Sacred Patriarchal and Stavropegial Monastery of St. Irene Chrysovalantou
  • HOME
  • News Releases
    • Patriarchal Monastery News Releases
    • Ecumenical Patriarchate News Releases
    • Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America News Releases
  • Saint Irene
    • Life of St. Irene - Βίος της Αγίας
    • Hymnology of Saint Irene
    • Paraklisis - Παράκλησις Οσίας Ειρήνης
    • Miracles of Saint Irene
  • The Monastery
    • Dependencies - Ιερά Μετόχια
    • Greek School - Ελληνικό Σχολείο
    • The Annual Feast & Church Festival
  • Multimedia
    • 2022
    • 2021 >
      • Χριστούγεννα -Σχολική Εορτή
      • ΧΡΙΣΤΟΥΓΕΝΝΑ Οικουμενικόν Πατριαρχείον
      • Πανήγυρις - Ιούλιος 2021
      • Μ. Εβδομάδα & Πάσχα 2021
      • Σχολικές Γιορτές 2021
      • Ευαγγελισμός 2021
    • 2020 >
      • Πανορθόδοξο Συλλείτουργο Κυριακής της Ορ&t
      • Κυριακή της Ορθοδοξίας 2020
      • THE FEAST OF SAINT IRENE CHRYSOVALANTOU 2020
      • Τα Άγια Θεοφάνεια 2020
      • ΧΕΙΡΟΤΟΝΙΑ π. ΓΕΡΑΣΙΜΟΥ ΜΑΡΟΥΛΑ
    • 2019 Photo Album >
      • Τα Αγια Θεοφάνεια 2019
      • Κυριακή της Ορθοδοξίας
      • Κυριακή της Σταυροπροσκυνήσεως
      • Ο Ακάθιστος Ύμνος
      • Ελληνική Παρέλαση στο Μανχάτταν
      • Palm Sunday 2019
      • Μ. Τρίτη εσπέρας
      • ΜΕΓΑΛΗ ΠΕΜΠΤΗ ΒΡΑΔΥ
      • O αείμνηστος Αρχιμανδρίτης Βασίλειος Φλιώνης
      • ΜΕΓΑΛΗ ΠΑΡΑΣΚΕΥΗ
      • ΑΝΑΣΤΑΣΙΣ
      • Η Γιορτή της Μητέρας - Σχολική Γιορτή
      • Επίσκεψις εις Φανάριον
      • Άφιξις του Σεβ. Αρχιεπισκόπου Αμερικής
      • Αποφοίτηση -Εξετάσεις Σχολείου
      • Επίσκεψις Σεβ. Μητροπολίτου Πατρών
      • Επισκέψις Σεβ. Μητροπολίτου Νέας Ιωνίας
      • Επίσκεψις Αγιορειτών Ηγουμένων
      • Επίσκεψις στον Σεβ. Αρχιεπίσκοπο Αμερικής
      • Χειροθεσία Αναγνώστου
      • Πανήγυρις - Feast and festival
      • Πανήγυρις Ι. Ν. Μεταμορφώσεως Μετοχίου Μονής Ι&b
      • Πανήγυρις Παναγίας Γηροκομητίσσης Πατρών
      • Εορτή Κοιμήσεως της Υπεραγίας Θεοτόκου
      • Θ. Λειτουργία στον Μητροπολιτικό Ναό Πατρών
      • Εορτασμός Αγίου Κοσμά στο Μέγα Δένδρο
      • ΠΑΝΗΓΥΡΙΣ ΑΓΙΟΥ ΦΑΝΟΥΡΙΟΥ
      • Επίσκεψις εις τον Αρχιεπίσκοπον Αθηνών
      • Επίσκεψις στον Σεβασμιώτατο Αρχιεπίσκοπο Α&m
      • Αγιασμός των υδάτων στο Γκρίνπορτ
      • Μέγας Εσπερινός Αγίου Νεκταρίου
      • Μεγας Εσπερινός Αγίου Νικολάου
      • Χριστουγεννιάτικη Γιορτή του Ελληνικού Σχο&l
      • Χριστούγεννα 2019
    • 2018 Photo Album >
      • Holy Epiphany - Αγια Θεοφάνεια
      • St. Athanasios Feast in Chicago
      • Κυριακη Τελώνου και Φαρισαίου
      • Greek Regents Award
      • Εκκλησιαστικό Άγγελμα - Κυριακή των Απόκρεω
      • Sunday of Orthodoxy 2-25-18
      • Sunday of the Veneration of Holy Cross (3-11-18)
      • Εκκλησιαστικό Άγγελμα - Δ' Κυριακή των Νηστειώ
      • O Ακάθιστος Ύμνος - The Akathist Hymn
      • Ο Ευαγγελισμός της Θεοτόκου (Κυριακή 25 Μαρτ
      • Σχολική εορτή Εθνικής Επετείου 25ης Μαρτίου
      • PASCHA 2018
      • Greek Parade on Fifth Ave (4-22-18)
      • Μέγας Αρχιερατικός Εσπερινός Αγίου Εφραίμ (4 Μ&al
      • Mother's Day
      • Η Ορθόδοξη Ιεραποστολή στο Κονγκό
      • Φεστιβάλ Ι. Ναού Αγίων Νικολάου και Μαρίνης, Μπρ&
      • Μέγας Αρχιερατικός Εσπερινός Αγίας Μεγαλομ&#
      • Πανήγυρις Οσίας Ειρήνης Χρυσοβαλάντου 2018
      • H Πανήγυρις της Παναγίας στη Μονή Ιβήρων
      • Πανηγυρική Θεία Λειτουργία Αγίου Νεκταρίο&
      • Εκθεσις Αγιογραφίας
      • The Elevation of Holy Cross - Η Ύψωσις του Τιμίου Σταυρού
      • Ο ΑΓΙΑΣΜΟΣ ΤΩΝ ΥΔΑΤΩΝ ΣΤΟ ΓΚΡΗΝΠΟΡΤ
      • Μέγας Αρχιερατικός Εσπερινός Αγίου Νεκταρί&omi
      • Πανηγυρικός Εσπερινός Αγίου Νικολάου
      • Αρχιερατικός Εσπερινός Αγίας Αικατερίνης
      • Χειροτονία π. Νικολάου Καλαφάτη
      • Ο Θεοφιλέστατος στον Ι.Ν. Αγίας Τριάδος Πατρώv
      • Πανήγυρις Κοιμήσεως της Θεοτόκου στην Ιερά Μ
      • Αρχιερατική Θ. Λειτουργία (16 Δεκ. 2018)
      • Χριστουγεννιάτικη Σχολική Γιορτή
      • Αρχιερατική Θεία Λειτουργία των Χριστουγένν
    • 2017 Photo Album >
      • Theophania
      • Ordination of Bishop Ierotheos (3-5-17)
      • Welcoming of Bishop Ierotheos
      • Αρχιερατικό Συλλείτουργο - Ι. Ν. Αγίου Νεκταρ&#
      • Pascha 2017
      • St. Nectarios Greek School Exetaseis (June 24, 2017)
      • Μέγας Αρχιερατικός Εσπερινός Αγίου Εφραίμ
      • Sunday of the Samaritan Woman - Mother's Day
      • Visit of H.E. Metropolitan Maximos of Sylivria
      • Graduation - Exetaseis 2017 of the Greek School
      • The Miraculous Icon of Saint Irene Chrysovalantou at St. Nicholas Church in Brooklyn
      • Μέγας Αρχιερατικός Εσπερινός Αγίας Μαρίνης
      • ANNUAL FEAST (7/27-30/2017)
      • The Dormition of Theotokos
      • Elevation of Holy Cross
      • Blessing of the Waters in Greenport
      • Nameday of H.G. Bishop Ierotheos
      • St. Nectarios Vespers
      • Christmas Greek School Celebration
    • 2016 Photo Album >
      • Three Hierarchs School Celebration (1-31-16)
      • Holy Ascension Church 2-14-16
      • Sunday of Orthodoxy (3-20-16)
      • School celebration for March 25
      • Tha Akathist Hymn
      • Metropolitan Nikitas of Dardanelles (4-17-16)
      • Palm Sunday (4-24-16)
      • Holy Thursday April 28
      • Holy Friday - Apokathelosis - April 29
      • Epitaphios Procession - April 29
      • Resurrection Service - Ανάστασις
      • Pascha 2016 in Greenport
      • Mother's Day School celebration (5-8-16)
      • Festival of St. Netarios Church (June 24-26, 2016)
      • His Eminence Metropolitan Maximos of Silyvria (5-21-16)
      • Graduation Exetaseis 2016 (6-11-16)
      • Feast and Festival of St. Irene (July 27-31, 2016)
      • Festival of St. Nicholas Church (June 10-12, 2016)
      • St. Nectarios Festive Vespers
      • St. Nicholas Great Hierarchical Vespers and Divine Liturgy
      • Elevation of the Holy Cross (9-14-16)
      • Blessing of the Waters in Greenport (9-24-16)
      • Blessing of the School Year
      • School Celebration for October 28
      • Feast of Saint Andrew (11-30-16)
      • St. Nicholas Festive Vespers
      • Archbishop Demetrios Geron of America visit (12-18-16)
      • Christmas celebration of the School (12-18-16)
    • 2015 Photo Album >
      • Rt. Rev. Archim. Elder Vasileios Iviritis at the Patriarchal Monastery
      • Εορτή των Τριών Ιεραρχών
      • Sunday of Orthodoxy - Procession of the Holy Icons.
      • Σχολική εορτή 25ης Μαρτίου
      • The Akathist Hymn (Friday March 27, 2015) 
      • Greek Parade on Fifth Avenue
      • Holy Week and Pascha 2015 >
        • Palm Sunday - Κυριακή των Βαΐων
        • Holy Thursday - Μεγάλη Πέμπτη
        • HOLY FRIDAY - ΜΕΓΑΛΗ ΠΑΡΑΣΚΕΥΗ - ΑΠΟΚΑΘΗΛΩΣΙΣ
        • Holy Friday Epitaphios Procession - Περιφορά Επιταφίου
        • Holy Saturday morning - Μ. Σάββατο πρωί
        • Pascha - Anastasis 2015
      • Mother's Day School Celebration
      • H. E. Archbishop Demetrios of America celebrates the Divine Liturgy (5-17-15)
      • Graduation Αποφοίτηση Εξετάσεις 2015
      • FEAST OF ST. IRENE CHRYSOVALANTOU
      • Blessing of the Waters, Greenport, NY
      • The Blessing of the school year (10-4-2015)
      • School Celebration for October 28th (10-25-2015)
      • Vasilopitta Blessing
      • Great Vespers at St. Nicholas Church (12-5-15)
      • Dinner Dance of St. Nicholas Church (12-6-15)
      • Christmas School Celebration (12-12-15)
      • The Abbot with the Vice President of the USA, Joe Biden.
      • Great Vespers at St. Nectarios Church (11-8-15)
  • Links
  • Contact Us

PATRIARCHAL CHRISTMAS ENCYCLICAL

12/21/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture
 Prot. No. 871

PATRIARCHAL
CHRISTMAS ENCYCLICAL
 
+ BARTHOLOMEW
By God’s Mercy
Archbishop of Constantinople-New Rome and Ecumenical Patriarch
To the plenitude of the Church
Grace, mercy and peace from the newborn Savior Christ in Bethlehem
 
 
Beloved brothers and sisters in the Lord,
 
            Having once again arrived at the great feast of the Lord’s Nativity, we glorify with hymn and spiritual song the One who emptied Himself for our sake and assumed our flesh so that He might redeem us from captivity to evil and open the gates of paradise to the human race. The Church of Christ rejoices as it liturgically experiences the whole mystery of Divine Economy and receives a foretaste of the glory of the eschatological kingdom, offering a good and godly witness to faith, hope and love in the world.
 
            The character of the Church, while “not of this world,” does not isolate the Church from historical and social reality, but inspires and strengthens its witness. The Church, then, ever in reference to the eternal destiny of man, serves his existential needs, pouring out, like the Good Samaritan, “oil and wine” on his wounds, becoming a “neighbor” for everyone “who falls among thieves” (cf. Luke 10.25–37), healing contemporary “cultural illnesses” and illuminating people’s minds and hearts. As the presence of the Holy Spirit in the life of the faithful, spirituality means witnessing in word and deed to the hope that is in us and has nothing to do with barren introversion. The Holy Spirit is the giver of life, the source of goodness, the bestower of gifts, life and light. The Christian is a human being that is afire, loves God, humanity and beauty, active and creative.
 
            The Gospel of the Nativity is again heard this year in a cultural environment where supreme value is attributed to “individual rights.” Self-centeredness and the deceit of self-realization diminish social integrity, weaken the spirit of fellowship and solidarity, and objectivize interpersonal relations. Unrestricted emphasis on economy and secularization deepen the existential vacuum and lead to the diminishment of man’s creative forces.
 
            The Church cannot possibly ignore these developments, whose consequences are primarily endured by our youth through the enchanting mechanism of technology and the manifold promises of “false paradises.” The Holy and Great Council of the Orthodox Church (Crete, 2016) emphatically invited our youth “to become aware that they are bearers and at the same time the continuation of the ancient and blessed tradition of the Orthodox Church,” to actively participate in the life of the Church, “to courageously preserve and dynamically cultivate the eternal values of Orthodoxy in order to convey the life-giving witness of Christianity.” (Encyclical, § 8–9)
 
            In this same spirit, adhering to the exhortation of the Holy and Great Council but also in light of the recent election and enthronement of the new Archbishops of America, Australia and Thyateira-Great Britain for three large Eparchies of the Ecumenical Throne in the Diaspora, we declare 2020 as the “year of pastoral renewal and due concern for the youth,” inviting all our clergy and faithful to participate in and support this inspiring effort.
 
            We aspire to the advancement of a “dialogical pastoral ministry” with imagination and vision, with unshakable faith in the eternally flowing grace of God and confidence in the power of human freedom. This pastoral ministry is centered on human persons and must turn young people away from “seeking their own interests” and “pleasing themselves” to a love that “does not seek its own” and “is pleasing to God,” from “material goods” to “the only One who is good,” from “endless needs” to the “one thing that alone is needed,” thereby contributing to the promotion of everyone’s charismas. Our truly free self is born by offering our self.
 
            The foundation of the Christian conscience’s awakening remains to this day the experience and understanding of the meaning of Christian worship as well as its communal, Eucharistic and eschatological character. Young people must recognize that the Church is not a “union of Christians” but the “Body of Christ.” We call the reverend clergy of the Holy Great Church of Christ throughout the world to a “kenotic” pastoral mobilization. We should not wait for our young men and women to come to us, but we should reach out to them ourselves, not as judges but as friends, in imitation of the “good shepherd,” who “gives his life for his sheep” (John 10.11). A shepherd is always vigilant and on guard, aware of the pastoral needs of the youth and their social environment in order to act accordingly. His pastoral intervention draws inspiration and direction from the tradition of the Church, offering young people not merely “support” but the “truth” of freedom “to which Christ has set us free.” (Gal. 5.1)
 
            With these thoughts, we devoutly worship the Holy Child of Bethlehem and wish all of you from the festive Phanar a blessed Holy Twelvetide as well as a fruitful new year of our Lord, invoking on you the life-giving grace and great mercy of our Savior Christ, who condescended to the human race, the “God with us.”
 
Christmas 2019
 
Your fervent supplicant before God
 +Bartholomew of Constantinople
 


0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Author

    The Sacred Patriarchal Monastery

    Archives

    December 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    January 2022
    July 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    August 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    December 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    July 2018
    April 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    December 2016
    August 2016
    June 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    February 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    March 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Sacred Patriarchal and Stavropegial Orthodox Monastery of Saint Irene Chrysovalantou | 36-07 23rd Avenue, Astoria, New York, 11105 Telephone: (718) 626-6225, Facsimile: (718) 626-7669 | Copyright 2023