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Published
by the
Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America,
March 20, 2005
Encyclical of Archbishop
Demetrios for the Feast of the Annunciation,
Day of Greek Independence |
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Protocol 27/05
March 25, 2005
Feast of the Annunciation
Day of Greek Independence
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
Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
As we celebrate the Feast of the Annunciation this
year, we remember an event of major significance.
For on this day, the Archangel Gabriel announced
to the Blessed Virgin Mary the uniquely Good News:
"The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power
of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore
the child to be born will be called holy, the Son
of God" (Luke 1:35). In the face of such an
awesome message, we are struck by the purity of
trust and the strength of faith in Marys response
to the angel: "Let it be done to me according to
your word" (Luke 1:38).
The Virgin Marys response is more than just a
declaration of her great faith. Her words mark the
moment when the Theotokos became the first person
to receive the Good News and the only person to
become the Mother of God. These words also mark
the beginning of a new humanity perpetually
connected with God in body and soul, a human
family committed to the pursuit of service and
love according to the will of God. At the same
time, these words of the Most Holy Virgin
constitute a reversal of the painful legacy of
death and separation from God left to our human
race by Adam and Eve, our original ancestors. The
lifelong commitment of the Theotokos to the will
of God, expressed by her words, is thus a
restorative act of the highest order that
functions to reconcile our entire human family to
the caring embrace of Almighty God. On this day we
therefore affirm as Orthodox Christians, united in
our love of one another and in our ultimate trust
in God, the vital importance of our absolute
commitment to Him on a personal, family, and
community level.
Our Holy Orthodox Church also considers the wider
social and political implications of this Feast of
March 25, as it pertains to the noble struggles of
peoples for national independence over the course
of world history. It is in this context that we
celebrate March 25 also as the Day of Greek
Independence. We remember on this day the
inspiring journey of faith and trust exhibited by
the people of Greece in 1821, who came together
after centuries of oppression under Ottoman
captivity. In the midst of considerable fear and
doubt, these brave Hellenes displayed before the
entire world a pursuit of freedom and independence
that was bold, confident and resolute. They
demonstrated before a perceptive and watchful
international community the ultimate liberty and
security that followed from renouncing ephemeral
self-interested desires and pursuing instead
community, national, and universal ideals. Faced
with the prospect of indefinite subjugation, they
faithfully declared their independence; and, under
the protection of the Theotokos, they achieved a
final victory and established their free state.
My beloved Christians, as we gather together on
this day to mark this glorious Feast of the
Annunciation, as we reflect upon the return of our
human race to God made possible through the
commitment of the Theotokos to His will, and as we
consider the broader implications of her attitude
and actions for genuine freedom for all nations in
our world, I pray that her words of joyful
obedience to God may be ours. May we be able to
respond with the same trust and faith in the Lord,
"Let it be done to me according to your word". May
the intercessions of the Theotokos keep and
protect us always as community and as nation, and
lead us to a life of freedom in dependence on the
only Lord, our God.
With paternal love in Christ,
+DEMETRIOS
Archbishop of America
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