ΑDDRESS OF ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH AT THE CENTENNIAL BANQUET CELEBRATING THE FOUNDING OF THE ARCHDIOCESE OF THYATEIRA AND GREAT BRITAIN – ROYAL LANCASTER HOTEL LONDON, ENGLAND

 

Οικουμενικον Πατριαρχείον 

ADDRESS OF HIS ALL HOLINESS ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH BARTHOLOMEW At the Centennial Banquet Celebrating the Founding of the Archdiocese of Thyateira and Great Britain – Royal Lancaster Hotel London, England (October 23, 2022)

Your Eminence Archbishop Nikitas,

Most Reverend Metropolitans and Bishops,

Distinguished Guests,

Esteemed Archons of the Ecumenical Throne,

Beloved Children in the Lord,

One hundred years ago, the Holy Mother Church of Constantinople established with the Name, Θυατείρων, Her Sacred Eparchy for Great Britain and Western and Central Europe. For one hundred years, this Metropolis – now an Archdiocese – has been the Elder Sister to all the emergent Eparchies throughout the Europe over which she once ruled.

Together with the Holy Archdiocese of America (whom you precede chronologically), you celebrate the Centenary of your ecclesiastical life, as the precious Daughter of Ecumenical Throne.

Your lineage is as distinguished as it is ancient, for you are named for one of the Seven Churches of the Apocalypse, whose roots in Asia Minor have given them a special connection with the Great Church of Christ through the centuries,

Listen, for a moment, to what the Lord Jesus Christ Himself says to the Christians of Thyateira in the Book of Revelation – it is message for you this evening in the rejoicing of your first hundred years, and a promise for the next hundred:

Καὶ τῷ ἀγγέλῳ τῆς ἐν Θυατείροις ἐκκλησίας γράψον· τάδε λέγει ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὁ ἔχων τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτοῦ ὡς φλόγα πυρός, καὶ οἱ πόδες αὐτοῦ ὅμοιοι χαλκολιβάνῳ· οἶδά σου τὰ ἔργα καὶ τὴν ἀγάπην καὶ τὴν πίστιν καὶ τὴν διακονίαν καὶ τὴν ὑπομονήν σου, καὶ τὰ ἔργα σου τὰ ἔσχατα πλείονα τῶν πρώτων.

And unto the Angel of the Church in Thyateira, write: ‘Thus says the Son of God, Whose eyes flash like fiery flames, and Whose feet are like molten brass. I know your deeds and your love, your devotion to serving others, your faith, and your endurance. Indeed, your works of late far surpass your early works. 

This is your legacy, our beloved children in the Lord: “your love, your devotion to serving others, your faith, and your endurance.” Could a greater testament to a Church ever be found? We do not think so, and therefore we commend all the members of this Eparchy, which has shown such ministry to the Faithful, and such devotion to the Mother Church of Constantinople.

Such an anniversary as this is an opportunity to look back in time – to look back in gratitude and appreciation for all the sacrifices that have delivered you to the present moment. The walls of the Church are made from you, who are the “Living Stones” of which Saint Peter speaks. And these walls are raised higher and higher through the successive generations. Each builds upon the success and accomplishments of their spiritual, and ofttimes, natural forebears, and in this way, the Church grows and provides for all its members. But as a physical wall must have no gaps and no voids, and must be reinforced with mortar to bind the stones, you must also stay close to one another, and be bound by the most powerful cement the world has ever known: love.

For it is love that hold the Church together above all else, even our traditions, canons, and rituals. And we have witnessed how the lack of love unleashes destructive forces within the Church as in the world.

But as the Apostle reminds us: “Love never fails.” «Ἡ ἀγάπη οὐδέποτε ἐκπίπτει». From time to time we humans will fall short, but in the end, love will conquer and reign supreme, for God is love – ὅτι ὁ Θεὸς ἀγάπη ἐστίν.

Therefore our beloved children in the Lord:

Even with all your triumphs to date, the real trial is proven in the future. That is why we take great hope and courage from the words of our Lord to those in Thyateira those many centuries ago: “your works of late far surpass your early works.” Here is the spur that urges you on for the next hundred years. Here is the test to see if you can go forth “from glory to glory,” and give to those in the next hundred years the pride and joy you feel tonight.

We exhort you to see every day as an opportunity to surpass your achievements, ‘your earlier works.’ Thus you will always be well pleasing to the Lord and hear His promise:

“I will give you the morning star.” 

You will receive every blessing that can be attained in this life, and be prepared for those that are destined for the next.

As Ecumenical Patriarch and your spiritual father – who rules with love and compassion to this very day in the land of Thyateira, in all the Churches of the Apocalypse, and in the land of the Seven Holy Ecumenical Councils, we offer to you our heartfelt and paternal prayers for your continued success, for your good health, and the health of your parishes, monasteries, and families. 

We ask our Merciful and Loving God to grant you all joy and gladness, and the spiritual vitality to keep building the living Temple of God here in Great Britain together – as one community of love and compassion. 

You who have ears to hear, listen to what the Spirit speaks to the Churches («Τί τό Πνεῦμα λέγει ταῖς Ἐκκλησίαις»). 

May the Lord bless you all.

Τιμιώτατοι ἀδελφοί καί προσφιλέστατα τέκνα ἐν Κυρίῳ,

Τά συναισθήματα χαρᾶς διά τήν συμπλήρωσιν ὁλοκλήρου ἑκατοντα-ετίας ἀπό τῆς ἱδρύσεως τῆς Ἱερᾶς Ἀρχιεπισκοπῆς Θυατείρων καί Μεγάλης Βρεταννίας συνοδεύονται καί ἀπό δικαιολογημένην ἱκανοποίησιν καί ὑπερηφάνιαν δι᾽ ὅσα σεμνά καί εὔφημα ἐπετεύχθησαν, εὐδοκίᾳ καί χάριτι τοῦ ἀγαθοδότου Δομήτηρος τῆς Ἐκκλησίας, συνεργίᾳ δέ τοῦ ἐνταῦθα εὐλογημένου λαοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ, μέ πρωτοστάτας τούς ἑκάστοτε Ἀρχιεπι-σκόπους καί συμπαραστάτας τά μέλη τοῦ ἱεροῦ κλήρου, εἰς τήν μεγάλην αὐτήν Ἐπαρχίαν τοῦ Οἰκουμενικοῦ Θρόνου ἐδῶ εἰς τήν Δύσιν. Ἡ ἵδρυσις τῆς Ἱερᾶς αὐτῆς Ἀρχιεπισκοπῆς ἤνοιξεν ὄντως ἕνα νέον κεφάλαιον εἰς τήν ἱστορίαν τῆς Ὀρθοδοξίας, εἰς τάς σχέσεις της μέ τήν Χριστιανικήν Εὐρώπην καί εἰς τήν οἰκουμενικήν της μαρτυρίαν. Ὁ Κύριος τοῦ ἐλέους νά ἀναπαύῃ ἐν Χώρᾳ Ζώντων πάντας τούς μακαρίᾳ τῇ λήξει γενομένους Ἀρχιεπι-σκόπους, Ἐπισκόπους, ἱερεῖς καί διακόνους καί ὅλα ἀνεξαιρέτως τά τέκνα τῆς Ἀρχιεπισκοπῆς Θυατείρων. Ἄς εἶναι ἡ μνήμη αὐτῶν αἰωνία καί ἄληστος!

Ἑκατονταετία συνεπληρώθη εἰς τήν πορείαν τῆς εὐλογημένης αὐτῆς Ἐπαρχίας τῆς Μητρός Ἐκκλησίας, καί ἰδού εἰσερχόμεθα εἰς τόν νέον αἰῶνα αὐτῆς, μέ ἐπί κεφαλῆς ἀπό τοῦ ἔτους 2019, τόν Ἱερώτατον ἀδελφόν Νικήταν, ὁ ὁποῖος ἤδη κατά τήν πρώτην τριετίαν τῆς ποιμαντορίας του, ἀφωσιωμένος ψυχῇ τε καί σώματι εἰς τήν ἁγίαν ἀποστολήν του, ἐπέτυχε πάμπολλα ἀξιάγαστα εἰς τήν λειτουργίαν τῶν ἐκκλησιαστικῶν πραγμάτων, τῆς πνευματικῆς ζωῆς καί τῆς ποιμαντικῆς μερίμνης, μέ πνεῦμα πιστότητος εἰς τήν παρακαταθήκην τῶν Πατέρων, μέ ποιμαντικήν φαντασίαν, μέ χρῆσιν τῶν μέσων τά ὁποῖα προσφέρει ὁ σύγχρονος πολιτισμός, μέ ἰδιαίτερον ἐνδιαφέρον διά τήν νεολαίαν, ἡ ὁποία, ὅπως ἀπεφάνθη ἡ Ἁγία καί Μεγάλη Σύνοδος τῆς Κρήτης δέν εἶναι «ἁπλῶς τό ‘μέλλον’ τῆς Ἐκκλη-σίας, ἀλλά καί ἡ ἐνεργός ἔκφρασις τῆς φιλοθέου καί φιλανθρώπου ζωῆς αὐτῆς ἐν τῷ παρόντι» (Ἐγκύκλιος, § 8). Σᾶς συγχαίρομεν, ἅγιε ἀδελφέ, διά τό ἔργον σας, διά τόν σεβασμόν σας πρός τόν πάνσεπτον Οἰκουμενικόν Θρόνον, διά τήν ἀνοικτοσύνην σας πρός τόν κόσμον καί πρός τόν ἄνθρωπον, δι᾽ ὅσα πράττετε διά τήν ἐν Χριστῷ οἰκοδομήν τοῦ ποιμνίου σας καί διά τήν εὐαισθησίαν σας ἀπέναντι εἰς ὅλας τάς συγχρόνους τάσεις, αἱ ὁποῖαι φαλκιδεύουν τό ἀνθρώπινον πρόσωπον. Ἐκφράζομεν πρός ὑμᾶς τήν Πατριαρχικήν μας εὐαρέσκειαν καί τάς ἐγκαρδίους εὐχάς τῆς Μητρός Ἐκκλησίας.

Ὁ πανσθενουργός, πανάγαθος καί πάνδωρος Κύριος νά χαρίζῃ εἰς ὑμᾶς, εἰς τούς συνεπισκόπους σας, τόν εὐλαβέστατον ἱερόν κλῆρον, σύμπαντα τόν περί ὑμᾶς εὐσεβῆ λαόν τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὅλους τούς ἀγαπητούς Χριστιανούς μας, πάντα τά σωτηριώδη δωρήματα Αὐτοῦ. Νά σκέπῃ καί νά κρατύνῃ τήν νεότητα καί νά χαρίζῃ εἰς αὐτήν κάθε εὐλογίαν, πρόοδον, πνεῦμα προσφορᾶς καί τήν βεβαιότητα ὅτι εἶναι ὁ φορεύς καί συνεχιστής τῆς μακραίωνος παραδόσεως τῆς Ὀρθοδοξίας, ἐντός τῆς ὁποίας διεφυλάχθη καί ἐνεπλουτίσθη ἡ ἀρχαία ἑλληνική πνευματική κληρονομία καί διεσώθη ἡ ἑνότης καί ἡ πνευματική ἰδιοπροσωπία τοῦ Γένους μας.

Εὐχαριστοῦμεν ἐκ μέσης καρδίας, ἐκφράζοντες καί τά αἰσθήματα τῶν μελῶν τῆς τιμίας συνοδείας ἡμῶν, ἅπαξ ἔτι, διά τήν ὑποδοχήν καί τήν φιλοξενίαν καί δι᾽ ὅσα ζοῦμε κατά τάς θεοδωρήτους καί εὐλογημένας αὐτάς ἡμέρας.

Ὁ Χριστός ἐν τῷ μέσῳ ἡμῶν, ἀδελφοί καί τέκνα! Χρόνια πολλά καί εὐλογημένα εἰς ὅλους!