To the Clergy of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Atlanta:
My Dear Brothers in the Lord,
I greet you in the Name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ praying that you and your parish families are blessed with health, peace and safety as we prepare for the coming Ecclesiastical New Year!
To that end, I offer the following Encyclical thoughtfully prepared by His All-Holiness our Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, in which the coming Day of Protection for the Environment is considered in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
As faithful Orthodox Christians we support His All-Holiness' prayer "...that the dissemination of pseudoscientific opinions concerning the purported dangers of the Covid-19 vaccines, the slander aimed toward specialists of the medical field, and the unfounded degradation of the seriousness of the disease, be terminated." Therefore, I ask that you please share the full Encyclical (here in English & here in Greek), both from the pulpit after this Sunday's Divine Liturgy, as well as through your websites, bulletins, and whatever other means you have at your disposal.
As we continue to navigate this unique era, may we demonstrate the true Orthodox understanding of respect for our fellow man and our Lord's Creation, I remain,
Paternally yours with blessings and love in the Lord,