Orthodox representatives at European Union meet European Commission President Barroso

European Commission President J. M. Barroso received on January 24, 2008, a group of representatives of Orthodox Churches at the European Union including Metropolitan Emmanuel of France (Patriarchate of Constantinople), Bishop Hilarion of Vienna and Austria (Moscow Patriarchate), Bishop Porphyrios of Naples (Church of Cyprus) and Metropolitan Athanasios of Achaia (Greek Church) to discuss dialogue between Orthodox Churches and European international organizations.

“We have often heard about anti-Semitism and Islamophobia, but Christianophobia is discussed on very rear occasion though it seems to gather strength in many European countries. It exists in various forms including the removal of Christian symbols from public sphere, outrage against Christianity and refusal to recognize Europe’s Christian heritage, persecution against those who openly confess Christian beliefs and seek to live in accordance with Christian moral norms”, the representative of the Russian Orthodox Church noted during the talk with Mr. Barroso.

According to Bishop Hilarion, a discussion on such tendencies would be timely and necessary in European international organizations, and representatives of Christian Churches in Europe should be invited to participate in this discussion.

In addition, Bishop Hilarion informed the European Commission president about the recent initiatives of the Russian Orthodox Church to discuss the conception of human rights, the press service of the Moscow Patriarchate representation to European international organizations has reported.

‘We believe liberal ideas should not be propagated at the expense of traditional ones. We also believe the conception of human rights should be balanced by the idea of people’s responsibility and accountability not only to themselves but also to other people and society as a whole’, Bishop Hilarion of Vienna and Austria emphasized.

DECR Communication Service