Patriarch Bartholomew Fights for the Planet

NY Times wrote a tribute to Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople, the spiritual leader of the world’s Orthodox Christians.

According to the American daily newspaper, Bartholomew’s commitment to environmental activism is deeply serious, earning him the nickname the Green Patriarch. He has preached that caring for the environment is a religious imperative, and for more than a decade, he has made a point of bringing together theologians and scientists like Dr. Goodall for debates and briefings.

In September, he called on all Orthodox Christians to repent “for our sinfulness” in not doing enough to protect the planet.

Other religious leaders, including Pope Benedict XVI, the Dalai Lama and the Archbishop of Canterbury, have also called for responsible stewardship of the environment. But Bartholomew has gone further than most; some theologians call his stance revolutionary.

Aides say that Bartholomew’s embrace of environmental issues is part of his agenda to modernize a deeply conservative church that can seem distant and insular, with its focus on long Byzantine rituals and mysticism. .

Thanks to Bartholomew, numerous Orthodox monasteries and churches in Eastern Europe and the United States have switched to solar energy in recent years.

Among them is the Chrysopegi monastery on the Greek island of Crete, where the nuns use the environmental texts of the Patriarch and other theologians in their teachings.

“More and more young people are coming to our courses.They come to find meaning. Many seem to find inspiration in ecology. It’s been growing fast for the last 10 years.” said Mother Theocheni, the abbess of the monastery, at the conference in Halki, near Istanbul.

(Source: The New York Times)