Hieronymus: Many rich people lock up their coffers – Everyone needs to work together

The need for solidarity and cooperation was spoken by Archbishop of Athens and All Greece Hieronymos in the greeting he addressed during the inauguration of the Model Center of Parish Love “Jeronymus II”, of I.N. Agia Varvara Dafni, last night. He emphasized, in fact, that in these works there is no discrimination, and that “love is for all people and must be sent in all directions”.

In particular, the Primate of the Hellenic Church said: “A project like the one we are launching tonight has been created out of the stimulus of what we could do for our starving brother,” and he pointed out that it has a path that moves other hearts and souls that come together. In fact, he characterized it as a blessing from God that this gathering is not unilateral from a place, but comes from the grassroots, from the people. “The people may be tested and have difficulties, but they overcome them. Either they are a people who have financial means or they are a people who are deprived, but they will cut their bread in two, to share it with others. In Greece this phenomenon is intense. And in the past and now and tomorrow».

Additionally, he referenced the parable of the Good Samaritan who helps without discrimination, to emphasize that this is a great lesson for all times. He spoke about the progress of the food distributions in the Archdiocese and the thousands of meals that are distributed every day, about the problems that arose due to the pandemic, while in particular he mentioned the cooperation with the local authorities to support this program. He emphasized that in these programs there is no discrimination and that “Love is for all people and should be sent in all directions.”

He also added:The touching thing is that there are many rich people, many companies with money that help and stand by, sometimes visibly, sometimes invisibly, but there are also many who have locked up their coffers. The times, however, call us all to overcome this weakness.” Besides, he pointed out that “the course of the Church through the centuries – especially the times when it triumphed by helping the State and the State valuing the Church – had an institution that remained in history and we are struggling to bring it back, it is the institution of solidarity. No conflict is allowed in such matters. One is not allowed to want to push the other aside. Solidarity means help me to help you so we can move forward. We need cooperation more than any other time».

In addition, he spoke about the institutions of the Archdiocese and the care for children with mental retardation, for the elderly, for the elderly and for the disabled. He referred to the property of the Church, for which he emphasized that 96% has been consumed for the needs of the state and 4% remained. He underlined, in fact, that a blessed Archbishop said “Leave 96% of church property that was lost. Take advantage of the 4%. It is more than enough for the Church to live, to help her institutions, the needs of love that present themselves every day. These rocks, these stones, this soil you are obliged to make into a spirit.”

He pointed out that “a large estate that is the subject of encroachments is not property. Property is when we use it and from what we get we will support these institutions that are becoming more and more every day and have many needs. Because a nursing home today can’t live in the conditions it was in twenty years ago, just like we can’t live in a house we’ve had for thirty years if we don’t improve it. A poor student coming from the countryside cannot stay in a room with ten other children. He wants the corresponding residence. Who will take care of all this? But the good thing would be to take advantage of this solidarity”. He also spoke about the work being prepared by the Church in Schistos and about its utilization for the benefit of the people.

Afterwards, the Archbishop cut the ribbon of the inauguration and took a tour of the facilities of the structure, while immediately after he bowed to I.N. Agia Varvara Dafni. Metropolitan Theodoritos of Laodicea, director of the Representation Office of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Athens, Metropolitan Kyrillos of Krinis, the mayor of Dafni-Ymittos, Anastasios Biniskos, MPs, representatives of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation, which financed the project, clergy and believers were present. The Archbishop was accompanied by the Archdiocese’s archdiocese, archimandrite Varnavas Theoharis and archdeacon Ioannis Boutsis.

The consecration ceremony was performed by the Archdiocese’s presbyter, while the head of the church, Archimandrite Maximos Mitraras, referred to the structure and the needs it will cover and thanked those who contributed to the completion of the work in question. The mayor and the representative of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation, Spyridon Alexopoulos, also addressed a greeting.

RES-EMP

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