“One of the biggest problems of our time is climate change. Climate change is due to human selfishness. Man does not respect the environment. He does not manage Creation responsibly, but abuses it. Beyond any responsibilities for the latest fires, which are apportioned accordingly, we must realize that we cannot mess with nature. We must respect it as a very good work of God. To protect it with all our powers, and to respect and obey the limitations set by nature”. The above was emphasized, among others, by the Archbishop of Athens and All Greece Hieronymos during the Divine Liturgy at the Holy Sanctuary of Agios Porphyrios in Milesi Attica this morning, the day on which the Church honors the Dormition of the Virgin.

Besides, in his reference to those who lost their properties, he underlined that somehow everything can be done, as long as we live. Only the dead cannot create and he added that all of us must take courage from the face of the Virgin Mary, because each one of us carries his own personal cross. No blow, however, and no cross should weigh us down and make us despair. It is enough, like the Virgin Mary, to entrust ourselves to God.

In addition, he referred to the face of the Virgin Mary as “a symbol of obedience, humiliation and non-self-referentiality” in contrast to Eve, the first human, who wanted to exceed human possibilities, and who thus became a symbol of egoism and an obsessive reference to his own self. himself. He spoke of human freedom which, as with original sin, often prompts men to transgress and transgress human laws as well.

Finally, he wished “wholeheartedly to all to imitate the way of life of the Virgin Mary. Then, we will also truly respect ourselves, and we will love our neighbor and the environment as ourselves. Thus, problems will be alleviated, limited and not multiplied. Since until the end of the world they cannot be completely eliminated.”

The sacrament of the Holy Eucharist was presided over by the chief secretary of the Holy Synod of the Church of Greece, Archimandrite Ioannis Karamouzis, flanked by the vicars of the Holy of Holies, Archimandrite Iosif Koutsouris, archpriest Emmanuel Papamikroulis and archdeacon Dimitrios Fokianos.

The entire speech of the Archbishop:

My dear fathers, Saint Professor, my dear children,

Today we gathered here to celebrate the Dormition of the Virgin Mary. It is a big celebration, which is solemnly celebrated in our country, but also where there are Orthodox Christians. We honor the Virgin Mary, because the “Yes” of the Virgin Mary to the will of God made the Incarnation of the Son and Word of God a reality. Our Lady has left behind the hesitations and thoughts of the mind and logic as to how this can be accomplished. That is why it is a symbol of obedience and humility. In contrast to the first Eve, the first man, who wanted to exceed human possibilities, and who thus became a symbol of egoism and an obsessive reference to his own self. The Virgin, therefore, is the symbol of non-self-referentiality. He reports everything to God. He resigns himself to the will of God. When the obsessive turn to ourselves dominates, then the neighbor, the neighbor, the environment is not taken into account. All of us humans, when we create something, when we construct, when we build, it is human to get carried away, since the zeal to create is innate. Unfortunately, however, because we have been offended by selfishness, complacency, we cannot or find it difficult to take into account the other, our fellow man, nature, the environment. Our creation, because it is influenced by selfishness after original sin, hardly reckons with the other, resulting in strife and recriminations. These are already described in the book of Genesis. From then on Adam puts the blame on Eve, Eve on the serpent.

Human societies established laws to limit selfishness and prevent us from devouring and wronging each other. But human freedom, as with original sin, often prompts people to transgress and violate human laws as well. Therefore, because selfishness is dominant, problems cannot but be created, and big ones at that. One of the biggest problems of our time is climate change. Climate change is due to human selfishness. Man does not respect the environment. He does not manage Creation responsibly, but abuses it. Beyond any responsibilities for the latest fires, which are apportioned accordingly, we must realize that we cannot mess with nature. We must respect it as a very good work of God. To protect it with all our strength, and to respect and obey the limitations set by nature.

Today we expect everything from technology. We expect technology to put out the fires. But technology cannot deal with human selfishness. It is our responsibility to prevent, and without our own hands no fire is extinguished. Therefore, all people who, either institutionally or voluntarily, fought to save the environment and property deserve our respect. But, addressing myself chiefly to those who have lost their fortunes, I could tell them that somehow everything is possible as long as we live. Only the dead cannot create. They must take courage from the face of the Virgin Mary. We must all take courage from the face of the Virgin Mary, because each one of us carries his own personal cross. And the Virgin Mary is the symbol of determination and hope. The Virgin in front of Christ’s death on the cross could say that everything is over. However, she always kept deep within her the words of the angel during the Annunciation:

“Fear not Mary… You will give birth to a Son whose kingdom will have no end” (Luke 1, 30-33). In other words, death will not have the last word. No disaster has the last word. No blow and no cross should wear us down and make us despair. It is enough, like the Virgin Mary, to entrust ourselves to God. As we said today at the Divine Liturgy, “we surrender ourselves and each other to Christ God”.

I wish with all my heart that we all imitate the way of life of the Virgin Mary. Then, we will also truly respect ourselves, and we will love our neighbor and the environment as ourselves. Thus, problems will be alleviated, limited and not multiplied. Since until the end of the world they cannot be completely eliminated. Panagia is with you.