Solidarity to the people

An ecumenical delegation of representatives of Christian Churches and ecclesial communities will visit Greece November 18 -21 to convey "solidarity and support" to the Greek people in the ongoing "severe financial crisis that is afflicting the Country, causing the population’s unrest and insecurity". The delegation – headed by the general secretaries of the World Council of Churches (WCC) Rev. Dr Guy Liagre, and of the Conference of European Churches (CEC), Olav Fykse Tveit – will meet dignitaries from the Orthodox and from the Evangelical Church in Greece, as well as government officers. A meeting with the archbishop of Athens and All Greece Hieronymos II is also on the agenda. "The visit comes after the concerns over the economic crisis in Greece, expressed by the governing bodies of the WCC and CEC", is stated in a joint release.The situation. The delegation’s visit to Greece follows the much anticipated parliamentary adoption of the package of austerity measures to secure the release of the next €31bn tranche of the country’s bailout, considered crucial to prevent bankruptcy. As expected, the austerity package passed with very few votes above the minimum majority of 151 out of 300 seats. While Parliament was at work, there were massive protests in Athens against the new measures with violent clashes between groups of demonstrators and police. "In a time of continuing, deep economic recession, our faith gives us strength to face unemployment, poverty and anxiety – not simply as individuals, but as a community with an ethical memory rooted in the gospel", said the Rev. Guy Liagre. "We are expressing solidarity with the Greek churches through our visit", he added. "We call upon all our member churches to lift up the people of Greece in their prayers amidst the financial crisis, which affects the lives of communities in severe ways", said Olav Fykse Tveit. European Churches’ appeal to governments and institutions. In September the Central Committees of the two ecumenical organizations – CEC and the WCC – convened in Crete, where they discussed the financial crisis in Greece. Two documents were released at the end of the meeting. CEC expressed deep concern, notably for the "unprecedented unemployment an impoverishment" afflicting the Greek population, "causing personal tragedies and suffering". "Access to medical service has become almost impossible. People are losing their houses as they can no longer pay for rent and mortgages as salaries have been severely cut. Despair has led to a steep increase in suicides". CEC spoke on behalf of the European populations: "People in Europe expect solutions to come from politics". The document contains an appeal to European institutions: "We call on political institutions of the EU, as well governments of all European countries To work on the systemic outcomes of the crisis, while paying constant attention to the most vulnerable in our societies. The cost of the crisis cannot be primarily paid for by the middle and lower income parts of society thus destroying the social security and achievement of the European social model".In defense of middle classes and of the poor. The document of the World Council of Churches delves into Greece’s complex financial situation, underlines national indebtedness, which governments were unable to control, criticizing tax evasion. But it also guards against excessive austerity that risks "resulting in a vicious cycle of economic decline, hampering recovery by dampening domestic demand and eroding national tax revenues". "It’s immoral – the Churches continue in the statement – to demand austerity and debt repayment at human and social cost which falls unfairly on the weaker members of society". "In this painful financial crisis, the church is being called upon to defend the dignity of all people, as made in the image of God. The crisis is spiritual and moral, as well as economic. The Christian values of justice and love have a renewed importance in Europe today".” “” “Bulgaria: mourning patriarch Maxim On Tuesday November 6, at 98, the head of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, patriarch Maxim, passed away in the "Lozinetz" hospital in Sofia, where he had been admitted over a month ago. The patriarch was the oldest patriarch – in terms of age and in terms of the duration of his patriarchal ministry – of all the primates of the autocephalous Orthodox Churches. He was born October 29 1914, on July 4 1971 he was elected patriarch of Bulgaria. He led the Church in Bulgaria for a long time under Communist dictatorship and later during the Country’s transition towards democracy. The Bulgarian Orthodox Church is an autocephalous Church with 6.5 million faithful in Bulgaria and some 2 million faithful that migrated to European countries, to America and Australia. "It is with deep sorrow that I heard the news of the death of our beloved brother in Christ, His Holiness Maxim, Metropolitan of Sofia and Patriarch of Bulgaria, who served our Lord and his people with devotion for many years. On behalf of the Catholic Church, I wish to assure you and all the bishops, priests, and faithful of the Orthodox Church of Bulgaria that I join in prayer in your grief", Pope Benedict XVI wrote in a telegram of condolence to the interim president of the Holy Synod of the Orthodox Church in Bulgaria, Grigorij from Veliko Trnovo. "Participating in the pain of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, I thank God for all the blessings of the late Patriarch for his church and the people of his country. In particular, I remember the warm hospitality accorded to Blessed Pope John Paul II during his visit to Bulgaria in May 2002. I thank the Lord for the good relations that the Patriarch has fostered with the Catholic Church in these lands, and I sincerely hope that the good relations can continue in order to promote the proclamation of the Gospel", the Pope said. "Grief, spiritual closeness and prayer for the soul of the late Patriarch and for the people of Bulgaria" was conveyed by the president of the Council of European Bishops’ Conferences (CCEE) cardinal Péter Erdö, in a letter of condolences sent to the Synod of the Orthodox Church of Bulgaria for the death of patriarch Maxim.