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Orthodox Observer - April 20, 1998
New Desecration of Orthodox Cemetery in Turkey
NEW YORK.- His Eminence Archbishop
Spyridon has called on Members of Congress and national, civic and religious leaders to respond to the latest attack against
the Greek Orthodox community in Istanbul,
Turkey. On March 31, over 70 graves in
the Greek Orthodox cemetery of Saint
Eleftherios, in the Kurtulus region of Istanbul
were vandalized.
It was the fourth incident in recent
months: On Dec. 3, 1997, a bomb attack
against the Patriarchal compound in the
Phanar district of Istanbul seriously injured
a deacon and damaged the Patriarchal Cathedral. On Jan. 13, the Church of St.
Therapon was pillaged and the sexton murdered. There was also an incident on the
island of Imvros, a historically Greek Orthodox region, where the Greek Orthodox
Church of the Annunciation was robbed.
Vandals desecrated the Greek Orthodox cemetery at Neohorio on the Bosporus
in September 1993, while another cemetery
in the Istanbul suburb of Kanitili was the target of desecrators last year. No arrests were
ever made.
His Eminence continues to urge the political and spiritual leadership of the United
States to come to the defense of the people
and the institution of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, the world-wide
center of Orthodox Christianity.
$
In a letter to President Clinton, Archbishop Spyridon wrote:
"Mr. President, this most recent attack
upon even the dead causes great pain to all
people. I need to ask: What is the sin of
those who repose in the hope of Resurrection? What is the sin of those fathers and
mothers who lay at peace and cause no offense? Ultimately, where is the righteousness in attacking the bones which sanctify
the earth in which they were placed?
Let us leave to God that which is God's,
and let us who live ask God to illumine our
hearts, minds and souls that one day all
people may live together in the light of reconciliation and mutual understanding."
In a public statement on the incident, His Eminence further stated:
"I am shaken and very concerned regarding the recent desecration of over 70 Greek
Orthodox graves in Istanbul, Turkey. In the
very recent past the compound of the Ecumenical Patriarchate has been bombed, resulting in casualties and property damage, a
church was broken into and a sexton was
murdered, and now even those who lie in the
tombs have been attacked, yet another time.
As a Christian leader, I call to all people
that love, reconciliation and peace must be
our one heartfelt resolve. We must do everything in our power to always strive for
better understanding between people and
cultures so that we may live in peace with
one another.
At the same time, though, the violent
attacks perpetrated upon the Greek Orthodox Christian minority living in Istanbul must
be brought to the attention of all people everywhere who are concerned about the basic issues of human rights, religious freedom and the inalienable dignity of every
human being. We are not dealing with political issues or political opinions in cases
such as these. We are being confronted in
a very dramatic and unfortunately violent
way with events which show a complete lack
of basic human respect.
During these days, just prior to Easter
when we see Christ Resurrected from the
dead and the grave become the fountain of
life, I can only feel pain in my heart when I
hear that the bones of our fathers and mothers have been taken from their place of repose and their peace is being shattered.
Do not those who rest in the tombs
somehow share in the silent vigil of the Resurrected Lord? Do not those who rest beneath the earth deserve to be respected as
they await the glory which is to come?
And finally, how can anyone who lives and
breathes be offended by their peaceful silence?
Let us come together in the dark
shadow of these recent events in order to
walk together, step by step, with all people,
of all cultures and religious backgrounds into
the dawn of a new day where human dignity and religious freedom are fully respected
and honored."
[ Orthodox Observer | VOL. 63 - NO. 1143 | April 20, 1998 | p. 2 ]
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