We are Orthodox Christian Greeks.
Because we are Orthodox Christians, we love our country, our people and all the peoples of the earth; this of course includes our African brothers and sisters.
Ενώ ο δυτικός κόσμος συνεχίζει να προοδεύει, ο τρίτος κόσμος αντιμετωπίζει φτώχεια, επιδημίες, πολέμους, μόλυνση του περιβάλλοντος, παιδική θνησιμότητα. Πόσο φτωχές είναι όμως στην πραγματικότητα οι χώρες του τρίτου κόσμου και πόσο πλούσιες οι "ανεπτυγμένες"; Δείτε το παρακάτω βίντεο, τα συμπεράσματα δικά σας (από Orthodox Congo).
O Χριστιανισμός προσφέρει την λύση στο κοινωνικό πρόβλημα...
Η Ορθοδοξία έχει λύσεις που μπορούν να σώσουν την ανθρωπότητα (π. Νεκτάριος Κιούλος,Ορθόδοξο Κογκό)
Μεγάλη
ανησυχία και προβληματισμό έχει δημιουργήσει σε ολόκληρη την
ανθρωπότητα η πρόσφατη οικονομική κρίση, που ξεκίνησε από την Αμερική
και απειλεί ολόκληρο τον πλανήτη μας με ανεξέλεγκτες συνέπειες.
Το
γεγονός αυτό απέδειξε την παταγώδη αποτυχία των κοινωνικών συστημάτων,
πού θεοποίησαν τον «μαμωνά» και στήριξαν τις ελπίδες τους στην
βιομηχανική πρόοδο και την αλματώδη τεχνική ανάπτυξη.
Παράλληλα λησμόνησαν τον άνθρωπο και ιδίως τον Δημιουργό και κτίστη του κόσμου.
Σύμφωνα
με τις επίσημες στατιστικές τα 2/3 του πληθυσμού της γης υποσιτίζονται
και ζουν σε πρωτόγονες συνθήκες. Σήμερα πού τα αγαθά αρκούν για την
διατροφή όλων των ανθρώπων, αλλά δυστυχώς απουσιάζει η δίκαιη
μεταχείριση και κυριαρχεί ή σπατάλη.
Μερικοί ίσως να ισχυρισθούν
ότι τα θέματα αυτά ξεφεύγουν από τον θρησκευτικό προβληματισμό. Όμως
αγνοούν ότι η χριστιανική διδασκαλία αντιμετωπίζει τον άνθρωπο σαν
ψυχοσωματική οντότητα και αυτό διαφαίνεται από τον Ευαγγελικό νόμο αλλά
και την πράξη της Εκκλησίας.
Ιδιαίτερα η πρωτοχριστιανική
Εκκλησία των Ιεροσολύμων όχι μόνο διακήρυξε αλλά και έκανε πράξη την
χριστιανική κοινοκτημοσύνη με το κοινό ταμείο και τις «αγάπες».
Οι
μεγάλοι πατέρες της Εκκλησίας στην διδασκαλία τους αναφέρονται και στα
κοινωνικά ζητήματα καταδικάζοντας την αδικία και τον παράνομο πλούτο.
Συγχρόνως σαν γνήσιοι ποιμένες του λαού συστηματοποιούν την φιλανθρωπία,
ιδρύοντας φιλανθρωπικά ιδρύματα και περιθάλπουν τους φτωχούς, τους
ασθενείς και τους κοινωνικά αδυνάτους. «Τα περιττά των πλουσίων είναι τα αγαθά
των φτωχών»
Η Εκκλησία στα 2.000
χρόνια της ιστορικής παρουσίας της στην γη, παράλληλα με το βασικό της
έργο, που είναι το κήρυγμα του Ευαγγελίου και η σωτηρία του ανθρώπου δεν
παύει μέσα από τις ενορίες και τα μοναστήρια να υπηρετεί και τις
βιοτικές ανάγκες των ανθρώπων. Αυτό φαίνεται από τα εκατοντάδες
φιλανθρωπικά ιδρύματα που σήμερα διαθέτει στην Ελλάδα, αλλά και την
κινητοποίηση που γίνεται σε κάθε δύσκολη περίσταση του λάου.
Ένα
ακόμη άγνωστο κεφάλαιο για τους πολλούς είναι η σύγχρονη ανθρωπιστική
προσφορά της Εκκλησίας στις χώρες της εξωτερικής ιεραποστολής στην
Αφρική, την Άπω Ανατολή και την Λατινική Αμερική όπου θριαμβεύουν η
απανθρωπιά, η κοινωνική αδικία, η εκμετάλλευση, η πείνα και η φτώχεια.
Μερικοί
αναζητούν τις ευθύνες στο Θεό γι' αυτή την κατάσταση αντί να τις
αναζητήσουν στην απάτη, την ασπλαχνία και την αδικία που δυστυχώς
κυριαρχούν στους δήθεν πολιτισμένους. Σήμερα τα κοινωνικά προβλήματα
αντί να λυθούν, περιπλέκονται, γίνονται οξύτερα, γιατί εκείνοι που έχουν
επάρκεια όπως ζητεί ο Χριστός προτιμούν να τα σπαταλούν. Πόσο δίκιο
είχε ο Αυγουστίνος όταν έλεγε: «Τα περιττά των πλουσίων είναι τα αγαθά
των φτωχών»!
Δυστυχώς σήμερα έχομε λησμονήσει και τον ευλογημένο
από τον Θεό θεσμό της εργασίας οδηγώντας χιλιάδες συνανθρώπους μας στην
ανεργία και την οικονομική εξαθλίωση. Για να σταματήσει η οικονομική
κρίση και να λυθεί το κοινωνικό πρόβλημα θα πρέπει να αναζητηθούν και τα
πνευματικά αίτια, γιατί η πνευματική κρίση που περνά σήμερα η
ανθρωπότητα είναι ακόμη μεγαλύτερη από την οικονομική. Μπορεί να
υπάρξουν λύσεις όχι μόνο κοινωνικές και οικονομικές, αλλά και
πνευματικές.
Οι λαοί σήμερα χρειάζονται πνευματική αφύπνιση για
να γνωρίσουν τις χριστιανικές αρχές για τον πλούτο, την δικαιοσύνη, την
αλληλεγγύη και την αγάπη.
Η Ορθοδοξία έχει λύσεις που μπορούν να
σώσουν την ανθρωπότητα, όταν κυρίως εμείς οι χριστιανοί καλλιεργήσουμε
στην ζωή μας την ορθοδοξία και την ορθοπραξία.
His Eminence Metropolitan Jeronymos Muzeeyi of Kampala delivered his
remarks on Water and Environment for Climate Resilient Development
during the commemoration Week held in March 2023 amidst dignitaries from
different divides of the country.
Reflecting on World Environment Day which was celebrated yesterday
5th June, we share his presentation which focuses on the teachings of
the Ekklesia on ecological theology and humanity.
Presentation on water and environment for Climate-Resilient Development
I sincerely believe that an integrated and interdisciplinary approach to water and environmental issues can help our country Uganda,
not only to be “the pearl of Africa”, but also to be truly the “Garden
of Eden” of the holy scriptures. My remarks here below are a reflection
of theological thoughts on the matter. Man is at the center since he was
created in the image and likeness of the creator, God. And he was
entrusted with the vocation “to cultivate it and to keep it” (Gen:
2:15).
God’s creation was very good.
When faced with the ecological crisis of our times, obviously, there
are many questions that raised. One temptation can be, among the
questions raised to put the blame on God, the creator. But the
scriptures’ narrations have no room for such a blame. For they say: on
completion of His six-day creation “God saw everything He had made, and
behold, it was very good” (Gen. 1:31).
Very important was God’s care for water in the garden of Eden: “A
stream flowed in Eden, it divided into four rivers” (Gen. 2:10). In this
creation, man who was created in God’s image, had a vocation. “to …
cultivate it and keep it” (Gen. 2:15).
There must be a reason why. The very reason could be summarized by
saying: This world was given to man as a gift, – “a gift from God the
Creator, a healing
gift, a gift of wonder and beauty. Therefore, man’s proper response
upon receiving such a gift, is to accept and embrace it with gratitude
and thanksgiving”. In otherwards using it well for the glory of God.
Metropolitan Jeronymos blessing water water during the Theophany of our Lord
Man’s sin is the root cause of ecological crisis.
Man sinned. In his sin, everything changed. One could ask, what is
sin? Sin is man’s rebellion against God the creator. His refusal to live
by God’s will. It is the perversion of God’s purpose and order put in
nature: (A good example in this case is homosexuality!). It is man’s
deliberate refusal to have communion of love with God, fellow man and
creation. As a result, man actually failed in his vocation. Instead, man
was “passed under the domination of sin and of the evil”. Certainly, as
a result of man’s sin, the human mind became so darkened, and the human
will was impaired”. He could live by “exploitative control of
resources”.
All times, he could be a being of “selfness and greed”. In this case,
there was a need for an ontological transformation. This is what we
call man’s repentance. You and I must repent to save human nature, to
save the creation. In our fallen nature, St. Paul, could reveal the
truth: “the whole creation groans and labors with birth pays” (Rom
8:22).
Christ’s mission of re-creation.
Le me make it very clear from the outset that, true Christians are
and must be environments. This is because, the incarnation of the Word
of God was to liberate man from his rebellion and in the process, the
whole creation. Man in Christ is a new creature, something we referred
to above as ontological transformation. To accept Christ, he must
repent. A new creature is a son of God. He lives by the will of God St.
Paul had noted it that “Creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the
sons of God” (Rom 8:19). Since “It will be delivered from the bondage of
corruption into glorious liberty of the children of God. (Rom. 8:21).
“The loving re-creation of the world by the divine word at the
incarnation of God’s Son is very crucial in our understanding of our
mission as followers of Jesus Christ. Indeed, Christians have to be
models and have to play a decisive role in solving the environment
crisis.
Man’s communion of love is the Key.
Earlier, we made it clear that man’s communion of love with God, his
fellow man and creation was weakened as result of man’s rebellion. In
Christ, man is reconciled to God. He is as well asked to live in
communion of love, with fellow man and creation. Man’s vocation to
receive creation as a gift from God is restored. His preparedness to us
it well for the glory of God is manifested. Christ’s Church, which is an
extension of the redeeming of mission, ever accept and embrace God’s
gift with gratitude and thanksgiving in all its service.
As a matter of
fact, our generation has to understand that we are called upon as
Christians to live fully in the communion of love for the salvation of
creation. Important to note, this planet is “our home … it is also the
home of everyone, as it is the home of every animal creature, as well as
every form of life created by God”. Our generation should consider the
same for the generation to come. The air we breathe, the water we drink
and is the source of life, if it is defiled, the element and essence of
our existence are threatened. This is true for us and for the
generations to come.
Efforts to protect god’s creation.
Metropolitan Jeronymos planting a tree during the feast day of the presentation of Theotokos in Magoma
God’s people are called up to protect God’s creation. Who are God’s
People? These are redeemed by Christ. Living by the will of God. These
are sons of God by God. These are the people prepared to fight the evils
of individualism and consumerism propelling the spirit of egoism. At
the center of egoism is self-interest. Very often, man puffed up by
egoism in our world of technological advancement leaves no room for God.
It only brings about the spirit of secularism. Here man moves away from
God’s creation. He creates his own world without God. In the Garden of
Eden, we saw the rivers flowing.
In man’s megacities, we see filth
liquids flowing. Man must change. Man must change. The prophetic voice
of the church is about the change. And this change means addressing
poverty, inequality, discrimination, marginalization, domination,
exploitation, etc. in all their forms. We must become “children of God
by grace” to become Children of God to be fully committed to the will of
God. This means to do away with egoistic tendencies. To be children of
God also means to be faithful to God’s purpose and intent for creation.
Environment degradation and destruction are torment to suicide.
Troparion of the Afterfeast (Tone 4) You ascended in glory, O Christ our God, after You filled the Disciples with joy, by promising to send them the Holy Spirit, and You blessed them and established their faith, that You are the Son of God, the Redeemer of the world.
Resurrectional Troparion (Tone 6)
When the angelic powers appeared at Your grave, the soldiers guarding it feared and became as dead. And standing by the sepulcher was Mary who was seeking Your immaculate body. You devastated Hades, not afflicted by it. You went to meet the virgin, and granted eternal life. You resurrected from the dead. O Lord, glory to You.
Troparion of the Holy Fathers (Tone 8)
Supremely blessed are You, O Christ our God. You established the holy Fathers upon the earth as beacons, and through them You have guided us all to the true Faith, O greatly merciful One, glory be to You.
📖Matins Gospel John 21:1-14 📖Epistle Reading - Acts 20:16-18, 28-36 📖Gospel Reading - John 17:1-13
English - Christ is Risen! Indeed, He is Risen! Old English (Anglo-Saxon) - Crist aras! Crist sodhlice aras! (Lit: Christ arose! Christ surely arose!) Middle English - Crist is arisen! Arisen he sothe! Iyaric Patwa - Krestos a uprisin! Seen, him a uprisin fe tru! Frisian - Kristus is opstien! Wis is er opstien!
High German
German - Christus ist auferstanden! Er ist wahrhaftig auferstanden! Yiddish - Der Meschiache undzer iz geshtanen! Avade er iz ufgeshtanen!
Low German Dutch - Christus is opgestaan! Hij is waarlijk opgestaan! Afrikaans - Kristus het opgestaan! Hom het waarlik opgestaan!
North Germanic languages Danish - Kristus er opstanden! Sandelig Han er Opstanden! Icelandic - Kristur er upprisinn! Hann er vissulega upprisinn! Norwegian - Kristus er oppstanden! Han er sannelig oppstanden! Swedish - Kristus är uppstånden! Ja, Han är verkligen uppstånden!
Italic languages
Latin - Christus resurrexit! Resurrexit vere!
Romance languages
Italian - Cristo è risorto! È veramente risorto! Catalan - Crist ha ressuscitat! Veritablement ha ressuscitat! French - Le Christ est ressuscité! Vraiment Il est ressuscité! Portuguese - Cristo ressuscitou! Verdadeiramente ressuscitou! Romanian - Hristos a înviat! Adevărat a înviat! Spanish - Cristo ha resucitado! Verdaderamente, ha resucitado!
Slavic languages
Church Slavonic - (Christos Voskrese! Voistinu Voskrese!)
East Russian - Христос Воскресе! Воистину Воскресе! (Christos Voskrese! Voistinu Voskrese!) Belarusian - Хрыстос уваскрос! Сапраўды ўваскрос! (Khrystos Uvaskros! Saprawdy Wvaskros!) Ukrainian - Христос Воскрес! Воістину Воскрес! (Christos Voskres! Voistinu Voskres!) South Bulgarian - Христос Возкресе! Воистина Возкресе! (Christos Vozkrese! Voistina Vozkrese!) Serbian - Христос Воскресе! Ваистину Воскресе! (Christos Voskrese! Vaistinu Voskrese!)
West Czech - Kristus Vstal A Mrtvych! Opravdi Vstoupil! Slovak - Kristus vstal zmŕtvych! Skutočne vstal! Polish - Chrystus Zmartwychwstał! Prawdziwie Zmartwychwstał!
Baltic languages Lithuanian - Kristus prisikėlė! Tikrai prisikėlė!
Celtic languages Goidelic languages
Old Irish - Asréracht Críst! Asréracht Hé-som co dearb! Irish - Tá Críost éirithe! Go deimhin, tá sé éirithe! Manx - Taw Creest Ereen! Taw Shay Ereen Guhdyne! Scots Gaelic - Tha Crìosd air èiridh! Gu dearbh, tha e air èiridh!
Brythonic languages
Breton - Dassoret eo Krist! E wirionez dassoret eo! Welsh - Atgyfododd Crist! Yn wir atgyfododd!
Indo-Iranian languages Indic languages
Sanskrit - (Kristo’pastitaha! Satvam Upastitaha!) Southern Zone Marathi - (Yeshu Khrist uthla ahe! Kharokhar uthla ahe!) Albanian (Tosk) - Krishti u ngjall! Vërtet u ngjall! Armenian
- Քրիստոս յարեաւ ի մեռելոց՜ Օրհնեալ է յայտնութիւնն Քրիստոսի՜ (Christos
harjav i merelotz! Orhniale harutjun Christosi! — Christ is risen!
Blessed is the resurrection of Christ!) Greek - Χριστος Aνεστη! Aληθως Aνεστη! (Christos Anesti! Aleithos Anesti!) Altaic languages Turkish - Hristós diril-Dí! Hakíkatén diril-Dí!
Austronesian languages Malayo-Polynesian Western
Chamorro - La’la’i i Kristo! Magahet na luma’la’ i Kristo! Filipino (Tagalog) - Si Cristo ay nabuhay! Siya nga ay nabuhay! Indonesian - KrÍstus tÉlah Bangkit! Benár día têlah Bángkit! Central-Eastern Carolinian - Lios a melau sefal! Meipung, a mahan sefal! Hawaiian - Ua ala hou ´o kristo! Ua ala ´i ´o no ´oia! Basque - Cristo Berbistua! Benatan Berbistua!
Aleut - Kristus aq ungwektaq! Pichinuq ungwektaq! Yupik - Xris-tusaq Ung-uixtuq! Iluumun Ung-uixtuq! Japanese - ハリストス復活!実に復活! (Harisutosu fukkatsu! Jitsu ni fukkatsu!) Korean - (Kristo Gesso! Buhar ha sho Nay!)
Na-Dené languages
Athabaskan languages
Navajo - Christ daaztsáádéé’ náádiidzáá! T’áá aaníí, daaztsáádéé’ náádiidzáá! Tlingit - Xristos Kuxwoo-digoot! Xegaa-kux Kuxwoo-digoot! Niger-Congo languages Luganda Kristo Ajukkide! Kweli Ajukkide! Swahili - Kristo Amefufukka! Kweli Amefufukka! Quechuan Languages Quechua - Cristo causarimpunña! Ciertopuni causarimpunña!
Afro-Asiatic languages Semitic languages Central Semitic languages Aramaic languages
Syriac - (Meshiha qam! Bashrira qam!) South Central Semitic languages Arabic languages Arabic (Fus’hah, i.e., “standard” ) - (Al-Masih-Qam! Hakkan Qam!) Maltese - Kristu qam! Huwa qam tassew! Canaanite languages Hebrew (modern) - (Ha Masheeha houh kam! A ken kam!) South Semitic languages Ethiopian languages North Ethiopian languages Tigrigna - (Christos tensiou! Bahake tensiou!) South Ethiopian languages Amharic - (Kristos Tenestwal! Bergit Tenestwal!)
Sino-Tibetan languages
Mandarin - 基督復活了 他確實復活了 (Jidu fuhuo-le! Ta queshi fuhuo-le!) South Caucasian languages Georgian - ქრისტე აღსდგა! ჭეშმარიტად აღსდგა!(Kriste aghsdga! Cheshmaritad aghsdga!) Uralic languages Estonian - Kristus on ülestõusnud! Tõesti on ülestõusnud! Finnish - Kristus nousi kuolleista! Totisesti nousi! Hungarian - Krisztus feltámadt! Valóban feltámadt!
A Nigerian language (of many spoken there) - Jésu Krísti Ébilíwõ! Ézia õ´ Bilíwõ! Constructed languages Esperanto - Kristo leviĝis! Vere Li leviĝis! Quenya - (Ortanne Laivino! Anwa ortanne Laivino!)
Pity us, O God, and spare Your inheritance by overlooking now all of our iniquities, for this accepting the fervent prayers of her who without seed gave birth to You on earth, O Christ our God, who in Your great mercy willed to take on flesh, thus assuming the form that was not Your own.
The Akathist Hymn of the Most Holy Theotokos at St. Anargroy valley road. Kenya.