Brussels, December 6, 2023. Working Meeting on Christian Values. European Prayer Breakfast
On Thursday, December 6, the Interparliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy (I.A.O.) in collaboration with the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE) and the Conference of European Churches (CEC) organized the ‘Working Meeting on Christian Values’ at the headquarters of COMECE in Brussels.
Purpose of the meeting was to discuss possibilities to better highlight the issue of Christian values within the framework of the pre-election campaigns of Political Parties and the candidate Members of the European Parliament, and formulate a common strategy for actions and initiatives in view of the pre-election period of the 2024 European Elections.
The meeting, was opened by the IAO Advisor Dr. Kostas Mygdalis, who presented the key questions need to be addressed. Participants of the meeting were the COMECE Secretary General Rev. Manuel Barrios Pietro, the CEC Secretary General Dr. Jørgen Skov Sørensen, the advisor of the European External Action Service (EEAS), Mr. Konstantinos Alexandris, the head of Saint Egidio Movement’s Office in the EU, Mr. François Delooz, Ms. Hesius Anny and Ms. Logozzo Maria Rosa from the Focolare Movement, Members of the European Parliament Mr. György Hölvényi from Hungary, Lukas Mandl from Austria, Jan Olbrycht from Poland, and Cristian Terhes from Romania, Mr. Ferghas O’Beara from the European Parliamentary Research Service (EPRS), Ms. Katerina Pekridou from the CEC, and Mr. Ulrike Truderung from the Brussels office of the Protestant Church in Germany.
The IAO Secretary General Dr. Maximus Charakopoulos, in his address emphasized, inter-alia: “Our concern for the future of Europe and against the efforts of de-Christianization was reflected in the declaration adopted during our 30th anniversary General Assembly in Chalkidiki, last June. How negative things have become is reflected in an article in a respectable Greek newspaper titled “Europe is afraid to celebrate Christmas.” It is not of importance how we got to this point but how we can address this reality. It was mentioned that an “invisible hand,” a so-called Brussels bureaucracy, attempts to silence any reference to Europe’s Christian roots and the value of Christian traditions. Perhaps, this is also happening in the name of certain statistics that show a decline in those who claim to regularly practice religion, who are faithful to their churches. However, I believe that there are many more who may not attend the church, but fully share the ethical code based on Christian values. I firmly believe that the majority of European citizens do not wish Christianity to fade from Europe. “
The head of the international institution concluded that: “In view of the European elections, I believe we should pursue meetings with the leadership of European parties, asking them to address the relationship between politics and religion and the Christian values in contemporary Europe. Towards this direction, we can take specific initiatives to organize events in major European capitals, inviting Parties representatives to address these issues.”
Participation in the European Prayer Breakfast
Earlier on the same day, the IAO Secretary General participated in the 26th European Prayer Breakfast held at the European Parliament headquarters in Brussels, initiated by the Austrian MEP Mr. Lukas Mandl.
During his address Mr. Charakopoulos emphasized, “Europe is undoubtedly a cultural field where historically, there has been a productive synthesis of streams and ideas. At the same time, in the EU, it has been possible to establish peaceful coexistence of people of different religions, in a spirit of complete respect for human rights and individual freedoms. This achievement has enabled EU to become a model of freedom and democracy on a global scale. However, it would be a historical naivety to overlook that it was Christianity that left the strongest imprint on European civilization. The European identity, in both west and east, was forged over the centuries by Christian traditions. These defined the cultural values and the fundamental European spirit. (…) We owe it to our common European future to protect this rich legacy that constitutes the unity of Europeans.”
On behalf of the Orthodox members of the European Parliament, Cypriot MEP Mr. Kostas Mavridis addressed the participants. The IAO Secretary General commended his parliamentary activity and journalistic writing on the defense of European values and Christian traditions.
Visit to the Orthodox Church of Saint Nicholas in Brussels
The IAO Secretary General and the IAO Advisor met with Metropolitan Athenagoras of Belgium and Exarch of the Netherlands and Luxembourg. Earlier, they attended the Divine Liturgy held at the parish of Saint Nicholas in Brussels, on the Saint’s feast day, where Bishop Ioakeim of Apollonia also presided.
Dr. Maximos Charakopoulos, addressing Metropolitan of Belgium, commended his work and added, “We are here in Brussels, in the “heart of Europe,” at the decision-making center, on the eve of Christmas, to highlight the significance it holds for European civilization, for the European reality, Christian heritage, Christian roots, Christian values, which we often forget.”
The IAO Secretary General offered to Metropolitan of Belgium a reproduction of an engraving of the Holy Sepulcher from the Mount Athos Repository, printed on the occasion of the completion of 30 years of the IAO’s activities.
