Greek Orthodox Clergy Meet with MN Governor and State Senator

Source: Orthodox Christian Network

St. Paul, MN, August 23, 2016

    

Bishop Demetrios of Mokissos, Chancellor of the Metropolis of Chicago, was invited to meet privately with Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton at his residence in St Paul. Bishop Demetrios was accompanied by Rev. Richard Andrews of St George Greek Orthodox Church in St Paul, Rev. Tim Sas of Twelve Holy Apostles Greek Orthodox Church in Duluth and Rev. George Dokos of St Mary’s Greek Orthodox Church in Minneapolis, along with Metropolis Media Relations Director John Ackerman and Executive Assistant to the Bishop William Kallas.

    

While the main focus of the meeting was an opportunity for the Governor and Bishop to become better acquainted, Bishop Demetrios also took the opportunity to press Governor Dayton for passage in Minnesota of the Order of Saint Andrew (Archons) Resolution in support of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. Minnesota is one of two states within the oversight of the Metropolis of Chicago that has yet to pass this important resolution in support of our faith. Governor Dayton expressed interest in the resolution and pledged to seriously review and consider the issue.

Minnesota State Senate President Sandy Pappas

The group also meet with Minnesota State Senate President Sandy Pappas while the Bishop was in Minneapolis/St Paul and requested her support. Senator Pappas was the guest of the Bishop’s at the Greek Festival at St George Greek Orthodox Church in St Paul Saturday evening. Senator Pappas committed to sponsoring the Archon Resolution in the spring of 2017 Legislative Session. She stated while she was familiar with the Archon Resolution, her visit with Bishop Demetrios and his request for passage of this important resolution has increased her commitment see Minnesota join the 44 other states that have already passed the Archon Resolution.

Order of Saint Andrew (Archons) and Religious Freedom Resolution

In 2006, the Order of Saint Andrew (Archons) initiated the Religious Freedom Resolution project. The goal of this project, which represents one component of the overall, multi-faceted Religious Freedom Initiative, is the adoption of Religious Freedom Resolutions in support of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople in each individual state within the United States. The project has been overseen nationally by Archon Stephen Georgeson. To date, 44 of the 50 states have passed resolutions as part of this national effort.

The Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople is the spiritual center of over 330 million Orthodox Christians worldwide, making Orthodoxy the second largest tradition within Christianity. Based in Istanbul (formerly, Constantinople), Turkey, since the founding of the church by the Apostle Andrew, elder brother of Apostle Peter and first of the disciples of Christ, today the Ecumenical Patriarchate faces dangers that, if left unchecked, could bring an end to this historic religious institution. The five key issues the Resolution calls attention to are:

  1. Government Interference in Election of Ecumenical Patriarchate – The Turkish government insists on approving the selection of the Ecumenical Patriarch and insists that the Patriarch must be a Turkish citizen.
  2. Non-recognition of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew as the worldwide spiritual leader of the Orthodox and treating him as simply a local priest.
  3. Re-opening of the Theological School of Halki, closed by the Turkish government since 1971 and where many past Patriarchs have been trained.
  4. No Legal Identity for Ecumenical Patriarchate – inhibiting the Patriarchate from taking any formal actions in Turkey in its own name and forcing the Patriarchate to use surrogates for owning property and other administrative affairs , and
  5. Confiscation of Property – without a legal identity, the Turkish government claims property owned by the Patriarchate for centuries has been abandoned, and then confiscates the property.

The Metropolis of Chicago is under the leadership of Metropolitan Iakovos and oversees all Greek Orthodox Parishes within Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin and Minnesota as well as eastern Missouri and northwestern Indiana.

“Since the beginning of this initiative by the Archons, as each state that has passed this resolution which has brought increased attention to this issue, we have seen progress towards addressing many of these concerns” stated Bishop Demetrios. “The State of Indiana could further add to this progress and increased attention.”

“This issue is not one European Nation in conflict with another but rather one nation placing restrictions and limitations on the ability of a worldwide spiritual leader” Metropolis Media Director John Ackerman explained. “The Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople is the spiritual leader of over 330 million Christians worldwide. As such, we ask the legislature and more importantly the citizens of Minnesota to join us in calling on the Turkish Government to ensure Religious Freedom for the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople.”

See also
After the suppression of revolt in Turkey the situation of Christians will deteriorate, a Russian religious studies specialist believes After the suppression of revolt in Turkey the situation of Christians will deteriorate, a Russian religious studies specialist believes After the suppression of revolt in Turkey the situation of Christians will deteriorate, a Russian religious studies specialist believes After the suppression of revolt in Turkey the situation of Christians will deteriorate, a Russian religious studies specialist believes
The situation of Christians in Turkey will deteriorate, since following the suppression of the revold there has been a growing tendency to further islamization of the country and entrenchment of the personal power of its President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, leading researcher of the Center for Religion and Society Studies of the Institute of Europe of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS), Roman Lunkin, believes.
Ecumenical Patriarch wants to meet Erdogan to talk about the Theological Institute of Halki Ecumenical Patriarch wants to meet Erdogan to talk about the Theological Institute of Halki Ecumenical Patriarch wants to meet Erdogan to talk about the Theological Institute of Halki Ecumenical Patriarch wants to meet Erdogan to talk about the Theological Institute of Halki
During a recent press conference, convened at the seat of the Ecumenical Patriarchate overlooking the Golden Horn, Patriarch Bartholomew noted that relations between the Turkish authorities and religious minorities are again experiencing a critical moment, and the issue of the patriarchal theological Institute of Halki has been raised again.
Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Chicago Awareness Efforts Recognized on U.S. Congress Floor Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Chicago Awareness Efforts Recognized on U.S. Congress Floor Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Chicago Awareness Efforts Recognized on U.S. Congress Floor Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Chicago Awareness Efforts Recognized on U.S. Congress Floor
U.S. Representative Anna Eshoo from California quoted Bishop Demetrios’ Wall Street Journal editorial when making her case to her colleagues in Congress to pass a resolution calling on genocide recognition.
Comments
Anthony8/29/2016 3:42 pm
Typical delusional American Greeks marching in tune to the delusional American lust for power. In case they hadn't realised by now, the sun has set over Constantinople, as it is setting over American hegemony - the current neo-Papist in Constantinople heads a tiny segment of the worldwide Orthodox Community, with the Third Rome - Moscow having eclipsed Constantinople some time ago - that's simply on the basis of fact; 75% of Orthodox are under Moscow. Anyway as St John Maximovich – Archbishop of Shanghai and San Francisco noted back in 1939

‘’The moral authority of the Patriarchs of Constantinople has likewise fallen very low in view of their extreme instability in ecclesiastical matters….[I]n sum, the Ecumenical Patriarchate, in theory embracing almost the whole universe and in fact extending its authority only over several dioceses, and in other places having only a higher superficial supervision and receiving certain revenues for this, persecuted by the government at home and not supported by any governmental authority abroad: having lost its significance as a pillar of truth and having itself become a source of division, and at the same time being possessed by an exorbitant love of power—represents a pitiful spectacle which recalls the worst periods in the history of the See of Constantinople’’.

kLutz8/29/2016 6:45 am
Save your enthusiasm for a honest effort: The Ecumenical Patriarch has proved his worthlessness.
Mikail8/26/2016 3:51 pm
The Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople is NOT the spiritual leader of all Orthodox Christians. He is not some type of Orthodox "Pope."
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