Русская версия: Лекция митрополита Георгия «Православный Запад»

Greek version: Διάλεξη του Μητροπολίτη Γεωργίου - «Η Ορθόδοξη Δύση»

The meeting started with a welcoming speech of the rector of the Nikolo-Ugreshskaya seminary hegumen Ioann. Father Ioann noted that Metropolitan George was visiting our theological school for the third time. First visit of Metropolitan George was in October 2016 for the signing of the cooperation agreements between the Nikolo-Ugreshskaya seminary and the University Ecclesiastical Academy of Thessaloniki within “Erasmus+” program. This program is successfully working: student and teacher exchange between brotherly theological schools was fulfilled last academiс year; in July 2017 the group of seminary students made a pilgrimage to Greece. Metropolitan George also visited the seminary in June 2017 and delivered the lecture on the Orthodox mission in Congo. Father Ioann expressed his appreciation to Metropolitan George for his time and energy devoting to the cooperation of two theological schools.

The lecture of Metropolitan George was in Greek. A wonderful simultaneous translation into Russian was provided by hierodeacon Grigory (Sokolov) from the Department for External Church Relations of the Russian Orthodox Church. At first Metropolitan George noted that the exchange program had a good progress and that the cooperation of two orthodox theological schools let to witness the Christ jointly. Within his lecture, Metropolitan George presented key stages of the Western attitude to Orthodoxy. At first Europe had looked at Orthodoxy as at the heresy appeared due to islamic influence (at that time Turkey ruled over Greece), but subsequently a pan-European movement for Greek independence developed in 1820s. The next stage was the spread of Orthodoxy after Russian Revolution of 1917 thanks to Russian aristocrats who favourably altered the Western attitude towards Orthodoxy. Finally, another important stage was the beginning of the official theological dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church in 1980, that allowed many Europeans to learn more about Orthodoxy.

In his address Metropolitan George pointed out that “the voice of Orthodoxy is rather distinguishable in the West these days”: Orthodox dioceses are growing in number all over the world; Orthodox cathedrals has appeared in the largest European cities. In addition, orthodox theological schools are being opened in Western countries, we are happy to see publications of the orthodox hagiographies, dogmatic and liturgical orthodox books in Italian, French and other European languages. The strength of the testimony of the Orthodox Church is also indicated by the fact that in recent years several prominent сatholics has converted to Orthodox faith. Metropolitan George also devoted a part of the lecture to existing problems and prospects for the development of the Orthodox Church in Western countries. In conclusion, Metropolitan George expressed confidence that thanks to Orthodoxy the European motto "Ex Oriente lux" would assume new sounding in the Western world as well as Orthodox faith would be able to make a difference across the world in the 21 century.

After the event the President of the University Ecclesiastical Academy of Thessaloniki Metropolitan George and the Rector of the Nikolo-Ugreshskaya Theological Seminary hegumen Ioann signed the agreement on the extension of cooperation between two theological schools within the “Erasmus+” program.

Metropolitan of Kitrous, Katerinis and Platamonos Georgios. Biographical profile