Archbishop Ieronymos and WCC General Secretary: End the war in Gaza and Ukraine

Archbishop Hieronymus of Athens and All Greece received Dr Jerry Pillay, General Secretary of the World Council of Churches (WCC), at a meeting held today. Present at the meeting were Metropolitan Gabriel of Nea Ionia and Philadelphia, Protopresbyter Emmanuel Papamikroulis, Secretary of the Synodal Committee for Inter-Orthodox and Inter-Christian Relations, and Father Varnavas Theocharis, Protosyncellus of the Holy Archdiocese of Athens.

Archbishop Ieronymos warmly welcomed Dr Pillay and wished him a pleasant stay in Greece. Dr Pillay expressed his gratitude for the meeting and spoke about the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza. He highlighted WCC initiatives, with particular reference to efforts to facilitate dialogue between the Russian and Ukrainian churches. Regarding Gaza, Dr Pillay shared lessons from his recent visit to the region and stressed the urgent need to end the conflict. He also described WCC peace efforts in other regions, such as Sudan and Colombia.

Archbishop Ieronymos thanked Dr Pillay for his visit and spoke of the painful nature of global divisions. He said: “These many and varied divisions are painful. We can do nothing but work together on the ground. We still see a lingering question about how things are evolving in communication between people and how few opportunities we have to be heard. It also requires effort not to create divisions, which is a bitter experience.”

Photos: Christos Bonis / Translated by: Konstantinos Menyktas