Many Faithful, Political and Religious Leaders, National Newspapers

Published by The National Herald, April 21, 2005

NEW YORK – The death of Archbishop Iakovos, 93, on April 10 received a considerable amount of acknowledgement from important political leaders, as well as in some of North America’s major newspapers.

Last week, the National Herald published statements from Greek American U.S. Senators Paul Sarbanes of Maryland and Olympia Snowe of Maine, New York Governor George Pataki, and the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Constantinople. The New York Times also devoted a substantial amount of space on its pages in its April 12 edition (for all the above, see National Herald, April 16 issue).

Since the late Archbishop passed away two Sundays ago, former Presidents Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter, among others, also issued statements, and several large metropolitan dailies also published reports about his death.

In a letter to Archbishop Demetrios of America, President Clinton and his wife, U.S. Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York, said Iakovos was a "a strong force for social justice and human dignity." The text of their statement follows:

"Hillary and I were deeply saddened by the death of His Eminence Archbishop Iakovos, and we regret we can’t be with you as you celebrate his life. Archbishop Iakovos was a strong force for social justice and human dignity. His efforts to revive Orthodoxy in North America and his dedication to promoting human and civil rights exemplify his extraordinary leadership and integrity. His legacy will be honored and remembered long into the future as he rests at peace with God. Hillary and I hope you will find comfort in the knowledge that the goodness of his life will continue to inspire and strengthen people all over the world. We are keeping you in our thoughts and prayers – Bill Clinton, 42nd President of the United States."

President Carter, who presented the late Archbishop with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor, in 1979, said Iakovos’ "progressive leadership and concern for human rights provided spiritual and moral guidance to his followers for nearly four decades." The text of his statement follows:

"Rosalynn and I are deeply saddened by the loss of His Eminence Archbishop Iakovos. We share the sorrow of the Greek Orthodox community and indeed people throughout the world who mourn the passing of a great man. Archbishop Iakovos’ progressive leadership and concern for human rights provided spiritual and moral guidance to his followers for nearly four decades. It was my privilege in 1980 to award him the Presidential Medal of Freedom. And when the Carter Center opened in 1986, he honored us with his presence and eloquent dedication address. My family is proud to be among those who have been touched by his warmth and friendship. Like so many others whose lives he has blessed, we will take comfort in our warm memories of this man of God – Jimmy Carter, 39th President of the United States."

U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer of New York also sent a letter to Archbishop Demetrios, in which he referred to Archbishop Iakovos as a national leader and cited Iakovos ability to redefine interfaith boundaries: "Please accept my warmest condolences for the loss of Archbishop Iakovos. Words fail to adequately express the sorrow I feel. Please know that I share your grief. Archbishop Iakovos was a leader not only of the Greek Orthodox Church, but also throughout New York and America. His ability to reach out to members of different faiths was truly extraordinary. Archbishop Iakovos’ leadership and courage in championing human and civil rights serve as a model for us all. His great works and remarkable legacy will be remembered by generations of Greek Americans."

In the newspapers, there was broad general consensus that Archbishop Iakovos was an important ecumenical figure. Excerpts from reports in the Boston Globe, Los Angeles Times, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Chicago Tribune, Seattle Times, Salt Lake Tribune, St. Petersburg Times and Montreal Gazette are published below:

The Boston Globe published the following: "Archbishop Iakovos was instrumental in setting up dialogues between Orthodox churches and Anglicans, Lutherans, Southern Baptists and other denominations. He met every U.S. president from Eisenhower through Clinton, and was one of the U.S. Christian leaders who met with Pope John Paul II in a historic gathering in South Carolina in 1987."

The Los Angeles Times noted that Archbishop Iakovos facilitated the Greek Orthodox community’s entry into the American mainstream: "During his long tenure as Archbishop, Iakovos led the U.S. Greek Orthodox Church out of immigrant isolation and into the mainstream of American religious life, playing a leading role in bringing English into the liturgy. At the same time, he remained a staunch advocate of Orthodox faith and practices... ‘Only with a true Orthodox faith can one gain an insight to the true meaning of ecumenical and international thinking,’ he told 1,500 people at Los Angeles’ St. Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral on his initial visit as Archbishop in 1960. ‘We must be cautious and vigilant about our faith, that we do not corrupt it with careless rationalism.’ "

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution said Archbishop Iakovos "sought unity" and cited the importance of his role in the National and World Councils of Churches: "Archbishop Iakovos, 93, who transformed the Greek Orthodox Church in the Americas while championing religious unity and human rights, died from a pulmonary ailment… He was honored in Atlanta in 1995 by the National Council of Churches and World Council of Churches. About 800 guests attended a banquet to raise a $10 million endowment in his honor to support the two Councils’ work."

Lisa Black wrote the following for the Chicago Tribune: "With prayer, song and the lighting of candles, members of Orthodox Greek congregations in Chicago, and across the nation, marked the death of Archbishop Iakovos, who worked for religious unity, walked with Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. in support of civil rights and embodied an American generation’s growth in their religion and culture."

The Seattle Times said Iakovos "transformed" the Church: "He met with Pope John XXIII after his 1959 enthronement, becoming the first Greek Orthodox archbishop in 350 years to meet with a Roman Catholic pope, and spent nine years as president of the World Council of Churches... ‘Ecumenism is the hope for international understanding, for humanitarian allegiance, for true peace based on justice and dignity, and for God’s continued presence and involvement in modern history.’ He said in 1960. Archbishop Iakovos was instrumental in setting up dialogues between Orthodox churches and Anglicans, Lutherans, Southern Baptists and other denominations… He sought to maintain Orthodox traditions, such as opposing the ordination of women, while at the same time championing human rights and improved race relations."

The Salt Lake Tribune said the late Archbishop "remolded" the Orthodox Church: "Iakovos, spiritual leader of more than two million members of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of North & South America from 1959 to 1996, elevated the immigrant, outsider church to become a major player among U.S. religions. He reached out to other faiths, including Catholics, Anglicans, Lutherans and Southern Baptists. He also met two Latter Day Saints Church presidents – David O. McKay and Ezra Taft Benson… And the black-garbed leader energized a generation of young believers with his charisma, sermons and openness. He brought English into the liturgy, while holding steady on traditional beliefs. And he loved baseball, especially the Boston Red Sox."

In the St. Petersburg Times, Richard Danielson and Nora Koch wrote, "He led the church at a time when it took important, bold stands and joined the nation’s spiritual mainstream. At the same time, he remained a remarkably approachable and beloved figure, especially around Tarpon Springs, where he presided over dozens of Epiphany celebrations."

The headline in the Montreal Gazette’s story referred to Iakovos as the "Ecumenical-Thinking Head of Greek Church in Americas." The story pointed out that Iakovos was an activist in his own right: "Archbishop Iakovos, who led the Greek Orthodox Church in the Americas, including Canada, for 37 years, reaching out to other religious groups as a champion of ecumenism, has died… He opposed the Vietnam War, supported Soviet Jews and sought to aid the cause of Middle East peace."

Religious leaders throughout the country and across the world also expressed their condolences and agreed that Archbishop Iakovos was a devoted churchman and an influential force in the ecumenical movement:

Metropolitan Iakovos of Chicago, the senior bishop on the Holy Eparchial Synod of the Greek Orthodox Church in America (over which Archbishop Demetrios presides) issued the following statement:

"With hope and love, our hearts are touched by sorrow with the news of the repose of His Eminence Archbishop Iakovos, the former Archbishop of North & South America, for so long the beloved elder hierarch of the Orthodox faithful of our nation; spiritual father to so many dedicated clergy and hierarchs; and a tireless worker in the vineyard of our Lord Jesus Christ. On behalf of all the faithful of the Holy Metropolis of Chicago, we pray for his everlasting repose where the righteous rest, and that his memory be eternal. We have all been blessed to have been touched by his grand presence as the leader of our Greek Orthodox Archdiocese for 37 years, and even in his retirement, where his wisdom and devotion continued to inspire the faithful clergy and laity of our nation in service to the Holy Church. As a hierarch of the Church, we were personally blessed to have received our ordination to the rank of bishop on the Feast of the Nativity, 1969, by the hand of Archbishop Iakovos, a gift for which we are forever grateful. We have been honored and privileged to have served him as an assistant bishop, and to have later served with him on the Holy Eparchial Synod when we were elected to serve the Lord’s Flock in the city of Chicago. Always our inspiration; always the model of spiritual fatherhood; always our guide in the pastoral responsibility for Christian souls, we will always remember his manifold accomplishments which benefited our Mother Church (in Constantinople), our Holy Archdiocese and our nation. We will never forget our indebtedness to his persevering love for all of us, and while we mourn his passing, we rejoice that His Eminence Archbishop Iakovos has "passed from death to life," resting with the saints in the heavenly Kingdom. He has returned to his first and true homeland, and for this we may be comforted, knowing that, in Christ, he continually intercedes on our behalf. Again, may his memory be eternal."

Rev. Dr. Samuel Kobia, General Secretary of the World Council of Churches, sent the following message to Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople: "It is with great sorrow that we received news today of the falling asleep in the Lord of His Eminence Iakovos, former Archbishop of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of North & South America, and first patriarchal representative to the World Council of Churches. Archbishop Iakovos had the unique qualities of being at once a remarkable spiritual guide for the Greek Orthodox Christians in the Western Hemisphere, and an outstanding ecumenical and civil rights leader who marked his era. During his service as the first permanent representative of the Ecumenical Patriarchate to the WCC, and subsequently as one of the WCC presidents, Archbishop Iakovos actively participated in the formative period of the modern ecumenical movement. A visionary Christian leader, he became known as a prophetic voice on issues of social justice at a time when much of the Orthodox world was silenced, and which was symbolized by his courageous public accompaniment of Dr. Martin Luther King in 1965. We are grateful for his many gifts to the church and to the ecumenical movement, and express our heartfelt sympathy with Your All Holiness, the faithful of the Archdiocese, and of the broader Orthodox and Christian world at the loss of this spiritual leader, and share in your prayer for the eternal repose of his soul."

Bob Edgar, General Secretary of the National Council of Churches, issued the following statement: "Generations of Americans were inspired by the presence of Archbishop Iakovos on all the frontlines of our history. Born on the small island of Imvros in the Aegean Sea, as the Archbishop and spiritual leader of his American flock he continuously celebrated its gifts and encouraged it to fulfill its full potential in the landscape of America. He marched with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in Selma, Alabama in 1965, and was a fervent and outspoken champion for the cause of civil rights. His commitment to that cause was exemplified in the 1990’s, when he lent his support to a National Council of Churches campaign to raise funds for burned African American churches. Under his leadership, the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese grew from a small ethnic church community into a strong and vibrant church with a powerful voice for Christian ethics and values. Archbishop Iakovos stood with Christians from many cultures and backgrounds to further the ideal of Christian unity. His deep belief in ecumenism was demonstrated by his strong support of ecumenical councils as well as his historic challenges to them. He was a president of the World Council of Churches and introduced Eleni K. Huszagh, immediate past president of the NCC, to ecumenism. He established dialogues with Protestant and Roman Catholics, and carried his witness into the Oval Offices of nine U.S. presidents. All who knew him were gratified when he received the nation’s highest civilian honor in 1980, when President Jimmy Carter bestowed upon him the Presidential Medal of Freedom. His Eminence Archbishop Iakovos was a tireless servant of God who leaves a towering legacy of faith, justice and unity not only for all who knew and worked with him, but for all who will benefit from his endeavors. May his memory be eternal."

The Anti-Defamation League sent the following statement to Archbishop Demetrios: "On behalf of the Anti-Defamation League, we express our profound condolences on the loss of Archbishop Iakovos to you and to the entire Orthodox community he so ably led for 37 years. We know of the remarkable stewardship he had of your church, and the way that he helped to shape the Orthodox Church in America. We can not forget the impact Archbishop Iakovos had on the Jewish community. Through his efforts, dialogue and understanding began between our communities. Under his leadership, we saw the orthodox community no longer cloistered, but a part of the fabric of American society. His efforts during the struggle for civil rights, and the interfaith relationships fostered by that struggle, are noted with gratitude. Indeed, the relationship between the Orthodox community and the Jewish community has been bettered due to his influence. Please convey our sympathy to your community. While we have lost a giant in interfaith cooperation, it is our hope that in his memory and honor we can build upon the legacy that he left – Abraham H. Foxman (National Director), Rabbi Gary Bretton-Granatoor (Director of Interfaith Affairs)."

Bishop Stephen E. Blaire of Stockton, California, chairman of the U.S. Bishops Committee on Ecumenical and Inter-Religious Affairs, issued the following statement on behalf of the Roman Catholic Church:

"With great sadness I have learned of the death on April 10 of His Eminence Archbishop Iakovos, Primate of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of North & South America from 1959 until his retirement in 1996. Catholics in the United States have lost a dear friend and a devoted champion of the cause of unity between our churches. On March 17, 1959, very shortly after his election as Archbishop of the Americas, His Eminence met in private audience with Pope John XXIII of blessed memory as an official representative of Ecumenical Patriarch Athenagoras. This truly historic event was the first official contact at such a high level between our two churches since the 16th Century. In subsequent years, until Pope Paul VI and Patriarch Athenagoras established a personal relationship of their own, Archbishop Iakovos remained a primary instrument of communication between the two churches. As Archbishop of the Americas, His Eminence continued to work for reconciliation between us, and played an indispensable role in the foundation of the North American Orthodox-Catholic Theological Consultation in 1965. He would serve as Orthodox co-chairman of the dialogue for almost 20 years, during which time the consultation issued ten agreed statements on a wide variety of theological questions. Archbishop Iakovos’ contribution to our dialogue received further recognition in June 1992, when Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew invited him to lead the delegation from the Ecumenical Patriarchate to Rome for the celebration of the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul. The relationship of friendship and cooperation between Catholics and Orthodox in the United States, which the Archbishop promoted during those years, also played itself out in other fields, not least in the civil rights movement in the 1960’s. In particular we recall the march on Selma, Alabama in March 1965, when Archbishop Iakovos joined arm-in-arm with Martin Luther King, prominent Catholics and other Christian leaders in the fight for racial equality in our land. When Pope John Paul II received Archbishop Iakovos in audience as the head of the delegation from the Ecumenical Patriarchate in 1992, the Archbishop encouraged the Holy Father to ‘become a builder of bridges pontifex, bridging chasms and uniting the peoples of our churches, never shrinking from the tremendous labor or the obstacles presented, both from within and from without, to thwart your progress.’ In a similar way, when he met with the members of the North American Orthodox-Catholic dialogue in June 2001, he thanked them for not becoming tired with the slow pace of the dialogue. He encouraged patience and fervent prayer that Catholics and Orthodox might receive one day from the same cup, and called for the reanimation of the ‘old fire in our hearts’ that we might become one household again. I wish to take this opportunity to extend my deepest sympathies to His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios, and also to the clergy and faithful of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. All of us have lost a friend, a loving pastor and a fervent advocate of unity. May he rest in peace."

Archbishop Andrew Hutchison, Primate of the Anglican Church in Canada, said Iakovos was a powerful witness for the Gospel: "The Anglican Church of Canada would like to express its prayers and sympathy to its sisters and brothers in the Greek Orthodox community on the death of Archbishop Iakovos… Archbishop Iakovos was a champion of many Christian values and causes, to which our two churches share a common commitment, particularly human rights and ecumenism. His visible presence in marching with the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. in Selma, Alabama showed his love and care for social justice for all of humanity, and his courage in being a witness for God’s truth in the face of secular power. Ecumenically he showed outstanding leadership in meeting with Pope John XXIII… He spent nine years as a president of the World Council of Churches and committed his church to participation in the Canadian Council of Churches. He once said, ‘Ecumenism is the hope for international understanding, for humanitarian allegiance, for true peace based on justice and dignity, and for God’s continued presence and involvement in modern history.’ How prophetic to proclaim this in 1960. Archbishop Iakovos was committed to making the Greek Orthodox understanding of the Christian faith a living reality in the day-to-day life of North and South America, and we have all been enriched by his contribution to our common life and witness. The Greek Orthodox Church is preparing to celebrate Easter. The hope and prayer of the Anglican Church of Canada is that the Greek Orthodox community find strength and peace from the Easter Gospel knowing that Archbishop Iakovos has died in light of Christ’s Death and Resurrection."

Frank T. Griswald, Presiding Bishop and Primate of the Episcopal Church in the United States, issued the following statement: "We in the Episcopal Church join with our brothers and sisters Christians everywhere in mourning the loss of Archbishop Iakovos… He was a champion of ecumenism who fostered dialogue with other Orthodox churches, Episcopalians, Lutherans, Southern Baptists and other denominations, standing always for human rights and the dignity of every human being. As the Greek Orthodox prepare to celebrate the Easter Feast, may they be comforted by the assurance that Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and giving life to those in the tomb."

The following hierarchs from various Orthodox Jurisdictions also issued statements: Metropolitan Nicholas of Amissos (American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese of the USA), Metropolitan Philip of the Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of North America, Archbishop Herman of Washington (Orthodox Church of America) and Metropolitan Joseph (Bulgarian Eastern Orthodox Diocese of the USA, Canada and Australia). For the text of those statements, visit the web at www.goarch.org.



Volume 7 Number 17 - Tuesday, April 26th, 2005	A Publication of the ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN LAITY