OUR' CONCERNS FOR THE PATRIARCHATE
"The Greek Orthodox Communion is locked out and we don't fit in but the fire has not gone out"
By CN. D OMBA LIS, D.D.
What most of the 200 million Greek Orthodox Christians world wide communion. Bishops from other lands cannot do not know is that the spiritual center of the second largest serve the Holy Synod and this restraint impoverishes Christian denomination is under the influence of the Tur Orthodoxy in many areas ofthe world. There is no represen kish goverment. We have lost control of the Ecumenical tation other than from the small Greek Orthodox minority Patriarchate in Istanbul, Turkey. We the Othodox, who residing in Turkey. How can the Holy Synod enrich Orthod number approximately 5 million in the United States of oxy abroad, when they don't know and understand our America, have the following legitimate concerns for the needs? future of our Patriarchate and our church: 4. The Turkish government also exercises a review and I. Our Ecumencal Patriarchate is located in Turkey, a sanction of any candidates for the Patriarchal seat. Many nation with a population of 40 million. Of these 40 million capable and dynamic leaders, men of profound content, inhabitants, only some 4,000 are Greek Orthodox Chris were rejected by the Turkish government and removed from tians, and many are either aged or infirmed. Some 50 years possible selection by the Holy Synod. Patriarch Gregorios, ago, the Greek Orthodox population numbered over who was viewed favorably by the Turkish government but 300,000, but because of political and religious restraints, who was later found to be in disfavor, was hanged from the Orthodox Christians abandoned the land of Turkey where main gates of the Phanari (the site of the Patriarchate in they had lived for centuries. Instanbul) in the early 19th Century. 2. The Ecumenical Patriarch, by Turkish law is required 5. The impact of the Patriarch and of the Holy Synod on to be a Turkish citizen. The Holy Synod, the cabinet of the Patriarchate, which numbers 12 Metropolitans, by Turkish law is also compelled to be of Turkish citizenry. As the years pass, the Greek Orthodox inhabitants cannot statistically PLAZA raise up from in their midst qualified candidates to fill the reoccurring vacancies. What will happen to the Patriarchate Caffee/Bar in 15 years or 25 years? The Patriarchate will be bankrupt of leadership. 3. The restriction of citizenship upon the members of the Holy Synod also severely hampers the flow and exchange of EYTYXIEMENEE FIOPTEE vital information necessary for the administration of a T ASSOS LAZARAKIS The writer of this article. Rev. Constantine N. Dombalis is SAM KOLLIAS Dean of Sts. Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Cathedral Richmond, Virginia. Dr. Dombalis was Your Host appointed by President Ronald Reagan to the United States JOHN KELEPESIS Civil Rights Commission, but elected to serve as a u.s. Delegate to the 1983 United Nations Assembly on the staff SPECIALIZING IN ITALIAN CUISINE of" the Chief Delegate, Dr. Jeanne Kirkpartrik. He has served as Dean ofthe Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Virginia A RELAXING GATHERING SPOT for thirty seven years. In addition, he was elected to the SERVING LUNCH & DINER presidency of the Richmond Area Ministers Association and the Virginia Council of Churches. Dr. Dombalis is a 7 DAYS llA-llP former president of the Alumni Association of the Greek 250 WEST 34TH Orthodox Theological Seminary of the Holy Cross. Cur rently, he is a member of the Boards of Visitors of the (ONE PENN PLAZA) Virginia Commonwealth University and the Medical Col (212) 695-6785 lege of Virginia.
DECEMBER, 1991 9 ~- ;/ .1 ~/ 0 \ f KAAA XPIETOYTENNA Hibernia Diner THERMENOS & COVAS FAMILIES ETOVr; 7l:eAdrer; Kal rpiAOVr; KAAA XPIETOyrENNA
9 GREENPOND ROAD KAI KAAH XPONIA
ROCKAWAY, N.J. 07866 ~ nOAAOi nOVAavc 1.l1tOytEC;, uAAa ).lOVO o TSIGONIAS LtC; nupayct 0 i8to<; o'tu Tel: (201) 625-3255 t8tOK't'l1'tU cpyoo'taotu 1''11<; c'tatpiu<;.
:::- (\ ~ QJt TSIGONIA MnOrIEl: KAI BEPNIKIA Millburn Diner H IlPQTH EAAHNIKH BIOMHXANIA XPQMATQN ITHN AMEPIKH THERMENOS FAMILY TSIGONIA
76 ESSEX STREET 452 COMMUNIPAW AVE., JERSEY CITY, N.J. MILLBURN, N.J. 07041· Registered with the United States Patent Office in Washington, D. C. Tel: (201) 376-0504
DISTRIBUTORS
-9 Manhattan TSIGONIA INDUSTRIES Brookside Diner 568 W. 184th Street, N.Y. 10033 Tel. (212) 568-4430 Flushing PAINTER'S MARKET 15-12 College Point Blvd., College Point Tel. (718) 463-1435 COVAS & THERMENOS FAMILIES Astoria TSIGONIA PAINT SALES 41-17 Broadway, L.1.c. 11103 Tel. (718) 932-3664 699 ROUTE 10 New Store HANOVER TWP., N.J. 07981 TSIGONIA PAINT SALES OF NEW JERSEY Tel: (201) 515-4433 464 Communipaw Ave., Jersey City, N.J. (Corner of Garfield Ave.)
10 GREEK-AMERICAN REVIEW the Greek Orthodox Church in the Americas has been ques the eventual extinction of the Patriarchate. Should the Tur tionable. The future Archbishop of the Americas will be kish government refuse to honor our petition, the Greek selected by a Patriarch and a Holy Synod under Turkish Orthodox Church in the Americas should seek the following influence and without any representation from the Greek alternatives: Orthodox Church in the Americas. Be assured the new 1. The Patriarchate is to abandon Constantinople (Istan Archbiship will be from amongst the members of the Holy bul) and proceed into exile. The precedent for such a move Synod and a Turkish citizen, for the position of Archbishop was established in 1204, when the Latin occu pation of Con of the Americas is the most desired post in world Orthod stantinople (Instanbul) compelled the displacement of the oxy. We will not see again the likes of Archbishop Iakovos, Patriarchate to Nicea until 1261, when the City was again spiritual leader of Orthodoxy in the Americas, one whose occupied by the Emperor Paleologos. The Patriarchate may life's commitment has shaped Orthodoxy and world wide then resettle in a nation where freedom of religion is an Christianity. inherent right. The Patriarchate is our legitimate Christian heritage and 2. Should the Patriarchate under continuous Turkish we need to extricate any further nonchristian influence. We, domination remain in Instanbul, we in the Americas will be therefore urge the Nation of Turkey, in the spirit of freedom compelled to seek an autocephalous status as in Greece, of religion: which would permit us to elect our own spiritual leaders: 1. To a bide by "The Declaration of the Elimination of All Archbishop and Bishops. The previous status of an auto Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Reli nomous Orthodox church in the Americas will be rejected, gion or Beliefs" adopted by the United Nations' 36th Gen for otherwise we would be administered by an Archbishop eral Assembly, which advocates the freedom of each who was selected without United States representaton on religious community to choose its own leaders instead of the Holy Synod, and who was appointed to the post by a having them imposed by government. non-Christian government. 2. To remove the review and sanction upon Patriarchal 3. If the Greek Orthodox Church in the Americas is candidates, and to authorize free elections for our spiritual denied the status of autocephalous by the Turkish govern leaders. ment, we would, establish a Patriarchate in the Americas as 3. To permit future Patriarchs to be citizens of any nation. found in the Balkans, which nations sought to escape Tur 4. To allow non-Turkish Greek Orthodox to become kish influence nearly two centuries ago. members of the Holy Synod. Our compassion for the Ecumenical Patriarch in Instan The above legitimate concerns are mandated to prevent bul will not be diminished. We will continue to contribute annually to its support. We will not estrange ourselves from the Patriarchal center. Our action will insure that the elec tion of sprititual leaders in the Americas will be free from foreign influence. ria 1110 anoAouOTIKtl This is our time in history. Our great Orthodox Church has been traumatized since 1453 A.D. We are locked out and (Jpaoua OTI1V AaTopla we don't fit in. We must be taken into account. A healing EAmE aTI1V Kunp1aKtl process requires the initiative of the Turkish government. Ta(Jepva We in the Americas treasure the freedom of religion assured by the first article of the Bills of Rights. This is our time in history, thrust by tragic events into high responsibility. This is our time in history, for we have a rich classical heritage of freedom. ZENON This is our time in history, for our church is endowed by MeyaAT] 1tOlKtAia, I-lESEbaKta, SEOtU men and women who will sacrifice for all we hold dear. Kat Kpua. This is our time in history for we have a belief in human Kptata "'T]ta, tT]~ KatcrapoAa~, q>pEOKa dignity and worth. ",apta Kat 9aAaOOtVa. This is our time in history. Our free spirit will neither be OAa ta EUT]vtKa Kat KU1tPtaKa Kpacrta strangled nor crushed. We will endure that future genera Kat T] l-l1tupa KEO tions will know the joy of freedom of religion. ~EKta 1taptU-I1apaYYEAia Catering I-lExpt 300 atol-la. Ka8E ra~~ato aVOlXta I-ltXPt to rrpwl yta tpaXava, auyoAEI-lOVO, ~pacrto Kat l-laKapOVta I-lE KWa. I610KTtlTT)<;: l:TEAlO<; nanayewpyiou K6ge T nOpTI1 POU01Ktl Mf f~mpfTIKtl oPXtlOTpa Kat O'tTtv nprotOlPOVUltlKll TI1V uPll DECEMBER,I991 II