced by the various signs of the times. The real issue is whether we’re ready to respond. We need to first examine our own responsibilities. The truth is, young people understand that material things alone don’t satisfy the human soul.

So, what are we going to offer them? That’s where my role comes in, how can I connect with these young people if I myself don’t understand everything they’re going through? If I can’t embrace their concerns or if I ignore them, then I distance myself from them. That means I have to adapt in order to create true collaboration."

Regarding President Trump's appointment of Kimberley Guilfoyle as US Ambassador to Greece, presently waiting Senate confirmation, his Eminence stated that he had already talked with her on the phone and is ready to welcome her in Greece.

"I think she has the potential to become an effective Ambassador that will bring our two great nations even closer." (More)

Boyle adding that: "it’s expected that Guilfoyle will probably have a confirmation hearing before the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee later in the spring or early summer and be confirmed by the full U.S. Senate shortly thereafter."

 (Read it all)




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