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June 29, 1952

My dear Photios,

Five years ago today, I landed in Polis (Constantinople). But today I am locked up in the office, a rainy day as it is. Even if it is Sunday.

Impossible to tell you how much joy your letter brought to me. Between the lines, I found your unchanged gentle self that I appreciated so much and loved from the days of Halki.

Thoughts and souls, disinclined to bondage and subjection, such as ours could have served God and our neighbor in other ways: from an academic chair, for example. I could sense it as a student. You remember I didn’t want to be a priest. I wanted to be a professor...

We now find ourselves in the circle of dance, and we shall dance. It is too late for any change. From age forty onwards, such ventures are useless. If it were not for the people whom I believe I somewhat serve with the power of God, I would have long left the ranks of the CLERGY who I think is more corrupt and perverted and mean-spirited than any other social class.

About Halki, there is no discussion. I truly wanted to see my folks. But I can’t go to Imvros. To make them come to Constantinople, bedridden as they are, for me alone, would be an impossible thing to ask for. Then, Metropolitan of Derkon doesn’t want me there as an American citizen. He wants me to become a Turkish citizen. But if I go over there as a Turkish citizen, I will not be able to come back here, and this is no time for experiments.

The Archbishop of Thyateira tried again to persuade me to accept the position of dean at Halki, but, fortunately, the Patriarch seems to be following the Divine Will in my case. June passed, and I haven't become ...bishop of Militos. The harvest is still to come. The day before yesterday, we celebrated the 30th anniversary of Father Argyridou in Lynn. I was there. Will you be at mine?

Try to remain true to yourself. Soak up the double joy of our student years if you go to Halki and always be happy in the Lord.

Fraternally,
[Signed]
 Iakovos

[ Translated from the original Greek ]

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* Iakovos and Photios had been classmates at the Halki Theological School (1930-1934). At the time the letter above was written Iakovos was serving as dean of the Cathedral of the Annunciation in Boston and Photios was Metropolitan of Paphos (Cyprus).

[ Cfr. Helleniscope
   www.helleniscope.com/2022/09/06/a-letter-by-the-young-ab-iakovos-1952/
   September 6, 2022