NEW YORK – The head of the Patriarchal delegation to the 46^th Clergy-Laity Congress of the Archdiocese of America, Metropolitan Emmanuel, Geron of Chalcedon was the main speaker at the Agape Breakfast of the National Philoptochos. It is remined that Philoptochos held its own conference at the same time as the Clergy-Laity Congress and in the same hotel, the Marriot Marquis in New York.

Metropolitan Emmanuel was warmly welcomed by the members of the Philoptochos. In his speech, among other things, he said the following: “My Dear Sisters in Christ, as you all know, Philoptochos means ‘those who love the poor’, and unfortunately, poverty comes in many forms in this life.

Charity and the support of the poor can be understood as an act of selflessly helping others without receiving anything in return. In this sense, philanthropy is applied to every aspect of life through solidarity actions that provide support to those who need it most. This is a fundamental Christian characteristic that identified and shaped the Christian Communities from the early life of the Church. Charity is closely related to the three values ​​of the Christian faith and the Orthodox tradition: faith, hope and solidarity. For a Christian, charity is the closest thing to goodness.”

In another instance he said that, “in the Orthodox Church, charity is based on love of God and our neighbor. It also includes being good and giving generously without any desire for personal gain. In return, it brings feelings of joy, peace, and mercy. However, charity is also a mainstay of other human values and many moral principles of life. In this sense, the concept of philanthropy is also used to talk about the help given to the needy. After all, any selfless action on the part of one person in favor of another, can be considered as charity, a true ethos of solidarity. For the Orthodox Church, the concept of philanthropy and support of the poor, includes volunteerism and the offering, not only of material goods, but also of social work, not only in response to a specific crisis, but also on a more permanent basis with moral commitment and duration. In this case, our ministry in the Church and local communities, approach the concept of solidarity.”

He added, “on behalf of the Delegation of the Mother Church of Constantinople, I want to express our gratitude to the Philoptochos of this Archdiocese for their generosity and love. This AGAPE Breakfast is a clear manifestation of the devotion and dedication that truly is transformative love.”

Metropolitan Emmanuel concluded by saying that “there is physical and material poverty, but there is also emotional and spiritual poverty. By doing what you do so well, you address all these forms of deprivation, and you bring hope to many.”