Archbishop Elpidophoros of America joined a protest march in Brooklyn on Wednesday. The Archbishop marched together with Borough president of Brooklyn, Eric Adams and state Senator Andrew Gounardes.
“We must speak and speak loudly against the injustice in our country. It is our moral duty and obligation to uphold the sanctity of every human being,” he posted on his social media accounts.
I came to Brooklyn with @BPEricAdams and @agounardes for a peaceful protest to stand in solidarity with my fellow sisters and brothers, for justice and equality for every citizen of goodwill, regardless of their race, religion, gender or ethnic origin. pic.twitter.com/ZZvLG2iWkd
— Elpidophoros (@Elpidophoros) June 3, 2020
“I came here to Brooklyn today in order to stand in solidarity with my fellow sisters and brothers whose rights have been sorely abused. This was a peaceful protest, one without violence of any kind, and thank all of those involved, because violence begets only more violence.
“We must speak and speak loudly against the injustice in our country. It is our moral duty and obligation to uphold the sanctity of every human being. We have faced a pandemic of grave physical illness, but the spiritual illness in our land runs even deeper and must be healed by actions as well as words. And so, I will continue to stand in the breach together with all those who are committed to preserving peace, justice, and equality for every citizen of goodwill, regardless of their race, religion, gender or ethnic origin.””
Some protesters held posters for Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old emergency medical technician who was killed when the police raided her apartment in Louisville, Kentucky in March. Besides Breonna’s name the crowd reportedly called also the name of George Floyd and of many other unarmed African-Americans who died in the hands of white policemen.
“It’s important to be in this together, united around the cause of change”, said Brooklyn Borough President, thanking Archbishop Elpidophoros for attending the rally.
Thanks to @Elpidophoros of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America for answering our invite and marching with us for justice. It’ll take ALL OF US, Black and otherwise, to deliver righteous justice for Breonna, George, Ahmaud, and every name we’ll never know. #BlackLivesMatter. pic.twitter.com/9fPTsLYGXf
— Eric Adams (@BPEricAdams) June 3, 2020
Elpidophoros is not the first Greek Orthodox Archbishop of America who expresses solidarity with the black community in the USA.
Today I marched in memory of #BreonnaTaylor to call for racial justice w/ Archbishop @Elpidophoros & @BPEricAdams.
We marched w/ the spirit of Archbishop Iakovos who marched at Selma & we will continue to march until we fulfill our human creed that all people are created equal. pic.twitter.com/9qQiDuArrr
— Andrew Gounardes (@agounardes) June 3, 2020
Archbishop Iakovos (1911-2006) was one of the few prominent non-African American clergymen—and the only Church leader—who had the courage to walk hand in hand with Martin Luther King Jr. during the famous march in Selma, Alabama.
A picture of this historic moment, with Archbishop Iakovos to the right of Martin Luther King Jr., was captured on the cover of Life Magazine on March 26, 1965.
Being an Orthodox Christian I feel insulted by seeing a hierarch associated with a leftist, activist group. Shame on him as the patriarch of Greece whom I met at Hosios Loukas in 2006, a proud individual full of himself, who blocked the Greek faithful in their homes at the Resurrection of Christ time this year. These men are not worth the rank and are worse than the Turks.
If you do not publish my comments I understand the possibility for weakness and callousness of the reviewers because, the lack of truth it is the new normal attitude nowadays.
there is no such title as “Patriarch of Greece’.
So, according to you, supporting human rights is “leftist”, is it? And what precisely characterises rightists? Trampling on human rights, promoting the interests of the rich and powerful? I think Jesus of Nazareth would have something to say to you about the meaning of Christianity — which according to the New Testament is opposed to oppression of the poor and adulation of the rich, is not concerned with worship of idols and obsession with ceremony, and is very much concerned with righting the wrongs of the world. Of course, there are many blasphemous Christians who seem determined to stamp the memory of Jesus Christ and his teachings from their religion.