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The National Herald - October 30, 2010

EDITORIAL:

Welcome Your All Holiness

As Greek Orthodox Christians we joyously welcome His All Holiness Patriarch Bartholomaios to the United States. We feel that his trip, only the second by an Ecumenical Patriarch to this side of the Atlantic, can become an important milestone in the history of American Orthodoxy.

Our visitor has what it takes to leave an indelible mark upon all of us.

And that constitutes the only long-lasting, secure, means of strengthening the bonds that tie us to the mother church of Constantinople.

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomaios, however, arrives on these shores at a very critical juncture in the history of our church in America. | Our community has been in turmoil during the past few months, turmoil attributed to ill-conceived decisions and actions by Archbishop Spyridon.

We feel that Patriarch Bartholomaios should listen carefully to his American flock. He can be certain we listen carefully to everything he will have to say.

Through a continuing dialogue, the Ecumenical Patriarch will come to know our people more intimately, sense their hopes and aspirations, and understand the difficulties and challenges that the Orthodox faith faces in the New World. That will help guide him to the right decisions once he is back at the Phanar.

We also hope that His All Holiness’s trip will put a spotlight on Orthodox Christianity in this country and give more prominence to our Church’s and our people’s role in the American ethnic and religious mosaic.

God bless, then, his All Holiness’ trip.

May it become a source of strength and inspiration for our people and our faith and reaffirm our immutable ties to Constantinople.

[ The National Herald
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  October 30, 2010 - p. 8 ]