Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew expresses his revulsion and deep shock at the murderous US shootings at El Paso, Texas, which killed 20 and injured twenty six fellow citizens, but also at the bloody attack in Dayton, Ohio, which killed and injured many of our fellow citizens.
Patriarch Bartholomew said he strongly condemns all acts of hatred, be it racial, religious or social, but also any form of violence and fundamentalism, wherever they may come from. “Hate and violence”, he pointed out, “cause a great deal of pain and fear, and sometimes cause further acts of violence in the form of revenge. In the face of this rising, dangerous and bloody phenomenon, every person of good will must display strong spiritual resistance”. Bartholomew also called on everyone “to work, through dialogue and in a spirit of mutual respect, to preserve peaceful coexistence and cooperation, against practices that boost fear and divide society”.
The Holy Church of Christ, in faith in the teaching of our Lord, is making strenuous efforts in this direction. The Church also prays for the resting of the victims’ souls, and expresses its heartfelt condolences to their families, wishing courage and speedy recovery to the injured. At the same time, the Church also expresses its sympathy and support for the local community of El Paso and Dayton, the US government and people in the US.
Ecumenical Patriarch asked Archbishop Elpidophoros of America to convey the above message of the Ecumenical Patriarchate to the local and national Authorities and to the people of the United States.