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Published
by the Greek Orthodox
Archdiocese of America, December 30, 2004
Encyclical of Archbishop Demetrios - An
Appeal for Help in the Wake of the Asian
Catastrophes |
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Protocol 104/04
December 30, 2004
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all
comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation
that we may be able to comfort those who are in
trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves
are comforted by God. (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)
To the Most Reverend Hierarchs, the Reverend
Priests and Deacons, the Monks and Nuns, the
Presidents and Members of the Parish Councils of
the Greek Orthodox Communities, the Day,
Afternoon, and Church Schools, the Philoptochos
Sisterhoods, the Youth, the Hellenic
Organizations, and the entire Greek Orthodox
Family in America,
My Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
During this joyous holiday season when we have
been blessed with so much cheer and an abundance
of gifts, who of us has not been truly shaken and
deeply moved by the enormous catastrophes and the
nightmarish loss of lives in Asia. In the blink of
an eye, a natural disaster of unimaginable
proportions has left devastation and unbearable
pain in its wake for countless people. Well over
130,000 individuals have lost the most precious of
all gifts, their lives. In it all, we are reminded
of the fragility of life, and we acknowledge that
every day is indeed a gift from God.
As an Orthodox Christian community, our first and
foremost response must be a call to prayer for the
eternal rest of those who lost their lives and for
comfort and strength from God upon those left
behind. As it is well known, the overwhelming
majority of those adversely affected by this
catastrophe are amongst the poorest of the poor of
this globe, who have lost all of their meager
belongings.
Comfort from God must be accompanied by a tangible
expression of comfort, which we can offer to the
survivors whose lives now depend on whatever
assistance the rest of the world is able to offer
them. For communities in the region, the Orthodox
Metropolis of Hong Kong and Southeast Asia has
commenced appropriate relief efforts.
The IOCC (International Orthodox Christian
Charities), an organization of SCOBA (Standing
Conference of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the
Americas), is also offering special assistance to
the disaster areas affected by the earthquake and
tsunamis. It is equally important, however, that
all of us extend our support, through prayer and
through financial assistance, to those who have
been affected by this tragedy. I would therefore
kindly and fervently ask on behalf of our
Eparchial Synod that the Greek Orthodox faithful
of America respond most generously to this appeal
for a special collection to be made on Sunday,
January 9, in all our parishes throughout the Holy
Archdiocese. Your benevolent contributions should
be forwarded to the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese,
and designated exclusively for our Asian Disaster
Relief Fund.
Knowing of your boundless generosity and your
abiding love one for another, we are confident
that you will do whatever you can to offer as much
comfort as possible to the least of our brethren,
who are the brethren of Christ, (Math. 25:40) and
to offer in this most darkest hour a ray of hope.
Let those who have survived a foreboding wave of
death and destruction now be encompassed by a
comforting wave of love and concern.
With paternal love in Christ,
+DEMETRIOS
Archbishop of America
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