Categories
Letters

Letter to Congressman

Dear Congressman Lynch.

I am aware that the country is presently preoccupied with the Ukrainian war but as an American of Greek ancestry I wish to make clear my views as a constituent that I stand in total and complete opposition to Undersecretary of State Victoria Nuland. It is well known that Victoria Nuland is a neoconservative and a very aggressive “diplomat”. She is also profoundly hostile to Greece and Cyprus both of which are democratic countries with a long history of aligning themselves with the United States. Ms. Nuland is serving as an enforcer for the Biden administration’s efforts to appease the terrorist sponsoring Republic of Turkey.

Turkey has been occupying the Republic of Cyprus since 1974 when its forces invaded and ethnically cleansed the territories it occupied of over 200,000 Greek Cypriots. At the present time, Turkey has been threatening to invade Greece and challenges the status of islands that belong under international treaties to the Hellenic Republic. Turkey is a country run by a jihadist dictator whose regime has sponsored Al Quada affiliates in Syria and has assisted the genocidal Islamic State. Ms. Nuland has visited Greece and Cyprus with the intent of forcing these two countries to include Turkey in an energy deal that they had previously signed with Israel. 

The Biden administration deserves censure for preparing to sacrifice Greece and Cyprus who are fighting for their very existence against a much larger and much more powerful Turkey still being aided and abetted by NATO. I wish to remind you of the hypocrisy of  the American foreign policy establishment. Two years ago, efforts were made to impeach President Trump on the grounds that he had threatened and bullied Ukrainian President Zelensky. There were a few more details but the heart of the matter was that the former President was accused of and nearly impeached for allegedly bullying a foreign leader. 

Being the author of three books and possessing an expertise in Byzantine and modern Greek history, I am acutely aware that Greece has been repeatedly bullied throughout the decades by various American administrations. During the 1950’s, and 1960’s, the United States whitewashed the ethnic cleansing of Greek Orthodox Christians from Constantinople by the Turkish government. In the interests of NATO, Greece was forced to abandon its interests in preserving the ethnic Greek minority residing in Turkey. During the 1960’s, the Johnson administration bullied then Greek Ambassador to Washington Alexander Matsas with the use of language and a tone that was unbecoming for an American President. 

Being of Greek ancestry, I concur with the late journalist Christopher Hitchens who denounced former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger as a war criminal for his policies which permitted and enabled the Turkish invasions of Cyprus in 1974. All these unhappy memories are recalled as a result of the treacherous anti Hellenic policies being undertaken by the Biden administration under the apparent influence of Victoria Nuland and others who share her extreme views. Greece is a country that fought with the United States in two World Wars, the Cold War, and the Korean War. 

Greece and Cyprus do not deserve to be sacrificed in order to appease the jihadist regime in Turkey which has demonstrated repeatedly its staunchly anti American policies by embracing the aforementioned terrorist movements. Washington has also kept 
silent as Turkey’s clients in Azerbaijan have massacred and ethnically cleansed Armenian Christians in the territories of Artsakh and elsewhere. It is understandable that the United States wants to concentrate on Ukraine right now, but nothing can justify the sacrifice of Greece, Cyprus, and Armenia in order to appease Erdogan’s Turkey.

Congress must look into the matter of how the energy deal involving Greece, Cyprus, and Israel was terminated and should oppose unconditionally the inclusion of Turkey. Turkey should be targeted for sanctions and treated as a pariah and should not 
be appeased. 

Theodore Karakostas 

Categories
faith

Anti War The Orthodox Position

The Roman Catholic Church has an official stance defining “just wars”. The term “just war” is an oxymoron. No war can be just because innocent people will always be killed in wars. Christians have had to struggle with the subject of war especially in the context of the Gospel in which Christ urges us to turn the other cheek. Christ who was crucified and endured suffering on the cross.

When Constantine legalized Christianity the process of the merger of Church and State began. Christian Emperors found it necessary to wage wars. Some historians have argued that Byzantium had holy wars and have cited the example of Emperor Heraclius who defeated the Persians in 626 AD and liberated the true cross while taking vengeance for the burning of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem earlier on.

Christianity was a factor in the wars of Byzantium but they were not holy. The Emperor was considered the “viceroy of God” and the people of the Empire were Christians. At no time however did the Church bless the wars, but only the Emperor and the soldiers who were Christians.

The Canon of Saint Basil prescribed a period of abstention from communion by Christian soldiers who killed during times of war. This was in recognition of the fact that enemy soldiers were people created in the image of God. Christian soldiers were not murderers but their souls needed to be cleansed and so they were required to abstain from communion for a time.

In the tenth century, acting Emperor Nikephoras Phokas waged war against the Arabs in Syria. The Emperor was fiercely religious and attempted to turn the war into a holy war and asked the Church to declare fallen soldiers to be martyrs. The Patriarch objected to the very idea of holy war and made it clear the wars were on behalf of the Empire, not God.

In the first encounter between the Emperor Alexios of Constantinople and the Knights of the First Crusade, the Greeks were appalled by the pro war fanaticism of the visiting westerners. They made clear that they rejected the very concept of holy war. The Crusaders were looked upon by the Greeks as fanatics and barbarians.

When the Orthodox Church blesses the national struggles (Greek War of Independence, Russia against the Nazis) they are not blessing war. They are blessing the people who are fighting, dying, and suffering against a foreign yoke (Turks, Nazis). The present war in Ukraine has become very troubling.

One of the things the Orthodox East could take pride in is that it was not bloodthirsty like the west. The neoconservative and neo liberal wars (Iraq, Serbia) demonstrate quite clearly that the western political mind still believes in Crusading. A millenium ago it was in the name of Christianity and today in the name of democracy.

Russia remains the bastion of Christianity in the world. But its offensive war in Ukraine is not in accordance with Orthodoxy or Byzantium of which Moscow rightfully considers itself to be the successor. Russia remains the third rome on the basis that it is the largest Orthodox country in the world.

On Ukraine however, Moscow has gone astray. Unlike the 2014 intervention, this war is an offensive one. The Russian Church has lost some credibility owing to Patriarch Kyril’s refusal to condemn the war. There are 282 Russian priests who have condemned the war and the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church has condemned the war.

A Ukrainian priest has called for the convening of an ecumenical council to rule on the public stances of Patriarch Kyril of Moscow. Such a council will also need to challenge Patriarch Bartholomew’s intervention in Ukraine in 2018. The Russian Patriarch may very well be in the wrong but it should be remembered that Patriarch Bartholomolew blessed the Turkish tanks in 2018 that were sent to Syria to fight the Kurds.

Both Patriarch Bartholomew and Archbishop Elpidophoros of America have aligned themselves with the United States that has made war an essential part of its foreign policy. Have either the Patriarch or the Archbishop condemned the bombings of Serbia, Iraq, or Syria? Have they condemned NATO’s expansion to the Russian border?

Russia may be in the wrong for invading Ukraine but as far as NATO goes the Russians have been placed on the defensive. Politics aside, Christian morality dictates that the lives of Ukrainians come before NATO or Russia. God loves the ordinary people suffering in war and for this reason Russia must end the war.

In the end why is Russia wrong? Because Moscow is acting like a western country in starting an offensive war. Orthodox Christians do not expect much from the West. We expect much more from the great Orthodox civilization of Russia.

Orthodoxy rejects offensive wars, western hypocrisy aside.

Categories
faith

Holy Week And Ukraine

Holy Week is about to begin. This year we will be thinking about the blood of Orthodox Christians in Ukraine. Men, women, and children who are being bombed by other Orthodox Christians. The unpleasant reality is that Russia invaded Ukraine.

One can recognize the serious offenses by NATO against Russia while condemning the Russian invasion of Ukraine and all atrocities that accompany it. As a pro Russian Greek, it is disheartening to conclude that Russia is in the wrong.

In 1999, Orthodox Christians condemned the bombing of Serbia on Great and Holy Pascha. This year, an Orthodox Christian leader is bombing an Orthodox country. One can dismiss CNN and the New York Times. For ten years, they have promoted anti Russian hysteria and outright lies such as the election hoax.

The Ukrainian Orthodox Church (the canonical one) has condemned the Russian invasion and fifteen of its bishops refuse to commemorate Patriarch Kyril of Moscow. The Ukrainian Church cannot be dismissed as promoting western propaganda.

In light of continued Russian bombing of Ukraine on the eve of holy week, it is impossible to avoid blaming Russia for the war and its continuation.

Categories
Published Letters

Letter Published in Boston Herald


Letters to the editor, By Boston Herald editorial staff, Artsakhby administrator

Artsakh

The following letter is in response to the April 3 op-ed by Saul Anuzis. In the fall of 2020, the jihadist regime of Azerbaijan with the backing of the jihadist Turkish Republic invaded the Armenian territory of Artsakh and engaged in ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity against Armenian civilians. The war crimes conducted by the Azerbaijanis did not get a mention in this deceitful commentary.

It is abundantly clear that in the name of the horrific and tragic war playing out in Ukraine, that propaganda on behalf of Turkey and Azerbaijan is going to be uncritically accepted by the media. Armenia is a peaceful democratic republic that is struggling to survive against hostile and dangerous regimes in Baku and Ankara. Armenians survived the Turkish orchestrated genocide one century ago and are still facing an existential threat to their physical existence from these two dictatorships. Azerbaijani officials have threatened to attack nuclear plants in Armenia.

In addition to this, Turkey, which is the sponsor of Azerbaijan, has been threatening Greece by putting forward claims to the islands belonging to Greece. Turkey has also invaded and continues to occupy 37% of Cyprus, where the Turkish army ethnically cleansed over 200,000 Greek Cypriots in 1974. There are many who are able to read through and comprehend the sinister foreign influences that motivated the aforementioned op-ed.

Theodore Karakostas

Categories
political

Resisting NATO IS The Duty Of Greeks

https://greekcitytimes.com/2022/04/02/under-secretary-nulands-travel-to-france-turkey-greece-cyprus-and-germany/
https://greekcitytimes.com/2022/04/04/mitsotakis-greek-ukraine/

Reports indicate that the infamous neoconservative Victoria Nuland will be visiting Greece, Turkey, and Cyprus among other countries. The trip will be aimed at gathering support for Ukraine against Russia. Nuland is infamous for having participated in the overthrow of Ukraine’s government in 2014 which provoked the Russian invasion of the time.

Furthermore, Nuland’s visit is a recollection of the dark days of Greece when Athens was the plaything of the western alliance. American and NATO officials have always looked upon Greece as a small country with no significance compared to Turkey. From their perspective, Greece has no interests except for those of NATO.

Greeks should remember that NATO interference in the internal affairs of Greece has never been completely eradicated. During the Bush-Cheney administration, the Karamanlis government was forced out of office because Athens vetoed Skopje’s entrance into NATO and because Athens signed an agreement with Russia regarding an oil pipeline.

Through the Ecumenical Patriarchate, NATO has infiltrated the Church of Greece. Ambassador Geoffrey Pyatt has helped Patriarch Bartholomew impose his anti Orthodox ecclesiastical dictatorship over the Church of Greece. American officials shamelessly interfere in the affairs of the Church of Greece.

There is much to respect about Prime Minister Mitsotakis. He has stood up to Turkey. He is not the perfect leader, but he is a major improvement over the collaborationists and stooges such as Costas Simitis and George Papandreou. Nuland is going to attempt to bring Greece into the Ukrainian mess which Russia started but NATO provoked.

As of this writing, trade unions in Thessaloniki are supporting the employees of the railway company OSE. Management of this railroad company is attempting to force its employees to help transfer NATO military equipment to Eastern Europe. These Greek citizens refusal to participate in NATO’s war is patriotic and heroic.

Greece’s stance on Ukraine should be one of neutrality. It is fine to take in refugees and send humanitarian assistance. Greek participation should end there. Greece should not repeat the treasonous actions of the Simitis era when Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan was handed over to the Turks and Athens permitted NATO to use Thessaloniki as a base to bomb Serbia.

Greece should emulate the admirable stance of Hungary. Hungarian Prime Minister Orban was reelected on an anti war platform. Budapest has no desire to get dragged into a war against the will of its citizens. Despite facing external pressures, Hungary has held firm to its principled position.

Polls indicate that sixty six percent of Greeks oppose any involvement in the Ukrainian war. Mitsotakis will have to choose between the neoconservative warmonger Nuland or the Greek people. Mitsotakis should look at the principled position of the railroad workers and unionists in Thessaloniki whose stance is a patriotic stance in favor of Greek national sovereignty.

Categories
Published commentaries

What About Cyprus?

The National Herald

COLUMNISTS

What About Cyprus
March 28, 2022  By Theodore Karakostas

File- In this Thursday Nov. 6, 2019, A Turkish flag is seen through a fence that divided the Greek Cypriot south to the Turkish Cypriots north in divided capital Nicosia, Cyprus. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)
I was a student studying political science and history when Iraq invaded Kuwait in August 1990. I remember the outrage of the world community and the demands that Iraq unconditionally withdraw its troops from Kuwait. The administration of the elder George Bush proceeded to go to war with Iraq in order to drive the Iraqis from Kuwait. One of Washington’s partners was the Republic of Turkey during the Presidency of Turgut Ozal. The Turkish government was valued because it provided use of American bases for American troops to attack Iraq.

The hypocrisy and double standards of America and Europe was deafening then, and it is deafening now in the aftermath of the Russian invasion of Ukraine – as is demonstrated by the continuing illegal occupation of Cyprus by NATO member Turkey.

The Turkish Army invaded Cyprus twice in the summer of 1974. It invaded on July 20,1974 under the pretext of opposing the Athens dictatorship’s coup of Cypriot President-Archbishop Makarios. In reality, Turkey seized the opportunity to fulfill expansionist plans that had been put forward as far back as 1955 when Greek Cypriot patriots sought to end the occupation of their island by Great Britain by uniting with Greece. In 1955, Turkey had formed a party called ‘Cyprus is Turkish’ despite the fact that Cyprus has had a Hellenic identity going back to classical times and a population that was eighty percent Greek.

On August 14, 1974Turkish forces invaded a second time and subsequently seized thirty seven percent of Cypriot territory and ethnically cleansed the occupied territories of 200,000 Greek Cypriots through murder, rape, and mass expulsions.

In order to liberate Kuwait in 1990, the United States collaborated with a government that had itself invaded and occupied another country and perpetrated war crimes. Throughout the 1990’s, the so called ‘free world’ got hysterical over Serbia. NATO took military action against the Bosnian Serbs in 1995, and in 1999 NATO bombed Serbia for close to three months under the guise of ending alleged Serbian aggression. The case of Yugoslavia is rather complex. Bosnia was barely independent when war broke out and Kosovo was still legally a part of Serbia when NATO bombed Belgrade.

Cyprus, however, was independent for fourteen years before the Turks invaded in 1974. The Republic of Cyprus gained independence in 1960 after the signing of the Treaties of Zurich, Guarantee, and London in 1959. The Greeks were undermined by the British who colluded with Turkey to diminish the new Republic. There is not enough space here to recount the criminal activities of the British in Cyprus which continue up to the present day.

Western hypocrisy now manifests itself over Ukraine. It has been nearly forty-eight years since Turkey invaded and occupied Cyprus. The Turks have brought in about 150,000 settlers from the Turkish mainland who have seized homes and property belonging to Greek refugees. They have destroyed over five hundred and fifty Greek Orthodox and Armenian churches and monasteries. Hellenic monuments have been destroyed – but there is nothing but indifference from the powerful of the world.

In 2002, another member of the Bush family along with another anti-Hellenic Englishman named Tony Blair tried to force the Republic of Cyprus to accept the Plan of United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan. The Annan Plan (as it came to be known) is a classic document of appeasement and sacrifice of a small and defenseless country. The Plan was conceived not long after Cyprus was admitted into the European Union and in my opinion Secretary General Annan consciously worked to eradicate even this small advantage that Cyprus might have over Turkey.

The Bush and Blair governments attempted to shove the Annan Plan down the throats of the Cypriots. Cypriot President Tassos Papadopoulos heroically refused to accept the Plan. Seventy six percent of the citizens in the internationally recognized Republic of Cyprus rejected the Plan. The Plan was supposedly accepted in the Turkish occupied territories under the auspices of the Turkish military and the active participation of 150,000 Turkish settlers who were permitted to vote in that fraudulent referendum.

One must take note that Tony Blair’s wife is an attorney who has defended English citizens who reside in the Turkish occupied territories and have knowingly and wittingly taken over the homes and property that Greek Cypriots were forced to abandon in the aftermath of the Turkish invasions of 1974.

Here we are after nearly fifty years of invasion, occupation, and ethnic cleansing in Cyprus and no one seems to care less. The West needs a bogeyman from time to time, and they have found him in Vladimir Putin. The Ukrainian case further exposes western hypocrisy and appeasement.

NATO is a fraudulent alliance and does not function for defensive purposes. Turkey is a member of NATO and invaded the Republic of Cyprus, which has always been a member of the Non-aligned Movement. The bombing of Serbia in 1999 also demonstrates the myth that NATO is an alliance based on defense.

Like Cyprus, Greece is at a disadvantage owing to its membership in NATO, which has always valued Turkey much more that it has valued Greece. NATO has outright rejected demands from Prime Minister Mitsotakis that the ‘alliance’ support Greece in the face of the expansionist claims of Turkey.

The charter of NATO claims that an attack on one member is an attack on all members. Well, Turkey is openly putting forth claims to the Greek islands which international treaties conclusively demonstrate are part of the Hellenic Republic. There is no more support for Greece as a NATO member than there is for Cyprus, which is not a member of NATO.

NATO is a hypocritical alliance and if there is anything that the current crisis in Ukraine effectively demonstrates, it is that NATO exists for offensive and not defensive purposes. One can be opposed to the invasion of Ukraine and simultaneously recognize that NATO’s expansion to the Russian border unnecessarily exacerbated tensions.

It should be remembered that the Russians did provide important diplomatic support for Cyprus in 2004. The Russian Ambassador at the United Nations Security Council vetoed the Annan Plan which the American and British governments wanted to serve as the basis of a settlement for Cyprus. That plan would have maintained the Turkish occupation and would have deprived Greek Cypriots of basic human and civil rights by taking away their right to return to their homes and their freedom of movement.

Greece needs to think long and hard about its membership in NATO. There is much that could be said about NATO’s refusal to stop the Turks from ethnically cleansing the Greeks of Constantinople and the islands of Imbros and Tenedos during the 1950’s and 1960’s. The unpleasant reality is that international relations are based on the power and influence of the strong. Greece and Cyprus are small countries that are not considered important by their alleged allies. This is a dilemma that Greece and Cyprus are faced with.

The Republic of Turkey of Turgut Ozal thirty years ago was being praised for its modernity, secularism, and alleged democracy. Turkey has never been any of those things but it was possible for the western alliance to pretend. Under Erdogan, it is not possible to lie or to pretend that Turkey is anything other than a murderous aggressor. Turkey today openly aligns with jihadists and terrorists and is still considered by NATO to be a member in good standing.

Greece and Cyprus are faced with very few good options. At a very minimum they should abandon the fantasy that they have any friends or allies and proceed to redefine their foreign relations and how to proceed  in dealing with the Turkish threat. News reports indicate that Turkey is selling drones to Ukraine. Historically, when the Russians have been depicted as villainous in the West, support for Turkey against the bad Russians tends to grow. One need only examine the history of the outbreak of the Crimean War in 1853 to see how anti-Russian hysteria in Europe led to pro-Turkish sentiment and pro-Turkish policies.

As the Ukrainian crisis dominates headlines, this Greek has only one question. What about Cyprus?

Categories
political

Biden’s Comments

President Joe Biden showed signs of statesmanship and responsibility following the invasion of Ukraine by Russia. Various hawks and fanatics in both parties espoused actions that threatened to increase tensions between the west and Russia. Joe Biden correctly opposed the establishment of a no fly zone and sought to avoid a confrontation between Americans and Russians.

More recently, Biden has made some rather undiplomatic and inflammatory statements. Most likely these statements were made out of carelessness, but coming from the President they were highly irresponsible. Speaking to American troops, Biden suggested they would be going to Ukraine.

Furthermore, Biden suggested that Russian President Vladimir Putin should be removed. The White House officials moved to correct these statements. It has been understood that American troops will not be going to Ukraine and that the President will not be pursuing a policy of regime change in Moscow.

The world would have been much better off with Donald Trump in the White House. Biden is not an ideal President but considering the dangerous rhetoric of both Democrats and Republicans in Congress we could have Presidents worse than Biden in the White House. Biden must shut up and stop making comments that do not reflect official policy.

Biden has said that he wants Putin out personally and does not support regime change in Russia. That distinction is understood when clarified but any personal opinion of Biden is going to be interpreted as being the official position of the White House. Biden should not be issuing personal opinions. He must shut up.

The Biden Presidency is compromised by the activities in Ukraine of Hunter Biden. News reports from sources such as the New York Post are implicating Hunter Biden with the bio labs in Ukraine. Hunter Biden has proven to be a very destructive individual.

At the time of this writing, there appears to be progress in talks between Ukraine and Russia. The peace process should be encouraged. Biden’s Presidency could be a successful one in the event of peace between Russia and Ukraine. Biden should shut up in the meantime.

Categories
cinema

Turning The Other Cheek

As an avid cinephile I watch the Academy Awards every year. This year was no exception. The Awards were actually entertaining unlike last year which was dominated by “woke” speeches. Unfortunately, the Awards this year were marred by actor Will Smith who walked onstage and slapped comedian Chris Rock.

Chris Rock made a joke about the wife of Smith who suffers from a disease that made her hair fall out. Comedians make joke and celebrities are frequent targets of comedians. Smith’s love for his wife and attempt to defend her is truly admirable. His use of violence in a setting where others were to be honored is deplorable.

Chris Rock deserves to be respected for maintaining his composure. Having been slapped publicly and on a worldwide television broadcast could not have been easy to endure. Chris Rock practiced the Christian virtue of turning the other cheek. He is to be admired for this as what had been an ugly scene might have turned far worse had he hit back.

Rock carried on and presented the award he was called out to present. Will Smith demonstrated remorse when he subsequently won the award for best actor. Whatever his intentions, Smith’s use of violence has been deservedly condemned.

There are lessons to be learned from this incident and examples to be emulated. Christians should pay attention.

Categories
faith

Orthodoxy In The Media

The Orthodox Church is getting attention in the world’s media. It is not getting attention in a good way. The Russian Orthodox Church is getting the attention and this is because Patriarch Kyril of Moscow has refused to condemn the invasion of Ukraine. News sources have made references to the Orthodox Churches that oppose the war.

One has to wonder what ordinary people who have never heard of Orthodoxy think of all this. The Russian Patriarch not condemning war even though his flock in Ukraine is being bombed. The media is also referencing the ongoing fights between Patriarch Bartholomew and Patriarch Kyril.

The Russian Church is beginning to pay a price for its reluctance to condemn the war. Fifteen bishops of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church have stopped commemorating Patriarch Kyril during liturgy. There is evidence that the canonical Churches are beginning to join the non canonical “Church” established by Patriarch Bartholomew in 2018. The Russian Patriarch is losing his Church in Ukraine.

“Supporters” of Patriarch Bartholomew have condemned the war and this is correct considering that innocent people are dying. However, they are taking cheap shots and diminishing their moral high ground by using the war to justify Constantinople’s intrusions on the canonical territory of Moscow. The word “supporters” is in italics because both Constantinople and Moscow have supporters as if they were political leaders feuding with one another.

Leaving political sympathies aside (I am a Hellenic Russophile) the issue before all Orthodox Christians is one of morality. From a strictly moral and spiritual perspective the war is sinful and wrong. Russia needs to end the war and the Russian Church has to make clear its opposition to the war.

The Orthodox Church must find its voice. If there is anything the present Ukrainian crisis demonstrates it is that the Church is universal consisting of various local Churches that are its members but the Church can only be one. The Church of Constantinople is one part of the Church and Moscow is another part.

We have seen in the past few years that it is possible for one member of the Church to go astray. This happened to Constantinople when it began to claim universal authority over the whole Church. It is now happening to Moscow which appears to out of touch with its own priests. Over two hundred and eighty Russian priests have condemned the war.

Most Orthodox Churches have condemned the war. It would be better if all the local Churches were able to formulate a common stance against the war at a time when the world is watching the Orthodox Church. Constantinople should not criticize Moscow. Constantinople should adopt a posture of reconciliation and should offer apologies for its intervention in Ukraine.

Moscow in turn should condemn the military invasion of Ukraine. Many of us are tired of the Church becoming divided by factionalism. By taking a moral position against war does not denote being against Russia or being unsympathetic to Russia’s diplomatic and political stances.

The war is distinguishable from politics. The Orthodox Church must remember that morality comes from heaven. Morality over politics. The Orthodox Churches must condemn this war and should refrain from being partisan against one another.

When Orthodox Patriarchs are warring with one another, how can they be a good example to the secular leaders of warring nations?

Categories
cinema

Saint Nektarios On Film

Man of God

Directed by Yelena Popovich

2021

“Man of God” is an excellent film made by an Orthodox director (Serbian Yelena Popovic) with a cast including Greek and Russian actors along with Americans such as Mickey Rourke. The film is a biographical account of the Saints ecclesiastical life at the Patriarchate of Alexandria and the Church of Greece. The Saint was fiercely hounded and criticized by careerist bishops who were jealous of the sincerely pious Nektarios.

The film nicely contrasts the piety of Saint Nektarios with the political scheming that was taking place in ecclesiastical circles. Just look at the present problems at today’s Patriarchate of Alexandria and at the Patriarchates of Constantinople and Moscow. Some things do not change.

Saint Nektarios was involved as a preacher, teacher, and founded the Monastery on the island of Aegina that bears his name. He was an Orthodox traditionalist refusing to disavow monasticism in the midst of secular criticisms. He was a man of peace who above all was willing to suffer in his devotion to Christ.

The film is a must see not only for Orthodox Christians, but western Christians and all people of faith generally. Highly recommended and inspiring.