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Greek-English
Ref. No: 40/2020
To the Members Holy and Sacred Synod
At their Sees
Your Eminences and Your Graces,
Through this Patriarchal Encyclical
Notice, we wish to express to all of you our Paternal concern and
support regarding the serious issue of the Corona Virus Pandemic
(COVID-19).
Unfortunately, as should not have
happened, all of humanity has become witness to an unjust and relentless
pandemic, which has cost the lives of thousands of our fellow human
beings. Throughout the length and breadth of the world, we now mourn the
victims of this disease, which, according to the latest news, we learn
has now also reached sub-Saharan Africa.
With a broken heart and tears, night and
day, we lift our hands in prayer to the All Merciful Lord, to pity
humanity, the works of His hands, to silence the trumpets of the
Revelation, and for joy and peace to return to the daily lives of
people.
It is now a fact that the world is
entering an Apocalyptic era, where no one feels safe, and where the
drums of war co-ordinate with cries of “men's hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth” (Luke 21:26).
But as Christians and Shepherds, we do
not lose our hope in God. We believe and preach God Almighty, the God of
Love and of Mercy. There is only one point that I as your Spiritual
Father would like to ask of you. Be close to your flock, comfort and
support our fellow Africans, teach them ways of elementary health and
cleanliness, because most do not have access to clean water. And, as the
situation is serious, I recommend that you comply with the orders and
decisions of the countries in which you serve, so that our Holy Church
does not become the cause of scandal, but an example of social
solidarity and love.
Praying with all my heart that the Lord
will grant Grace to your spiritual struggles and bestows on you His rich
blessing, I remain with many paternal prayers and Patriarchal
blessings.
Fervent intercessor to God
† THEODOROS II
Εγκύκλιο σημείωμα της Α.Θ. Μακαριότητος για τον κορωναϊό Covid-19
Ἀριθμ.Πρωτ.:40/2020
Πρός τά Μέλη τῆς Ἁγίας καί Ἱερᾶς Συνόδου
Εἰς τάς Ἕδρας των
Σεβασμιώτατοι καί Θεοφιλέστατοι,
Διά τοῦ παρόντος Πατριαρχικοῦ Ἐγκυκλίου
Σημειώματος ἐπιθυμοῦμεν ὅπως ἐκφράσωμεν εἰς ὅλους σας τὴν Πατρική μας
ἀγωνία καὶ συμπαράστασιν διὰ τὸ σοβαρὸν θέμα τῆς πανδημίας τοῦ
Κορωναϊοῦ, (COVID-19).
Δυστυχῶς, ὡς μὴ ὤφειλε, ὅλη ἡ ἀνθρωπότης
γίνεται μάρτυς μιᾶς ἄδικης καὶ ἀδυσώπητης πανδημίας, ἡ ὁποία στοιχίζει
τὴν ζωὴ σὲ χιλιάδες συνανθρώπους μας. Σὲ ὅλα τὰ μήκη καὶ τὰ πλάτη τῆς
οἰκουμένης πλέον θρηνοῦμε θύματα αὐτῆς τῆς ἀρρώστιας καί ἡ ὁποία,
σύμφωνα μὲ τὰ τελευταῖα νέα, ὅπως μαθαίνουμε ἔφτασε καὶ στὴν ὑποσαχάρια
Ἀφρική.
Μὲ συντετριμμένη καρδιὰ καὶ δάκρυα,
νύχτα καὶ ἡμέρα, ὑψώνουμε χεῖρας ἱκέτιδας πρὸς τὸν Πανοικτίρμονα Κύριο
τοῦ Ἐλέους, νὰ λυπηθεῖ τὴν ἀνθρωπότητα, τὰ ἔργα τῶν χειρῶν Του, νὰ
σωπάσουν οἱ σάλπιγγες τῆς Ἀποκάλυψης, νὰ ἐπιστρέψουν ἡ χαρὰ καὶ ἡ εἰρήνη
στὴν καθημερινὴ ζωὴ τῶν ἀνθρώπων. Εἶναι πλέον γεγονὸς ὅτι ὁ κόσμος
εἰσέρχεται σὲ μιὰ Ἀποκαλυπτικὴ ἐποχή, ὅπου κανεὶς δὲν αἰσθάνεται
ἀσφαλής, καὶ ὅπου τὰ τύμπανα τῶν πολέμων συντονίζονται μὲ τὶς κραυγὲς «ἀποψυχόντων ἀνθρώπων, απὸ φόβου καὶ προσδοκίας τῶν ἐπερχομένων τῇ οἰκουμένῃ» (Λουκ. κα΄, 26).
Ὅμως, ποτὲ ὡς
Χριστιανοὶ καὶ ὡς Ποιμένες δὲν χάνουμε τὴν ἐλπίδα μας πρὸς τὸν Θεόν.
Πιστεύουμε καὶ κηρύττουμε Θεὸν Παντοδύναμον, Θεὸν τῆς Ἀγάπης καὶ τοῦ
Ἐλέους. Μόνο ἕνα σημεῖο ἐπιθυμῶ, ὡς Πνευματικός Σας Πατέρας νὰ σᾶς
παρακαλέσω. Νὰ εἶστε κοντὰ στὸ Ποίμνιο σας, νὰ παρηγορεῖτε καὶ νὰ
συμπαραστέκεστε τοὺς ἀδελφούς μας Ἀφρικανούς, νὰ τοὺς διδάσκετε τρόπους
στοιχειώδους ὑγειινῆς καὶ καθαριότητος, διότι οἱ περισσότεροι ἐξ αὐτῶν
δὲν ἔχουν, ἀλλοίμονο, πρόσβαση οὔτε σὲ καθαρὸ νερό. Καὶ ἐπειδὴ ἡ
κατάσταση εἶναι σοβαρή, σᾶς συνιστῶ νὰ συμμορφώνεστε μὲ τὶς ἐντολὲς καὶ
ἀποφάσεις τῆς κάθε χώρας ὅπου διακονεῖτε, γιὰ νὰ μὴν γίνει ἡ Ἁγία
Ἐκκλησία μας αἰτία σκανδάλου, ἀλλὰ παράδειγμα κοινωνικῆς ἀλληλεγγύης καὶ
ἀγάπης.
Διάπυρος πρός Θεόν εὐχέτης
† Ὁ Πάπας καί Πατριάρχης Ἀλεξανδρείας καί πάσης Ἀφρικῆς
Θ Ε Ο Δ Ω Ρ Ο Σ Β’
Ἐν τῇ Μεγάλῃ Πόλει
τῆς Ἀλεξανδρείας
τῇ 17ῃ Μαρτίου 2020
