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Dimitris Avramopoulos, Member of Hellenic Parliament, is the former European Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs & Citizenship.
In an era of uncertainty and constant upheaval, Orthodoxy remains one of the strongest bonds uniting the global Hellenic community. Our Church is not only the guardian of faith and tradition; it is also a living institution with a universal dimension and geopolitical significance.
At the heart of this mission stands the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. Its presence in such a geopolitically sensitive region is a constant reminder that Orthodoxy is a force for peace, dialogue, and unity. Together with the Patriarchates of Jerusalem and Alexandria, as well as metropolises across every corner of the world, it forms a global network that embraces millions of faithful and carries the message of Orthodoxy to every latitude and longitude.
In our time, global society is searching for — and often returning to — its spiritual constants: the principles and values upon which the postwar world was built. Both political and spiritual leadership are called to respond to this quest.
Orthodoxy can refresh its timeless values and remain present in a world that is changing with breathtaking speed, breathing life into a dialogue where religions do not divide, but unite.
The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America occupies a unique place within this global network. It is the Patriarchate’s support across the Atlantic and the strongest institution of organized Hellenism in the Diaspora. Its contribution is invaluable: it keeps identity alive, preserves the Greek language and culture, and at the same time functions as a bridge of communication between Hellenism and American society and state.
Each Archbishop of America assumes a dual role: spiritual and national. On the one hand, he is the shepherd who guides communities, schools, parishes, and families. On the other, he is the representative of a historic institution that transcends the narrow bounds of church life and influences the relationship between Greece and the United States.
Today, Archbishop Elpidophoros, with his vision and dynamism, serves this mission with consistency, giving voice to the global Hellenic community and highlighting support for the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
The Greek-American community, organized around the Church, has shown that it can combine devotion to faith with responsibility to the ancestral land. With the support of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese, it nurtures new generations in values, channels its energies into education and philanthropy, and maintains an active presence in American public life. This strength of the Greek-American community, when united and above partisan divides, can decisively contribute to the defense of national interests.
Beyond its spiritual and cultural role, the Archdiocese of America is a strategic actor in strengthening relations between Greece and the United States. The presence of the Greek-American element in the political, academic, economic, and governmental systems of the United States constitutes an invaluable capital — one that can be harnessed with foresight and planning.
The Church, as a unifying force, acts as a catalyst linking these resources with Greece and Cyprus. In this way, it becomes not only a guardian of cultural identity, but also a lever of geopolitical influence, contributing to the deepening of strategic ties with the United States.
As an institution of global Hellenism, the Church must remain above internal political rivalries and parties. Its role is loftier, transcendent: a spiritual power, a bearer of unity and hope, and at the same time a constant in a world where everything else is changing.
Supporting the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America is not only a matter of faith or tradition. It is a matter of broader strategy, spiritual responsibility, and historical duty. The Hellenism of America, guided by its Church, proves that it can rise to meet this mission. And through its action, the voice of Hellenism resounds strongly in one of the most influential countries in the world.
Our Church is the spiritual home of us all. But it is also our common future: a future of unity, national dignity, and universal presence.
The post Spiritual power and a geostrategic constant: The Ecumenical Patriarchate, Orthodoxy, and the Archdiocese of America appeared first on Orthodox Observer.
