Protocol no. γ - 1525 
 

ATHENS Nov. 17/30 2011

ENCYCLICAL
To the Clergy and Faithful of the Church of the G.O.C. of Greece

“…And the men of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloths, from the greatest of them to the least of them …and cried earnestly to God; and they turned every one from their evil way, and from the iniquity that was in their hands, saying, Who knows if God will repent, and turn from his fierce anger, ad so we shall not perish? And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil ways; and God repented of the evil which he had said he would do to them; and he did [it] not.” (Jonah 3:5-10)

Pious clergy and faithful of the True Church of Christ in Greece,

The beginning of the Nativity Fast has found us in the midst of a diverse crisis. Our small fatherland is threatened by the consequences of a financial crisis which could cause a chain reaction world-wide. Simultaneously threatening clouds from east, west and north are gathering against our national sovereignty.

If we sought the cause of this situation we would find that the economic crisis is without a doubt the result of a spiritual crisis and a relaxation of moral values. The hunger which our fellow countryman endured for centuries has been replaced by consumerism and indulgence. Fasting has become a very rare phenomenon and the Greeks have begun to be characterized worldwide as the most overweight. Thus they have distanced themselves from God as it is written concerning Israel “So Jacob ate and was filled, and the beloved one kicked; he grew fat, he became thick and broad: then he forsook the God that made him, and departed from God his Saviour.” (Deuteronomy 32:15)

But it stands to reason that a long-term economic crisis also creates social turmoil which sometimes takes on explosive dimensions. As legitimate as the citizens indignation may be at the politicians’ mistakes, we must not forget that we elected them. And it is fulfilled in us that which the Prophet Samuel said concerning the Jews when they wanted to elect a king for themselves “And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your good oliveyards, and give them to his servants. And he will take the tithe of your seeds and your vineyards (…) and your good herds and your asses, and will take the tenth of them for his works. And he will tithe your flocks; and ye shall be his servants. And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king whom ye have chosen to yourselves, and the Lord shall not hear you in those days, because ye have chosen to yourselves a king.” (1st Kings 8:14-18) Today, we Greeks cry out against the leaders whom we elected. At least in the future, let us take care to elect honorable, pious and patriotic ones to represent us and govern us.

For that to happen, the cheers and insults in the squares need to be replaced by supplicatory prayers and fervent petitions to the Lord, at home and at church. Then God will send us honorable leaders as the Wisdom of Sirach says “An unwise king destroyeth his people; but through the prudence of them which are in authority the city shall be inhabited. The power of the earth is in the hand of the Lord, and in due time he will set over it one that is profitable. (Wisdom of Sirach 10:3-4)

Let us endeavor to protect the integrity of our faith and the health of our soul, and we will have nothing to fear, even if the world turns upside down and the end of the world comes as St Cosmas Aitolos says “This I say to you to instruct you, even if the sky falls down and the earth rises up and the whole world is ruined as it shall be ruined, that which God does, let it not concern you. Let them burn your body, let them fry it, let them take your things, give it to them, they are not yours anyway. Christ and our soul is all that is needed, they cannot take these two things even if the whole world is ruined except if you give them up willingly.” (Teaching IV)

Let us always be spiritually awake with our lamps lit just as those five wise virgins who “took oil in their vessels with their lamps” (Matt. 25:1-4) and entered into the bridal-chamber of the Kingdom of the Heavens. And if we sorrow in this world we know from the Gospel “In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)
Our own virtuous conduct and piety is able to help the crowds of our fellow citizens to be rid of the evils which have come upon us. Moreover our Lord promised unto Abraham, after his repeated questions, that He would not destroy a populous city such as Sodom for the sake of ten righteous people. “Should there be fifty righteous in the city, wilt thou destroy them? ... but if there should be found there ten? And he said, I will not destroy it for the ten's sake.” (Genesis 18:24-33) The city was destroyed because there were not found in it even ten righteous people.

We pray that the trial which our country is undergoing will become an opportunity for the spiritual rebirth of each of each one of us, knowing that God will not permit us to be tried beyond what we can bear, as St Paul assures us: “But God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” (Cor. 10:13) So then, after the trials are over may we cry out with the words of the Psalm: “we went through the fire and water; but thou broughtest us out into a place of refreshment.” (Psalm 65:12)

Be of good cheer then, beloved children in the Lord, bearing in mind that our Orthodox faith is our most powerful weapon against any difficulty, according to the beloved Disciple “this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.” (1 John 5:4)
Let us turn to God in repentance like the Ninevites of old, and let us yoke prayer with fasting. On the occasion of the Nativity fast our Holy Synod has decided to encourage all to intensify their prayers for our storm-tossed nation and especially as they celebrate the sacred vigil on the feast day of the Holy Hieromartyr Eleutherios in all of the parishes and holy monasteries of the territory of Greece, or – if this is not possible – on another day by agreement of the rector and the council. During this vigil, before the dismissal the liturgist shall read the attached prayer.

THE HOLY SYNOD

The Archbishop
+ KALLINIKOS of Athens and all Greece

MEMBERS
+ Metropolitan AKAKIOS of Attica and Diauleia
+ Metropolitan MAXIMOS of Thessalonica and Demetrias
+ Metropolitan ATHANASIOS of Larisa and Platamon
+ Metropolitan JUSTIN of Euripus and Euboea
+ Metropolitan PAVLOS of America
+ Metropolitan GERONTIOS of Piraeus and Salamina
+ Metropolitan CHRYSOSTOMOS of Attica and Boeotia
+ Metropolitan MOSES of Portland and the western United States
+ Bishop GREGORY of Christianoupolis
+ Bishop PHOTIOS of Marathon
+ Bishop THEODOSIOS of Bresthena
+ Bishop CHRISTODOULOS of Theoupolis
+ Bishop SERGIOS of Loch Lomond

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PRAYER 

against disaster

by the Most Holy Patriarch Kallistos

O unoriginate King, invisible, inscrutable, unapproachable and ineffable, Who holdest all creation in the palm of Thy hand, and Who dost preserve, uphold and govern it by Thine ineffable word. O Thou Who didst at first endure the iniquities of the Ninevites, and later accept their repentance and conversion, and gavest them forgiveness for all their iniquities and offenses, in Thy wonted and ineffable love for mankind, and Thine excellent goodness and long-suffering. Accept our prayers, as Thou hast said, as Thou didst the conversion and repentance of the Ninevites; accept our tears and sighs; accept our humble entreaty; for, heavy laden with sins, we are in nowise able to look upon Thee, Who art sinless. Accept as it were smoke from the depths the cries sent up to Thee, our Master. Accept the petition of a wretched people, that the depth of Thy lovingkindness may prevail over the multitude of our sins; and grant Thy people deliverance, freedom from temptations, and release from the stroke of death. Yea, O Lord our God, hearken to Thy people at this hour, and to me, a sinner; and withdraw the rod of sinners, which striketh against the lot of the righteous, whom Thou Thyself knowest, and by whom Thou art known: that we, Thine unprofitable servants, may glorify the all-holy name of Thee—the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit—now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.