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Orthodox Observer - February 1997

Archbishop Spyridon at Presidential Inauguration

ARCHBISHOP SPYRIDON reads from the New Testament as President Clinton, Vice-President Gore and their families attend a National Prayer Service.

(N. Manginas photo)

WASHINGTON — Archbishop Spyridon was invited to take part in the Presidential Inaugural National Prayer Service in Washington on the morning of President Clinton's inauguration Jan. 20.

The service took place at the Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church at 8 a.m. and featured scriptural hymns and prayers.

His Eminence gave the New Testament reading, taken from the Book of Revelation 21:1-7, as follows:

"From the Sacred Island of Patmos, a Holy Shrine of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, in wisdom, let us listen to the Book of Revelation by Saint John the Evangelist:

"And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away and there was no more sea.

And I, John, saw the Holy City, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, 'behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God.'

And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

And He that sat upon the throne said, behold, I make all things new. And He said unto me...

He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be His God, and he shall be my son."

The service included several clergy from various faiths, among them Judaism and Islam. Since the inauguration coincided with the holiday honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, the Rev. Jesse Jackson spoke on the Spirit of Dr. King's Legacy during the service.

[ Orthodox Observer - Vol. 62, No. 1123 - February 1997 - pp. 1, 3 ]