Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew declared on Monday, January 15, 2024 the opening of the International Scientific Conference “The Apostle Paul in Antalya: Memory, Testimony”, under his auspices and organized by the Holy Metropolis of Pisidia in the city of Antalya .
In his speech, the Ecumenical Patriarch spoke of the universality of the Gospel of Christ and the importance of the preaching of the Apostle Paul, within the framework of which the Ecumenical Patriarchate has undertaken various initiatives in our time to promote relations and ecumenical dialogue.
“We have repeatedly emphasized that unity is not only an internal question of the Church, precisely because it is indissolubly linked to the unity of all humanity. The Church does not exist for itself but for all humanity and, more broadly, for all Creation,” emphasized the Patriarch, adding:
However, at this critical moment in history, universality is neither a luxury nor an advantage. This is imperative and necessary for us Christians because the survival of the world depends on a broad interpretation and deep application of the Gospel. The ecumenical mandate is essential to its existence and resilience. We are called to be universal. Otherwise we cannot breathe, because otherwise we cannot exist!
At another point in his speech, the Ecumenical Patriarch emphasized that in our world, religion becomes the object of exploitation, manipulation and instrumentalization for various reasons, including nationalism, fanaticism and fundamentalism.
“We see this before our eyes in Ukraine, where Orthodox Christianity is used unethically and unfairly against other Orthodox Christians, with the blessing of the Moscow Patriarchate. We observe the same violations and outrages in the Middle East and North Africa, where hostilities and wars are waged in the name of religion, at the expense of citizens’ lives and human needs.
Hierarchs, clergy, university professors from various universities and theologians from different countries participate in the Conference.
The Ecumenical Patriarch arrived in Antalya on Sunday afternoon, accompanied by his entourage, where he was welcomed at the airport by Metropolitan Job of Pisidia, surrounded by his clergy and laity. Afterwards, the Ecumenical Patriarch made a pilgrimage to the historic St. Alypius Church in Kionia.
Translated by Ioanna Georgakopoulou
