wfn.org | Archbishop Demetrios Delivers Address on Hellenism and Orthodoxy

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Archbishop Demetrios Delivers Address on Hellenism and Orthodoxy

NEW YORK ? St. Vladimir Orthodox Seminary in Crestwood, NY organized a symposium on 
the subject of ?Hellenism & Orthodoxy? June 10?12. The symposium addressed the 
historical roots of Hellenism and its lasting and profound effect on the cultural, 
linguistic, and canonical history of the Orthodox Church. His Eminence Archbishop 
Demetrios of America delivered the keynote address on June 11 titled ?Hellenism and 
Orthodoxy: A Linguistic and Spiritual Journey.?

The Archbishop in his very thorough and intriguing presentation discussed the 
meaning of Hellenism as it is understood today and as it was in ancient Greece 
and how it facilitated the acceptance of Christianity in the Roman world.

He said that the term Hellenism in contemporary English usage, is thought to 
pertain to ancient Greek culture, the imitation or adoption of Greek language, 
customs, art and other characteristics, including Greek culture as expressed in 
the Hellenistic period of history.
His Eminence noted that Greek was the ?lingua franca? ? the commonly used 
language in the Roman world that facilitated the spread of the Christian faith 
from Palestine to the far reaches of the empire.

The Archbishop?s address was followed by a question and answer session on 
issues concerning Orthodoxy in America today.

The next day June 12, Archimandrite Elpidophoros Lambriniadis, chief secretary 
of the Holy and Sacred Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate presented a 
enlightening lecture on the topic
?Greek Orthodoxy, the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Church in the  U.S.A.?

Archimandrite Elpidophoros outlined the development of the Ecumenical 
Patriarchate and the growth of the Christian Church that brought about changes 
in the administrative structure of the institution as the centuries progressed 
to the present day and that the ethnic subdivision of the Church is contrary to 
that which is called for canonically that is necessary for one unified Church.

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