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Athens News Agency - November 12, 1999
Clinton Letter of Farewell to Spyridon
By Justine Frangouli
The President of the United States, Bill Clinton, has sent
a cordial letter of farewell to Archbishop Spyridon, former Primate of the
Greek Orthodox Church in America, to express his appreciation for the excellent
co-operation the two men had during the three years that the Archbishop served
in America.
"Throughout your inspired tenure -the American President wrote- you have
enriched the lives of countless others and stood as an example of faith to
our nation and the world. You have worked tirelessly to serve the Ecumenical
Patriarchate, fostering an atmosphere of compassion and fellowship and tending
to the spiritual needs of those who look to you for guidance."
The US President thanked the former Archbishop of America, also on behalf
of his wife, Hillary, for the active part he has played in promoting vital
issues of our time. He concluded by saying: "You can take pride in knowing
that you have truly made a positive difference to our world and to our future."
It should be noted that Archbishop Spyridon has stated that he is withdrawing
from active service. He has refused so far to accept his election as Metropolitan
of Chaldia and is now discussing the possibility of delivering a series of
theological lectures at major US universities. He has also accepted a proposal
from the New York Times to write a number of articles on relations between
Orthodoxy and other Christian Churches.
[ Translated from Greek ]
[ Αθηναϊκό Πρακτορείο Ειδήσεων - 12 Νοεμβρίου 1999 ]
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