Archbishop Elpidophoros Uses Earthquake Tragedy to Pray with Muslims and Jews, Among Others
Imagine believing you can be against the heresy of ecumenism and in the official Church at the same time. Yesterday’s Orthodox Times has you beat.
Archbishop Elpidophoros of America led an Interfaith prayer service for Turkey and Syria at Georgetown University on Tuesday, February 14, 2023. The service brought together religious and civic leaders in solidarity with the Turkish and Syrian diaspora communities here in the United States, to pray for peace and comfort for all those affected by the recent earthquake. The participants also prayed for ongoing rescue and recovery efforts.
The article quotes Elpidophoros as saying: “This ruinous, cataclysmic event has brought us together in bonds of solidarity, which are intensified by the glimmers of hope that we see in the faces of those miracles still being pulled alive from the devastation,” said Archbishop Elpidophoros in his Keynote Address.
“When hands are frantically digging through rubble and debris to reach that one weak voice, and lift back to life the soul trapped underneath the appalling aftermath of these quakes, no one asks which hand is Muslim or Christian, Jewish or even atheist. No one asks which nation or tribe. No one asks for motive or reason.”
Participants in the prayer service included Rabbi Richard Marker, the former Chair of the International Jewish Committee for Interreligious Consultations; His Excellency Bishop Denis J. Madden of the Archdiocese of Baltimore, Maryland (Roman Catholic- Editors); His Eminence (H.E.) Mor Dionysius John Kawak of the Syriac Orthodox Church of Antioch; H.E. Archbishop Vicken Aykazian of the Armenian Apostolic Church (Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin); His Grace Bishop John of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America; Imam Nurullah Celebi and Dr. Bilal Kuspinar of the Diyanet Center of America; Mr. Jason Isaacson, the Chief Policy and Political Affairs Officer for the American Jewish Committee; and Rev. Bishop Vashti Murphy-McKenzie, the Interim President and General Secretary of the National Council of Churches.
