Όταν, τον Νοέμβριο του 2010, είχα την μεγάλη τιμή να βρεθώ στο Φανάρι και να γίνω δεκτός στο Πατριαρχικό Γραφείο από τον Παναγιώτατο Οικουμενικό Πατριάρχη κ.κ. Βαρθολομαίο, έλαβα από τα χέρια του -συν τοις άλλοις- ως δώρο ένα κομψότατο βιβλίο! Φέρει τον τίτλο "In the Beginning was the Word. The Orthodox Christian Paschal reading from the Gospel according to St. John in tribute to the life and ministry of His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch BARTHOLOMEW".
Πρόκειται για μια μικρή, αλλά συλλεκτική και πολύτιμη έκδοση ("Patriarchal Polyglot Commemorative Edition", όπως χαρακτηριστικά αναγράφεται στα στοιχεία της), της American Bible Society. Περιλαμβάνει (σελ. 7-46) το Ευαγγέλιο της Κυριακής του Πάσχα (Ιω 1, 1-17) σε σαράντα γλώσσες: Γλώσσα πρωτοτύπου (κοινή ελληνική), αγγλικά, αραβικά, νεοελληνικά, σλαβονικά, ρωσικά, ουκρανικά, σερβικά, ρουμανικά, βουλγαρικά, γεωργιανά, πολωνικά, αλβανικά, τσέχικα, φιλλανδικά, εσθονικά, ιαπωνικά, γαλλικά, γερμανικά, σουηδικά, ουγκαρέζικα, ιταλικά, ισπανικά, καταλανικά, πορτουγέζικα, τουρκικά, κινέζικα (μανταρίνικα), κορεάτικα, ινδονησιακά, hindi, urdu, malay, pashto, farsi (περσικά), bangla, nepali, swahili, σλοβένικα, γερμανικά και λατινικά!!!
Στη συνέχεια (σελ. 47-55) δημοσιεύεται το κείμενο του Rev. Dr. John Chryssavgis, "The Green Patriarch", το οποίο αφορά στις πολλαπλές δραστηριότητες του επονομαζόμενου "Πράσινου Πατριάρχη" υπέρ του φυσικού περιβάλλοντος.
Το βιβλίο κλείνει με μια εικόνα Ανδρέου του Πρωτοκλήτου, του και ιδρυτού της εν Κωνσταντινουπόλει Εκκλησίας, αλλά και φωτογραφίες του ίδιου του Πατριάρχη, που αποτυπώνουν την αγάπη του στη φύση.
Η έκδοση έγινε ως καλωσόρισμα του Οικουμενικού Πατριάρχη στην Αμερικανική Βιβλική Εταιρεία, την 30ή Οκτωβρίου 2009 και προλογίζεται από Πρόεδρο και Διευθύνοντα Σύμβουλό της R. Lamar Vest, ο οποίος μάλιστα εκφράζει στο προλογικό σημείωμά του (σελ. 6) τη χαρά του για την τιμή της υψηλής αυτής επίσκεψης.
Ευκαιρίας δοθείσης, ας επιστρέψουμε σε εκείνη την ημέρα, αντλώντας τα απαιτούμενα στοιχεία από τον επίσημο αγγλόφωνο ιστότοπο του Οικουμενικού Πατριαρχείου.
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Address of R. Lamar Vest on the Occasion of His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew's First Visit to the American Bible Society
October 30, 2009
Your All Holiness:
On behalf of my dear friend and co-worker in the Lord Dr. Dennis C. Dickerson, chairman of our Board of Trustees, Dr. Ena Heller, the executive director of the Museum of Biblical Art, and on behalf of trustees, staff and supporters of the American Bible Society and MOBIA, I welcome Your All Holiness this evening.
Your presence with us today marks a special moment in the history of the American Bible Society as we share through text, images, and ministry, the witness of the Ecumenical Patriarchate to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
For nearly two hundred years, the American Bible Society’s sole purpose has been, and continues to be, making the Bible available, accessible and affordable to as many people in as many places as possible so that they may experience its life-changing message. It is our response to Christ’s parting command to his apostles, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.”
Today, in receiving you and honoring your ministry, we recognize that we share a unity of purpose, and we celebrate fellowship in Christ. We believe that the words of Christ and the message of the Gospel are always relevant, in all places, for all people, and in all circumstances. Reflecting on the ecumenical and apostolic character of the Ecumenical Patriarchate’s ministry, it is striking that it spans nearly two thousand years and transcends national and cultural barriers. In Your All Holiness’ ministry, the Gospel is made relevant to the most pressing matters of the day, as you apply the truths and mandates of Scripture on issues of socioeconomic justice, human freedom, religious tolerance, and especially on the environmental crisis.
As the Scriptures instruct, you also remind us that we must always strive to be at peace with one another and in balance with our environment: That God created us to be stewards of creation and calls us to be peacemakers. For this reason the Museum of Biblical Art has highlighted the creation story from the Book of Genesis, assembled such a wonderful collection of icons, and highlighted your work on environmental issues in their exhibit. In addition, with great respect, and a sense of deep solidarity, the American Bible Society presents you with this commemorative edition of the Paschal reading from the Gospel of John, entitled, In the Beginning Was the Word, in forty different languages. Our prayer is that this gesture of solidarity will serve to encourage and assist the Orthodox Church as she continues to proclaim God’s Word and herald the Good News of God’s mercy and salvation.
Blessings,
R. Lamar Vest
President and CEO
At the Reception in His Honor at the Museum of Biblical Art Exhibition "Scripture, Image, Life: Orthodox Christianity"
Remarks of His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch BARTHOLOMEW
Your Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America,
Dr. Lamar Vest,Ms. Ena Heller,
Your Eminences and Graces,
Esteemed Members of the American Bible Society and Museum of Biblical Art Boards,
Dear Friends,
We greet you this evening in the name of the Creator and Light of the world, our Lord, Jesus Christ, who commanded his Apostles to, “Go forth unto all nations, teaching them all that [He] had commanded.” It is with a warm heart, much gratitude, and in the solidarity of the apostolic commission to share Christ’s Gospel with every person in every corner of the world that we thank the American Bible Society and the Museum of Biblical Art for honoring the ministry of the Ecumenical Patriarchate with such an extraordinary witness to the inexhaustible love with which God created the world.
In the Paschal Divine Liturgy reading of the Orthodox Church from the Gospel of St. John the Evangelist, which the American Bible Society has presented to the world on behalf of us with the publication of In the Beginning Was the Word, we read that every single element, object and being in all of creation finds the source of its existence in the Incarnate Word of God, Jesus Christ. We are further instructed that while creation is enveloped in darkness, the Word of God is light, that light shines in the darkness, and the darkness cannot overcome it.
Today, the civilizations of the world have become acutely aware of the irrefutable fact that the darkness of human greed, self-centeredness, and short sightedness have had real and disastrous consequences for the world which God created, and which he continues to illumine and save through the outpouring of His creative love and Holy Spirit. Our culture has broadly adopted the use of disposable goods and polluting fuels for the sake of convenience. We have perpetuated conflict and inequity for the advancement of political and economic gain. Humanity was intended, as the Book of Genesis teaches us (cf. Genesis 2:15), to serve as the steward of the natural environment. Yet, our insatiable appetite for artificial light, our commitment to the distribution of superfluous information, and our endless consumption of non-renewable resources have distorted our stewardship and disfigured it, turning it into raw exploitation.
In today’s discussion concerning the environment we aspire to conservation, sustainability, and renewable resources. We are so very pleased that in the exhibition presented here by the Museum of Biblical Art – the Word in text, in image and in action, are presented as a reflection for all to see the ancient and always relevant tradition of Orthodox Christian discipline.
Today and every day, we call on all Orthodox Christian faithful, and we invite all people who hold true the Holy Scripture, to make a renewed commitment to environmental conservation and energy efficiency and to the practical application of that commitment.
We are encouraged by this witness here tonight, and by the urgency of the matter at hand, and we call each parish of the Orthodox Christian Parishes throughout the United States of America, to demonstrate this commitment by conducting an audit of its energy usage, and to use the results in this audit to implement measurable operational changes aimed at reducing energy usage by at least 10%. We are pleased that this new initiative will be guided, supported and implemented by the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America and we look forward to measurable results. In addition, we invite all people to come to a better understanding of the energy they use and its impact on the natural environment and our fellow human beings. Let each and every one of us work along specific lines of actions to reduce our energy use and to increase our energy efficiency.
Let our efforts to reduce our negative impact on the natural environment become an act of faith, a sacrifice to our Creator, and a demonstration of love for one another and God. Let us allow the spirit of God to restore our relationship with Him and our relationships with one another. Let us cultivate within our selves a deep sense of gratitude, love, and consideration. Let us stand in awe of creation and our Creator, and let us pray that the result of this heightened awareness of God’s love will be a proper relationship with Him and restoration of our natural environment. Especially as we look forward next year to the fortieth anniversary of Earth Day, let us re-commit ourselves to the protection and stewardship of the created world.
Allow us again to express our gratitude to you, Dr. Vest, Ms. Heller, to Paul Tabor and to the entire American Bible Society and Museum of Biblical Art families for your outstanding hospitality and your extraordinary witness to our Creator, Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. In parting we extend the blessing of the Apostolic See of the First-Called Saint Andrew, the Ecumenical Patriarchate, and pray that the Grace of our Lord God and Savior will continue to fortify you in your most esteemed efforts to further the message of the Gospel.
