Protocol 162/11

September 14, 2011

The Universal Exaltation of

The Precious and Life-Giving Cross

To the Most Reverend Hierarchs, the Reverend Priests and Deacons, the Monks and Nuns, the Presidents and Members of the Parish Councils of the Greek Orthodox Communities, the Distinguished Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the Day, Afternoon, and Church Schools, the Philoptochos Sisterhoods, the Youth, the Hellenic Organizations, and the entire Greek Orthodox Family in America

Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

The annual commemoration of this great Feast of the Exaltation of the Precious and Life-Giving Cross is a blessed occasion to affirm our offering of continued prayers and solid support for our beloved Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology and for those who serve and study there.  Our support for Holy Cross is essential to the spiritual well being of our Church and faithful in America and beyond.

Our School of Theology is a place where the leaders of our parishes and ministries are guided and shaped through worship, service, and the engagement with the spiritual treasures and resources of our Orthodox Faith.  It is a place where the calling to service in the kingdom of God is explored, understood, and accepted.    It is also a place of dialog, symposia, and theological convocations which address foundational and contemporary issues in manner fitting our Greek Orthodox heritage and its emphasis on the capabilities of the mind, the potential of human ability, and the power of the soul in communion with God.

The necessity and mission of this sacred ministry of Holy Cross is why we must never waver in our support.  On this holy Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, I ask you to offer your earnest prayers for Holy Cross and for the students, staff, and faculty who serve so faithfully.  I also ask you to continue your generous contributions to the School and Hellenic College, as well as your gifts, scholarships, and assistance to seminarians and students preparing for sacred vocations.  Through your offerings of prayers and resources, you will continue the work of building the Church of Christ on the foundation of the Gospel of truth and love and of leading all people to the Cross of the Lord and to the way of eternal life and peace.

With paternal love in Christ,

†DEMETRIOS

Archbishop of America