Archbishop Nektarios: "I did it out of love"
Archbishop Nektarios
07 Jun 2022
/ 15:15
CORFU. Statement from the Corfu, Paxos and Diapontia Islands Archbishop ahead of his appeal on Thursday 9 June.
Archbishop's statement:
Dear Fathers, Brothers and Children of our Beloved Lord,
As you already know, on Thursday 9 June I will again be appearing in court for leading the service on Palm Sunday, 2020 and administering communion to three of the thirteen people who were there.
I will have the opportunity to relive and remember the difficult time of lockdown and the closing of our churches. I will be asked to give a statement about these difficult conditions of praise and thanks to God.
I have learnt, however, at difficult times during my times as Archbishop to turn to the basic principles of faith and theology.
When I was first charged, the words of the psalms automatically automatically sprung up inside me.
When I am once again sitting alone as defendant on Thursday, the words of comfort will be "You are not alone - you have never been alone, so you are, of course, not alone now."
Whatever I did, brothers and sisters, I did out of love for humanity and our Church and mainly "for whom are all things, and through whom are all things." (Hebrews 2:10)
From my heart I thank the many brothers, clerics and laypeople, known and unknown, who supported me and continue to support me with their heartfelt wishes, kind acts and spontaneous prayers.
My acts are my participation in the pain of God's people and it is something that only very few understand.
I believe that spontaneous and sincere love always gives strength during people's difficult times. Love is the most precious thing in the world - it is this that I seek and this that I return to you manyfold!"
Dear Fathers, Brothers and Children of our Beloved Lord,
As you already know, on Thursday 9 June I will again be appearing in court for leading the service on Palm Sunday, 2020 and administering communion to three of the thirteen people who were there.
I will have the opportunity to relive and remember the difficult time of lockdown and the closing of our churches. I will be asked to give a statement about these difficult conditions of praise and thanks to God.
I have learnt, however, at difficult times during my times as Archbishop to turn to the basic principles of faith and theology.
When I was first charged, the words of the psalms automatically automatically sprung up inside me.
When I am once again sitting alone as defendant on Thursday, the words of comfort will be "You are not alone - you have never been alone, so you are, of course, not alone now."
Whatever I did, brothers and sisters, I did out of love for humanity and our Church and mainly "for whom are all things, and through whom are all things." (Hebrews 2:10)
From my heart I thank the many brothers, clerics and laypeople, known and unknown, who supported me and continue to support me with their heartfelt wishes, kind acts and spontaneous prayers.
My acts are my participation in the pain of God's people and it is something that only very few understand.
I believe that spontaneous and sincere love always gives strength during people's difficult times. Love is the most precious thing in the world - it is this that I seek and this that I return to you manyfold!"
