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Message of Metropolitan Amphilochios of Thira on the recent earthquakes

The repeated seismic tremors in the southern Aegean Sea, centred on Santorini, have caused legitimate concerns among the residents of the island and the wider region. The local Shepherd, His Eminence Metropolitan Amphilochios of Thira, Amorgos and Isles, in his message to the faithful people, calls, among other things, for them to remain close to each other “in times of joy, sorrow and difficulty”, noting that “this is how we will face the present situation, for as long as it lasts, and with the Grace of God we will be strengthened on the path of progress and creation for the good of our islands and their blessed inhabitants, our brothers and sisters”.

The following is His Eminence’s full message:

“The events of the last few days are causing intense concern in our lives and activities. The high seismic activity around our beautiful and blessed islands, the images of the mobilisation in Santorini of the relevant sectors of the state support services for preventive reasons, the relative assessments of experts in the public sphere regarding the unusual nature of the phenomenon, due to the many seismic vibrations and a perhaps threatened major earthquake, all of this together is causing intense disturbance and justified anxiety in your souls. Memories of past serious situations are awakening, which we hope and pray that “the overseer of the earth” the Almighty Lord will not allow to occur.

However, my dear brothers and sisters, fear and any danger in our lives, beyond its emotional dimension, also has a spiritual meaning. It teaches every person the quickest way to approach the source of peace, love and light, our Lord Jesus Christ. It motivates us as individuals, as a community, as a church, that is, the Body of Christ, to a burst of prayer and good works, always having the certain hope that God disciplines his children through temptations, but never exhausts them, never abandons them inconsolably, unless they themselves decide to distance themselves from Him, the loving Father.

Fortunately, for all of us, we have our faith and hope in the Saviour Jesus Christ. We constantly gaze with fullness of heart in our prayer on the joyful face of our Blessed Mother, the Lady of all our Aegean islands. We pray to the patron saint and protectress of our Santorini, Saint Irene, whose first official celebration we will celebrate this year in May, to strengthen us with peace of heart so that we can overcome, all together, these anxious days, because of which, your Bishop communicates, and in this way, with his beloved and precious ecclesiastical flock.

Island life, being intensely communal, has taught us to be close to one another. In happy times, in sad times, and in difficult times. This is how we will face the present situation, for as long as it lasts, and with the Grace of God, we will be strengthened on the path of progress and creation for the good of our islands and their blessed inhabitants, our brothers and sisters.

With all my paternal love,
Your Bishop,
Metropolitan Amphilochios of Thira, Amorgos and Isles.