St. George Cathedral of Stockholm
October 20, 2021
Your Excellencies,
Most Honorable Civic, Community and Church Leaders,
Members of the Swedish and Hellenic Parliament,
Members from the Fields of Arts and Sciences,
Esteemed Guests,
We express our appreciation to the organizers of tonight’s event and all those who contributed to the presentation of the compositions of Mr. Bernhard Crusell and the other composers of the 19th & 20th century.
The messages that we can draw from tonight’s gathering are manifold, and speaking as a Hierarch of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, I would like to take the opportunity to express my gratitude for the continuous support offered by the Kingdom of Sweden to the Greek people and our local Church.
The profound ideas expressed in this commemorative event provide us with the opportunity to take personal stock and consider in what way each one of us understands the messages of the Revolution, which hold timeless and vital significance for people of all eras, living all across the world, and are related to freedom, brotherhood, mutual solidarity, and human rights.
Speaking in Bucharest during his acceptance of the Award of Human Dignity on September 10, 2021, His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew characteristically stated that “human rights, which represent perhaps the most significant achievement of modern and contemporary political culture, presuppose the world’s lengthy experience with Christianity and bear its seal, considering that their foundation lies in the belief of the absolute value and dignity of the human person. Despite individual differences, humanitarian movements and Christianity agree on their orientation toward the preservation of freedom and human dignity, even if they do not converge when it comes to their ultimate foundation. Christian communal existence, love for our fellow man, and brotherhood gave rise to the pursuit of social rights, and it is no coincidence that Christian Churches fervently defend this dimension of freedom up until today.”
It is with great joy that we welcome distinguished civic (and church) leaders, members of the Swedish and Hellenic Parliament, and noteworthy figures from the world of the arts and sciences to our newly restored Cathedral, and we hope, you enjoy tonight’s performance!