Ἀγαπητοί μου ἀδελφοί, my Lord Mayor, ἐντιμότατοι προσκεκλημένοι,
Σήμερον, ἀγαπητοί μου ἀδελφοί, πάντες ὁμοῦ τιμῶμεν τὴν πολύτιμον προσφορὰν τῆς Κοινότητος ταύτης, ἥτις ἐπὶ ἓξ δεκαετίας ἀποτελεῖ φάρον πνευματικῆς καθοδηγήσεως καὶ ἑστίαν διατηρήσεως τῆς ἑλληνορθοδόξου παραδόσεως ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ τῆς Ἀγγλίας. Ὡς ὁ Ἀπόστολος Παῦλος νουθετεῖ, «πάντα εὐσχημόνως καὶ κατὰ τάξιν γινέσθω» (Α’ Κορ. 14,40), οὕτω καὶ ἡμεῖς ἀναλογιζόμεθα μετὰ σεβασμοῦ τὴν ἱστορίαν, τὴν δρᾶσιν καὶ τὴν σημασίαν τῆς Κοινότητος ταύτης, ἀποτίοντες φόρον τιμῆς εἰς τοὺς ἱδρυτὰς καὶ πάντας τοὺς διακονήσαντας ἐν αὐτῇ.
Ἐν πρώτοις, ὀφείλομεν νὰ μεταφέρωμεν τὰς θερμὰς εὐχὰς τοῦ Σεβασμιωτάτου Ἀρχιεπισκόπου Θυατείρων καὶ Μεγάλης Βρεταννίας κ.κ. Νικήτα, ὅστις εὐλογεῖ τὴν Κοινότητα καὶ πάντας τοὺς ἐν αὐτῇ διακονοῦντας. Ἰδιαιτέρως δὲ ἀξίζουν συγχαρητήρια καὶ εὐχαὶ εἰς τὸν Ἱερατικῶς Προϊστάμενον τοῦ Ναοῦ, Πρωτοπρεσβύτερον κ. Θεόδωρον Πολυβίου, διὰ τὸ πολυσχιδὲς ἔργον του.
Ἦτο τὸ ἔτος 1964, ὅτε μία ὁμὰς Ἑλλήνων ἐκ Κύπρου, ὠθουμένη ὑπὸ τῆς ἀνάγκης δι’ ἓν καλύτερον μέλλον, ἔφθασεν εἰς τὴν πόλιν τοῦ Coventry. Οἱ πρωτοπόροι οὗτοι, φέροντες εἰς τὰς καρδίας των τὴν ἀγάπην διὰ τὴν πίστιν καὶ τὴν πατρίδα, ἐγκατεστάθησαν ἀρχικῶς εἰς τὸ Birmingham καὶ ἐν συνεχείᾳ εἰς τὸ Coventry.
Ἡ ἀνάγκη διὰ πνευματικὴν καθοδήγησιν καὶ ἡ ἐπιθυμία διατηρήσεως τῆς ἑλληνορθοδόξου παραδόσεως ὤθησαν τοὺς πρωτοπόρους τούτους εἰς τὴν λῆψιν μιᾶς γενναίας ἀποφάσεως. Μὲ πίστιν εἰς τὸν Θεὸν καὶ ἐμπιστοσύνην εἰς τὰς δυνάμεις των, ἀπεφάσισαν νὰ ἱδρύσουν τὴν ἰδίαν των Κοινότητα. Ἡ πορεία δὲν ἦτο εὔκολος. Ἐστερημένοι οἰκονομικῶν πόρων, ἀλλὰ πλούσιοι εἰς πίστιν καὶ ἀποφασιστικότητα, ἔθεσαν τὰς οἰκίας των ὑπὸ ὑποθήκην διὰ τὴν ἀγορὰν τοῦ πρώτου ναοῦ, ὅστις ἦτο πρώην ἀγγλικανικὸν σχολεῖον. Αἱ διηγήσεις περὶ τῶν πρώτων ἐκείνων ἡμερῶν εἶναι συγκινητικαί. Οἱ ἱδρυταὶ εἰργάζοντο ἀόκνως, θυσιάζοντες τὸν ἐλεύθερον χρόνον των διὰ τὴν ἀνακαίνισιν καὶ συντήρησιν τοῦ ναοῦ. Ἡ ἀφοσίωσις καὶ ἡ αὐταπάρνησίς των ἦσαν ἀξιοθαύμαστοι.
Ἀγαπητοί μου, ἂς ἀναλογισθῶμεν τὴν θυσίαν τῶν πρωτοπόρων τούτων. Ἂς ἐνθυμηθῶμεν τοὺς λόγους τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν: «μείζονα ταύτης ἀγάπην οὐδεὶς ἔχει, ἵνα τις τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ θῇ ὑπὲρ τῶν φίλων αὐτοῦ» (Ἰωάν. 15,13). Οἱ πατέρες τῆς Κοινότητος ἔθεσαν οὐ μόνον τὴν ψυχήν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸν βίον των ὑπὲρ τῆς Κοινότητος ταύτης. Ἐκ τῆς πρώτης ἡμέρας τῆς ὑπάρξεώς της, ἀνεδείχθη εἰς φάρον ἀγάπης καὶ ἀλληλεγγύης. Παρεῖχε καὶ συνεχίζει νὰ παρέχῃ βοήθειαν εἰς τὴν τοπικὴν κοινωνίαν, προσφέρουσα δωρεὰς καὶ τροφὴν εἰς τοὺς πάσχοντας τῆς περιοχῆς, ἀνεξαρτήτως θρησκείας καὶ πεποιθήσεων.
Ἀδελφοί μου, ἡ ἱστορία τῆς ἱδρύσεως τῆς Κοινότητος ἡμῶν ἐστὶν ἱστορία πίστεως, ἀγάπης καὶ θυσίας. Ἔστιν ἱστορία ἀνθρώπων οἵτινες, ὡς σύγχρονοι ἀπόστολοι, μετήνεγκον τὸ φῶς τῆς Ὀρθοδοξίας καὶ τὴν θέρμην τοῦ Ἑλληνισμοῦ εἰς τὴν καρδίαν τῆς Ἀγγλίας. Τιμήσωμεν τὴν μνήμην τῶν ἱδρυτῶν, ἀκολουθοῦντες τὸ παράδειγμά των. Συνεχίσωμεν τὸ ἔργον των, διατηροῦντες τὴν πίστιν καὶ τὴν παράδοσιν ἡμῶν ζῶσαν, καὶ μεταλαμπαδεύοντες αὐτὴν εἰς τὰς ἐπερχομένας γενεάς. Εἴθε ἡ μνήμη τῶν κεκοιμημένων ἱδρυτῶν καὶ εὐεργετῶν τῆς Κοινότητος ἡμῶν αἰωνία εἴη. Ὁ Κύριος ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς ἀναπαυέτω τὰς ψυχὰς αὐτῶν ἐν χώρᾳ ζώντων, ἔνθα οἱ δίκαιοι ἀναπαύονται. Αἰωνία αὐτῶν ἡ μνήμη.
Ἡ φιλανθρωπικὴ δρᾶσις τῆς Κοινότητος ἐκδηλοῦται ποικιλοτρόπως. Πρωτίστως, διὰ τῆς Φιλοπτώχου Ἀδελφότητος, ἥτις ἐπὶ ἑξήκοντα ἔτη εὑρίσκεται ἀόκνως εἰς τὸ πλευρὸν τῶν πτωχῶν καὶ τῶν ἐνδεῶν. Ὡς ὁ Κύριος ἡμῶν εἶπεν, «μακάριοι οἱ ἐλεήμονες, ὅτι αὐτοὶ ἐλεηθήσονται» (Ματθ. 5,7). Οὕτω καὶ ἡ Φιλόπτωχος Ἀδελφότης, μετὰ πνεύματος αὐταπαρνήσεως καὶ ἀγάπης, προσφέρει ὑλικὴν καὶ ἠθικὴν στήριξιν τοῖς χρῄζουσιν. Ἐν τῇ προσπαθείᾳ αὐτῆς ἀνακουφίσαι τὸν ἀνθρώπινον πόνον, ὀργανοῖ τακτικῶς συσσίτια τοῖς ἀστέγοις καὶ τοῖς οἰκονομικῶς ἀδυνάτοις τῆς περιοχῆς. Ἡ προσφορὰ αὕτη ἐστὶν ἔκφρασις τῆς χριστιανικῆς ἀγάπης καὶ ἀλληλεγγύης πρὸς τὸν πλησίον. Ἀκολουθοῦσα τὰς διδαχὰς τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου, προσφέρει οὐ μόνον τροφήν, ἀλλὰ καὶ θαλπωρὴν καὶ ἀνθρωπίνην ἐπαφὴν τοῖς ἐμπεριστάτοις ἀδελφοῖς. Ἐπιπλέον, διοργανοῖ τακτικὰς ἐπισκέψεις εἰς οἴκους εὐγηρίας καὶ νοσοκομεῖα, προσφέρουσα παρηγορίαν καὶ συμπαράστασιν τοῖς ἀσθενέσι καὶ τοῖς γηραιοῖς.
Ἰδιαιτέρας μνείας χρῄζει ἡ προσφορὰ τῆς Κοινότητος εἰς τὴν παιδείαν καὶ τὴν πνευματικὴν καλλιέργειαν τῶν νέων. Τὸ Ἑλληνικὸν Σχολεῖον, λειτουργοῦν ἀδιαλείπτως ἐπὶ ἑξήκοντα ἔτη, μετέδωκε τὴν ἑλληνικὴν γλῶσσαν, τὴν σοφίαν καὶ τὸν πολιτισμὸν πολλοῖς νέοις. Ὡς ὁ μέγας Ἕλλην ποιητὴς Ὀδυσσέας Ἐλύτης εἶπεν, «Ἐὰν ἀποσυνδέσῃς τὴν Ἑλλάδα, ἐπὶ τέλους ὄψει σοι ἀπομένουσαν μίαν ἐλαίαν, ἓν ἄμπελον καὶ ἓν πλοῖον. Ὃ σημαίνει: τοσούτοις ἑτέροις αὐτὴν ἀναδομεῖς». Οὕτω καὶ τὸ Σχολεῖον ἡμῶν, διὰ τῆς διδασκαλίας τῆς ἑλληνικῆς γλώσσης καὶ παραδόσεως, συμβάλλει εἰς τὴν διατήρησιν καὶ ἀναζωογόνησιν τοῦ Ἑλληνισμοῦ ἐν τῇ διασπορᾷ.
«Παιδεία ἀνθρώποις περιουσία ἐστίν», κατὰ τὸν Πλάτωνα. Ἡ παιδεία ἐστὶν ὁ ἀκρογωνιαῖος λίθος τῆς πνευματικῆς καὶ πολιτιστικῆς ἀναπτύξεως ἑνὸς λαοῦ. Ἐν τῇ συνειδήσει ταύτῃ, ἡ Κοινότης ἡμῶν, ἀπὸ τῆς ἱδρύσεώς της, ἔθετο ὡς πρωταρχικὸν μέλημα τὴν λειτουργίαν Ἑλληνικοῦ Σχολείου. Ἡ ἀποστολὴ αὐτοῦ ἐστι διττή: ἀφ’ ἑνὸς ἡ διδασκαλία τῆς ἑλληνικῆς γλώσσης καὶ ἀφ’ ἑτέρου ἡ μετάδοσις τῶν ἑλληνορθοδόξων ἀξιῶν καὶ παραδόσεων ταῖς νέαις γενεαῖς. Ἡ διδασκαλία τῆς ἑλληνικῆς γλώσσης ἐστὶν ὁ πυρὴν τοῦ προγράμματος σπουδῶν τοῦ Σχολείου. Οἱ μαθηταὶ διδάσκονται τὴν γραμματικὴν καὶ τὸ συντακτικόν, ἀσκοῦνται ἐν τῇ ἀναγνώσει καὶ τῇ γραφῇ, καὶ πλουτίζουσι τὸ λεξιλόγιον αὑτῶν. Ἡ ἐκμάθησις τῆς γλώσσης συνοδεύεται ὑπὸ τῆς μελέτης τῆς ἑλληνικῆς γραμματείας, ἀπὸ τῶν ὁμηρικῶν ἐπῶν μέχρι τῶν συγχρόνων ποιητῶν καὶ πεζογράφων. Παραλλήλως, τὸ Σχολεῖον δίδωσιν ἰδιαιτέραν ἔμφασιν εἰς τὴν διδασκαλίαν τῆς ἑλληνικῆς ἱστορίας καὶ τοῦ πολιτισμοῦ. Οἱ μαθηταὶ μανθάνουσι περὶ τῶν ἐνδόξων σελίδων τῆς ἑλληνικῆς ἱστορίας, ἀπὸ τῆς ἀρχαιότητος μέχρι τῶν νεωτέρων χρόνων.
Ἐξ ἴσου σπουδαία ἐστὶν ἡ διδασκαλία τῆς Ὀρθοδόξου πίστεως καὶ παραδόσεως. Οἱ μαθηταὶ διδάσκονται τὰς βασικὰς ἀρχὰς τῆς Ὀρθοδοξίας, τὴν ἱστορίαν τῆς Ἐκκλησίας, καὶ τὴν σημασίαν τῶν ἑορτῶν καὶ τῶν μυστηρίων.
Ἄξιον σημειώσεως ἐστὶν ὅτι τὸ Σχολεῖον ἡμῶν ἀνέδειξε πολλοὺς ἀριστεύσαντας μαθητάς, οἵτινες διέπρεψαν ἐν ταῖς ἐξετάσεσι τῆς ἑλληνικῆς γλώσσης καὶ ὑποτροφίας ἔλαβον πρὸς σπουδὰς ἐν Ἑλλάδι καὶ Κύπρῳ, φέροντες ἀεὶ μεθ’ ὑπερηφανείας τὴν ἑλληνικὴν αὑτῶν ταυτότητα.
Τὸ ἔργον τοῦ Σχολείου οὐκ ἂν ἦν ἐφικτὸν ἄνευ τῆς ἀφοσιώσεως καὶ τοῦ ζήλου τῶν διδασκάλων. Οἱ ἡμέτεροι ἐκπαιδευτικοί, μετ’ ἀγάπης καὶ ὑπομονῆς, μεταλαμπαδεύουσι τὴν γνῶσιν καὶ τὰς ἀξίας τοῖς μαθηταῖς, λειτουργοῦντες ὡς παραδείγματα καὶ ὁδηγοὶ τῇ νέᾳ γενεᾷ. Τὸ Ἑλληνικὸν Σχολεῖον ἐστὶ ζωτικὸν κύτταρον διατηρήσεως καὶ προαγωγῆς τοῦ Ἑλληνισμοῦ καὶ τῆς Ὀρθοδοξίας ἐν τῇ διασπορᾷ. Ἔστι φάρος ὃς φωτίζει τὰς νέας γενεὰς καὶ καθοδηγεῖ αὐτὰς εἰς τὴν ἀνακάλυψιν καὶ τὴν διατήρησιν τῆς πολιτιστικῆς αὑτῶν ταυτότητος. Εἴθε συνεχίσειε τὸ εὐλογημένον ἔργον αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ πολλὰ ἔτη, διδάσκον καὶ ἐμπνέον τοὺς νέους ἡμῶν εἰς τὴν ἀγάπην πρὸς τὴν Ἑλλάδα καὶ τὴν Ὀρθοδοξίαν.
Ἀτενίζοντες τὸ μέλλον τῆς Κοινότητος, ἐμπνεόμεθα ὑπὸ τῶν λόγων τοῦ Ἀποστόλου Παύλου: «τοῖς δὲ ὀπίσω ἐπιλανθανόμενος τοῖς δὲ ἔμπροσθεν ἐπεκτεινόμενος, κατὰ σκοπὸν διώκω ἐπὶ τὸ βραβεῖον τῆς ἄνω κλήσεως τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ» (Φιλιπ. 3,13-14). Μετὰ τῆς αὐτῆς ἀποφασιστικότητος καὶ πίστεως, δεῖ ἡμᾶς συνεχίζειν τὸ ἔργον τῆς Κοινότητος, ἀνταποκρινομένους ταῖς προκλήσεσι τοῦ μέλλοντος.
Πρωτίστως, ἀναγκαῖόν ἐστιν ἐνισχῦσαι τοὺς δεσμοὺς μεταξὺ τῶν μελῶν τῆς Κοινότητος, ἰδίᾳ μεταξὺ τῶν διαφόρων γενεῶν. Δεῖ ἡμᾶς δημιουργῆσαι εὐκαιρίας πρὸς τὴν ἐνεργὸν συμμετοχὴν τῶν νέων ἐν τῇ ζωῇ τῆς Κοινότητος, ἐνθαρρύνοντας αὐτοὺς ἀναλαβεῖν ἡγετικοὺς ῥόλους καὶ συνεισφέρειν ταῖς ἰδέαις καὶ τῷ ἐνθουσιασμῷ αὑτῶν.
Ἔτι δέ, δεῖ ἡμᾶς ἐπιτεῖναι τὰς προσπαθείας ἡμῶν πρὸς τὴν διατήρησιν καὶ τὴν προαγωγὴν τῆς ἑλληνικῆς γλώσσης καὶ πολιτισμοῦ. Τὸ Ἑλληνικὸν Σχολεῖον χρὴ συνεχίζειν ἐξελισσόμενον, υἱοθετοῦν συγχρόνους μεθόδους διδασκαλίας καὶ ἀξιοποιοῦν τὴν τεχνολογίαν, ὅπως καταστήσῃ τὴν ἐκμάθησιν τῆς ἑλληνικῆς γλώσσης ἑλκυστικὴν τοῖς νέοις. Πρὸς δὲ τούτοις, δεῖ ἡμᾶς εὐρῦναι τοὺς ὁρίζοντας τοῦ Σχολείου ἡμῶν, ἀνοίγοντας τὰς θύρας καὶ προσκαλοῦντας μαθητὰς ἀνεξαρτήτως θρησκείας καὶ καταγωγῆς, ὅπως γνῶσι καὶ ἐμβαθύνωσιν εἰς τὴν ἑλληνικὴν γλῶσσαν καὶ τὸν ἑλληνικὸν πολιτισμόν. Οὕτω, καλλιεργήσομεν τὸ ἔδαφος πρὸς τὴν ἀνάδειξιν νέων ἀρωγῶν τῆς Κοινότητος, οἵτινες, ἐμπνεόμενοι ὑπὸ τῆς ἑλληνικῆς παιδείας, συμβαλοῦσιν εἰς τὴν περαιτέρω ἀνάπτυξιν καὶ ἀκτινοβολίαν αὐτῆς ἐν τῷ μέλλοντι. Ἡ διεύρυνσις αὕτη οὐ μόνον πλουτιεῖ τὴν Κοινότητα ἡμῶν, ἀλλὰ καὶ προάξει τὴν διαπολιτισμικὴν κατανόησιν καὶ τὸν διάλογον ἐν τῇ εὐρυτέρᾳ κοινωνίᾳ.
Ἡ πνευματικὴ καλλιέργεια τῶν μελῶν τῆς Κοινότητος μένει πρωταρχικὸς σκοπός. Ἡ ἐμβάθυνσις εἰς τὴν Ὀρθόδοξον πίστιν ἐνδυναμώσει τὴν Κοινότητα καὶ καταστήσει αὐτὴν ἱκανὴν ἀντιμετωπίσαι τὰς προκλήσεις τῆς συγχρόνου κοινωνίας.
Ἡ προαγωγὴ τοῦ διαλόγου καὶ τῆς συνεργασίας μετ’ ἄλλων θρησκευτικῶν καὶ πολιτιστικῶν κοινοτήτων ἐστὶν ὡσαύτως σπουδαία. Ἡ Κοινότης ἡμῶν δύναται διαδραματίσαι ἡγεμονικὸν ῥόλον ἐν τῇ προαγωγῇ τῆς διαπολιτισμικῆς κατανοήσεως καὶ τοῦ ἀμοιβαίου σεβασμοῦ.
Τέλος, δεῖ ἡμᾶς ἐνδυναμῶσαι τοὺς δεσμοὺς μετὰ τῆς Μητρὸς Ἐκκλησίας Κωνσταντινουπόλεως, τῆς Ἑλλάδος καὶ τῆς Κύπρου. Πρὸς τοῦτο, προτείνομεν τὴν διοργάνωσιν ἐκδρομῶν εἰς θρησκευτικὰ καὶ πολιτιστικὰ μνημεῖα τῶν πατρίδων ἡμῶν. Ἡ ἐπίσκεψις εἰς ἱστορικοὺς ναούς, μοναστήρια, ἀρχαιολογικοὺς χώρους καὶ μουσεῖα παρέξει τοῖς μέλεσι τῆς Κοινότητος τὴν εὐκαιρίαν βιῶσαι ἀμέσως τὴν πλουσίαν πνευματικὴν καὶ πολιτιστικὴν κληρονομίαν τοῦ Ἑλληνισμοῦ. Αἱ ἐμπειρίαι αὗται ἐνισχύσουσι τὴν ταυτότητα καὶ τὴν αὐτοσυνειδησίαν τῆς Κοινότητος ὡς ζωτικοῦ μέλους τοῦ Ἑλληνισμοῦ τῆς διασπορᾶς.
Ἀγαπητοί μου ἀδελφοί, τὸ μέλλον τῆς Κοινότητος ἐν ταῖς χερσὶν ἡμῶν κεῖται. Μετὰ πίστεως εἰς τὸν Θεόν, ἀγάπης πρὸς τὸν πλησίον καὶ ἀφοσιώσεως εἰς τὰς ἀξίας καὶ τὰς παραδόσεις ἡμῶν, δυνάμεθα οἰκοδομῆσαι Κοινότητα ἰσχυρὰν καὶ ἀκμάζουσαν, ἥτις ἐξακολουθήσει οὖσα φάρος Ὀρθοδοξίας καὶ Ἑλληνισμοῦ ταῖς ἐπερχομέναις γενεαῖς.
Εἴθε ὁ Κύριος ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς εὐλογοίη καὶ καθοδηγοίη τὴν Κοινότητα ἡμῶν εἰς τὸ ἔνδοξον μέλλον αὐτῆς. Ἀμήν.
“Behold, how good and pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity”. (Psalm 132:1). As we assemble here to commemorate sixty years since the founding of the Greek Orthodox Community of the Transfiguration in Coventry, this divinely inspired lyricism speaks to us.
Today, my brothers and siters in Christ, we commemorate the great contributions made by this Community—a lighthouse of spiritual direction and preservation of Hellenic Orthodoxy in the heart of England for six decades. “Let all things be done decently and in order” (1 Corinthians 14:40), the apostle Paul orders, therefore we honour the founders and all those who have served our Community and reflect with respect on its history, deeds, and relevance.
From His Eminence Archbishop Nikitas of Thyateira and Great Britain, who blesses the Community and all those who serve it, we give the most sincere greetings. Particularly congrats go to Protopresbyter Theodore Polyviou, the presiding priest, for his varied efforts.
Driven by the quest for a brighter future, a group of Greek Cypriots landed in Coventry in 1964. Their hearts full of love for religion and hometown, they initially lived in Birmingham then Coventry. These pioneers made a daring choice to establish their own Community because of their need for spiritual direction and their desire to preserve Greek Orthodoxy. Although they lacked money, they were wealthy in faith and will; they mortgaged their houses to buy the first church, a former Anglican school. The accounts of those early days are poignant as the founders show amazing commitment and sacrifice by devoting their leisure time to the upkeep and development of the church.
Let us consider the offerings of these trailblazers and honour the words of our Lord: “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:13). For the sake of our Community, the fathers offered not only their souls but also their whole life. From its founding, the Community has been a lighthouse of compassion and solidarity, helping the local society, distributing food and money to the suffering irrespective of faith or belief.
The foundation of our community is one of faith, love, and sacrifice in past years. It is a tale of individuals who, like contemporary apostles, transported the warmth of Hellenism and the light of Orthodoxy right into England. By means of their example, ongoing labour, and preservation of our religion and customs for next generations, let us respect the memory of the founders. May the remembrance of our lost founders and donors endure always. Rest for their spirits in the realm of the living, where the virtuous live, our Lord Jesus Christ grants.
The community’s charitable efforts show themselves mostly via the Philoptochos Society, which has been serving the impoverished and underprivileged sixty years nonstop. “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy,” our Lord said in Matthew 5:7. With a loving and self-sacrifice attitude, the Philoptochos provides moral and financial help to those in need. It plans meals for the local financially strapped people as well as the homeless. This gift is a declaration of Christian love and support for a neighbour. According to the Gospel, it offers people in need not just food but also warmth and personal touch. Furthermore, it arranges frequent visits to hospitals and nursing homes to provide comfort and assistance to the ill and aged, thereby virtually expressing love and concern for all individuals.
Especially noteworthy is the Community’s support of the young people’s spiritual development and education. Operating sixty years nonstop, the Greek School has handed to many young people the Greek language, knowledge, and culture. “If you demolish Greece, in the end, you will see that all that remains is an olive tree, a vineyard, and a boat,” famous Greek poet Odysseas Elytis observed. Which implies: you may recreate her with them.” Likewise, by imparting Greek language and culture, our school helps to preserve and revive Hellenism in the diaspora.
“Education is a possession of precious value,” said Plato. The spiritual and cultural growth of a country depends mostly on its educational system. This is why our Community has made running a Greek School a priority from its inception. Operating sixty years constantly, the Greek School is a lighthouse of Hellenism and Orthodoxy right in the middle of England. Its two goals are to educate the Greek language and pass Greek Orthodox beliefs and customs to the next generations. The foundation of the School’s course is the instruction in Greek language. Students learn grammar and syntax; they practise reading and writing; they expand their vocabulary. Study of Greek literature, from Homeric epics to contemporary poets and prose authors, accompanies language acquisition. Simultaneously, the School gives Greek history and culture especially top priority in instruction. From antiquity to the present, pupils study Greek customs and traditions as well as the pivotal events in Greek history. The School therefore enables young people to grow strongly in Greek identification and pride in their background. Simultaneously, it teaches the children about the rituals and beliefs of our religion, including religious festivals, the life of the Saints, and Orthodox liturgy, therefore promoting Greek Orthodoxy.
Our Church’s contribution to the lives of the Community is very vital. For decades of devoted followers, the Church of the Transfiguration has been a spiritual residence. Here is where we celebrate the secrets of our religion and discover direction and strength on our spiritual road. The faithful are joined with Christ and with one other via the sacraments, prayers, and liturgical life.
The preservation of our customs depends as much on the Church. We recognise the turning points in life— baptism, marriage, and the death from this world—in the Church, where we celebrate the major feasts of our religion. The Church passes on the Orthodox faith and Greek customs to next generations, therefore safeguarding our spiritual and cultural legacy.
Celebrating the sixty-year path of the Greek Orthodox Community of the Transfiguration in Coventry today, we are overwhelmed with thanksfulness and respect for everything that has been achieved. Committed to carry on the work of our founders, to preserve our religion and customs, and to serve our fellow human beings with love and humility, we look forward and are driven forward.
Finally, I would like to sincerely thank all those who have helped our Community to flourish and thrive. I especially thank the priest, the parish council, the teachers, the volunteers, and all the faithful who have over years supported this Community. May God bless you all, and may the memory of our founders and benefactors be eternal. Amen.