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Old 06-14-2008, 01:53 AM   #9
romalama

Join Date
Oct 2005
Posts
400
Senior Member
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Dear John,

With the situation, as it is at present, the EU would be making a travesty of all it believes in if it were to accept Turkey in.

The Greek government, while supportive of Turkey's bid, took the step, last year, to bring the EU's attention to the plight of the Ecumenical Patriarch and to make their support of him well known.

The Ecumenical Patriarch is also supportive of Turkey's bid, hoping against hope, that this may be the only way in which the Patriarchate may be able to survive in continuation in their land. Being a persecuted 'guest'/resident of their land, I don't think that he could do otherwise, anyway. He walks on eggshells in all that he says and does on this delicate subject, and shows himself to be an exemplarary Turkish citizen, despite everything which he suffers and laments.

Personally, I am suspicious and fearful of their entry... While Turkish people are wonderful people, their nation's politics are terrible. They know that they are in a position of geo-strategic strength for the U.S., and they take advantage of it. They are well known for 'yessing' and not following through, and despite this, they get away with it all the time...so why would a leopard change its spots? I am afraid that, even if they superficially please all the criteria to enter the EU, that once they join, they will be back up to all their old tricks.

In a way, my sentiments as an Orthodox of Greek heritage, regarding Turkey's entry into the EU can be compared to being 'between a rock and a hard place'...you may be damned if they do, but damned if they don't. It is hard to know. If it were not for the EP, I would say that a Muslim nation (if it were as secular as we would like to think, they would not be persecuting Christianity), has absolutely no place in the EU. Let's face it, majority Muslim nations' identity is more their faith than any other cultural uniqueness.

For the Christians and the Ecumenical Patriarch, truly, all we can do, and should do, is pray that God will have mercy on us and help us find a solution...sometimes, in dire situations where there is no hope, only God can provide a miraculous solution. May it be so.

In Christ our Hope,
Alice
Maybe the doors of Turkey will open from inside.Haven't you heard stories of cryptochristians in Turkey?
I know of four Orthodox Saints and Martyrs of turkish origin.
Saint Constantine the martyr from Lesvos, a Turk in Origin.(You can google him as Constantine Hagarit)
Saint Michael or Osios Michael he saw a remarkable vision in Constantinoupolis of Saints, Apostoles Theotokos and Christ.
A hidden place is referred there in the city I'm not sure if it's in the temple of Agia Sofia, with a golden icon of The Virgin who is said on the liberation of Constantinoupolis in the future to come, many say in our generation, to make incredible miracles and even resurrect people.
Martyr Ahmed in Constantinoupolis, he was rich had a russian woman as slave or servant followed her, saw in the divine litourgy a child , Christ being cut, believed and martyred in 17th century.

On the miracle in Jerusalem in16th century regarding the Holy Light and the armenians, when it came through the door, an ottoman saw and believed.If I remember correct the nailed him on the door and burnt him alived.
You can see in the big wooden doors the burnings even today.The remains-leipsana of the martyr are held in the Patriarchate of Jerusalem(not sure?).

There is the remarkable story of the monk Nikolaos in the Kiev Lavra a Turk in origin, how from the turkish army he became an orthodox monk.He was theoptis, don't know the term in english, he saw the Heaven Christ Theotokos Saints the hell.Maybe he is a Saint not declared yet only God knows.He show satan in hell with mohamed in green clothing, sitting on satan's palm.The description is so vivid I still remember it.There is a beautiful story of a glorious martyr Arab and muslim in origin.He martyred in Georgia for Christ.I will post another time his life and martyrdom.

In reccent years two characteristic miracles happened there:that in Syria with the resurrected Saudi Arabian by Theotokos. Theotokos Seidaniyia the orthodox monastery.Seidaniyia means something like Lady.This is the text in english
romalama is offline


 

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