January 30, 2024. On the celebration of the Feast of the Three Hierarchs, Fr. John Chryssavgis addressed 500 middle school students at The Moraitis School via Zoom from the Ecumenical Patriarchate. Fr. John was invited to speak on the spiritual and social teaching of the Three Hierarchs as well as on the relationship of humankind with the environment and its broader implications.
Pointing out the role of the Church in issues of social justice and in response to the ecological crisis, Fr. John highlighted the environmental initiatives of the ‘Green Patriarch,’ Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. From the window in his office at the Phanar, Fr. John showed students the Patriarchal Church, the gate where Patriarch Gregory V was hanged at the start of the Greek Revolution, the Hall of the Throne where the Ecumenical Patriarch receives official visitors, and the office of His All-Holiness.
There followed a vibrant discussion on a wide variety of subjects (ranging from the priestly vocation to the soccer team supported by the Patriarch!), and Fr. John concluded by emphasizing that he rests his hope on the younger generation that shapes social and global sensitivities in a more compassionate and sustainable way.
About the HEI
The Huffington Ecumenical Institute at Hellenic College Holy Cross seeks to facilitate and advance dialogue with other churches and faiths, particularly around theological and ethical, as well as pastoral and practical dimensions of contemporary issues and social challenges of our time. It strives to explore and express the fundamental ethos of the Orthodox Church in open encounters and honest engagement with other confessions and communities.
For further information on the Huffington Ecumenical Institute, contact Elena Kontogli at ekontogli@hchc.edu.