Hieronymos: We don’t do what Velopoulos or any other politician tells us – Mitsotakis: Our cooperation with the Church is close

Archbishop Hieronymos made statements upon arriving in Delesi for the meeting with the prime minister and the joint visit to a daycare center and a gerontology center.

“These holy days should not be spoiled by trifles, the Church calls us all”, said the Archbishop initially. “We have our fixed lines and our fixed lines are the Gospel, the word of God, the positions of the Church. Beyond these positions we cannot move. Therefore, we do not do what Mr. Velopoulos will tell us, nor what any politician will tell us. We respect opinions, measure them and do what God says: we love all people”, he added, shortly before he and the prime minister visited structures of the Holy Archdiocese of Athens.

“There is no Christian meter”

When asked by journalists if there is a “Christian meter”, he answered “no, never. Only love, forgiveness, fellowship and cooperation. Especially in the area of ​​Greece, in our homeland, especially at these times, cooperation is essential. There are many things that separate us, that make us different, but we are looking at how we can move forward with this collaboration.”

And he added: “I can’t even go to things that the Gospel doesn’t say, no matter what the prime minister says, I look at what the Gospel says. He too may have his principles. I cannot identify myself nor can you identify with personal interests or positions that tomorrow will have no value. It is time to think seriously, especially at this time when our country needs partners and cooperation. Everyone has their opinions, they stick to their opinions, they fight for them, time will tell.”

He also answered a question about the circulars that the Church will send ahead of Easter, that he will do what he does every year. “We don’t move based on tomorrow, today or yesterday, we move based on what the Gospel tells us and the word of God.”

Mitsotakis: The Archbishop’s words about respect and love are more relevant than ever

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, together with His Beatitude the Archbishop of Athens and All Greece Mr. Ieronymos, visited structures of the Holy Archdiocese of Athens, in Dilesi, Boeotia, in the morning.

Their first stop was at the nursery school “Evangelismos Tis Theotokou”, where they were welcomed by Metropolitan Fthiotidos Simeon and had the opportunity to talk with the 47 students of the structure and their teachers. They were given a tour of the classrooms and the digital story and play room, while the children sang Lazarus carols and offered Easter gifts, their own creations.

“I want, Your Beatitude, to thank and congratulate you for your great social work, visiting today three structures that are under the supervision of the Archdiocese.

And as we enter Holy Week, I think your words, that above all we must treat one another with love and respect, resonate today more than ever.

And I want to emphasize once again that our cooperation in its institutionally defined framework was, is and remains extremely close. And that we look forward precisely to this important social footprint of the Church, which comes and complements state structures, state welfare, always giving an excess of love and support to those who need it most.

And in your person, I would also like to thank all your collaborators, clergy and laity, the thousands of volunteers, who assist this very rich social work of the Church. And as, as I said, the great celebration of Christianity is approaching, days of reflection but also days when all of us can ask ourselves what more we can do to help especially those who need it most. So it is with great pleasure that I am here today with you”, said Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

“I want to emphasize that everyone who works here is making enormous efforts to support our children and their families in the best possible way,” noted the Archbishop of Athens and All Greece.

“Our Prime Minister came today to see you, tell him that you are well and that now that school is closed and we will all celebrate Easter together, you will become better children and so you will rise again to continue the struggle. A good effort is being made, the parents are quite happy.

Again, I and our partners are pleased with the offer to families, but also to our children as such. And we would like more such schools but, as we said yesterday, we are asking for a good cooperation, so that together with Church and State we can do such projects and be proud of them. We thank you very much for being with us even today”, emphasized Archbishop Hieronymos.

Afterwards, the Prime Minister and the Archbishop went to the “Zoodochos Pigi” kindergarten, where English language and drama classes are held. The Prime Minister saw the premises of the station up close and talked to the 15 young students.

Immediately after, they visited the “Agios Porphyrios” Gerontology Center, where they were guided around its premises and talked with the 60 elderly people housed in the structure, exchanging wishes for Easter. The center has been built with funding from the NSRF on an area of ​​27 acres, with a total building area of ​​5,000 sq.m.

The reactions to Velopoulos’ “admonitions”.

It is recalled that the day before yesterday there were reactions in the Parliament with the “admonitions”, as they called them, of Kyriakos Velopoulos to ND MPs to avoid churches during Holy Week in order not to give “handhold to extreme circles”. The reaction was sharp from the parties as well as the Church.

A similar statement was made by Niki’s MP, Nikos Papadopoulos, who, trying to justify the attack on the ND MP in Kavala inside a holy temple, said: “Do you dare to go to the churches? When the vast majority are hacked and silenced, we will have things like this. Even inside the Church, believers are starting to hand out cufflinks.”

Last weekend, ND MP Angeliki Delikari was attending a church when a Niki MP candidate approached her, cursed her and slapped her.

Pictures from the Prime Minister’s visit with the Archbishop in Delesi