Oh, say, can you see... Σε γνωρίζω από την κόψη
It says something that the Greek national anthem gets first billing over the Star-Spangled Banner at the official opening of the 46th Biennial Clergy-Laity Congress.
EP calls different Paschal dates a "scandal"
( Orthodox Times ) - Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew extended in his homily his heartfelt wishes to all the non-Orthodox Christians who celebrated the Holy Easter on Sunday, March 31, after presiding over the Sunday Divine Liturgy at the Church of Saint Theodore of the Community of Vlanga. “On this day, the timeless message of the Resurrection resonates more profoundly than ever, as our non-Orthodox Christian brethren and sisters commemorate the resurrection of our Lord from the dead, celebrating Holy Easter. We have already sent our representatives to all the Christian Communities of the confessions here, to extend our heartfelt wishes of the Holy Great Church of Christ and our Patriarchal congratulations. But also from this position we extend a heartfelt greeting of love to all Christians around the world who celebrate Holy Easter today. We beseech the Lord of Glory that the forthcoming Easter celebration next year will not merely be a fortuitous occurrence, but rather the beginning...
In fairness, the flag etiquette info on the American Legion website indicates the guest country’s anthem should be played first, before the host, so the order at the Clergy-Laity Congress would seem to make sense. That said, I wonder why the anthems are necessary for a church gathering.
ReplyDeleteBut Greece is not the guest country, These are Americans, on American soil, there should be no need for the national anthem of Greece. For where is their loyaliy? Are they Americans of Greek heritage trying to become part of the fabric of their adopted country, or are they Greeks, here in America solely with the intent of going back to Greece?
ReplyDeleteIt was evident that the chapel is not an American Instituion and that it does not give Christian homage to the Americans who gave their lives, or am I in error? If it was built on sacred soil, to honor the loss of American life and as a gift to the American community, as is St. Judes Hospital, then why the Greek, nasal Byzantine chant, thick accents,,, it seemed like being a slap in the face of their new home country. As an American Eastern Orthodox Chrisitan I was embarassed by the ceremony. It gave me no pride in the fact this was possibly part of the fabric of the memory of those who lost their lives. It made me shed a tear because an opportunity was lost and squandered.
And, of course, the Greeks are always the ones quick to accuse everyone else of ethnophylitism. (Come to think of it, the establishment of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of North and South America overlapping with the canonical territory of the Patriarchate of Moscow back in the 1920's was exactly the kind of thing the Bulgarians were trying to do within the territory of the Patriarchate of Constantinople that led to the condemnation of ethnophylitism.)
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