The official website of the Patriarchate of Alexandria has reported that Patriarch Theodoros II of Alexandria and All Africa met with the President of Sudan, Omar Hassan Ahmad Al-Bashir, on February 28, 2010 on a visit he made to Sudan. The Patriarch thanked the President for his love for Greece and the Greeks, while at the same time thanks was given by the President to the Patriarch for his love for the Sudanese people. The Patriarch also bestowed upon the President his prayer and blessing for his continued service towards Sudan and its future success.
So far so good. But...
As a gesture of good will the Patriarch gave the President a Koran with the official seal of the Patriarchate of Alexandria.
It seems it has become fashionable for our Patriarchs to give Koran's as gifts to Muslim leaders. As I have mentioned before, it is one thing to make a gesture of good will, and a totally different thing for an Orthodox Christian leader to give to a Muslim the gift of a book that at its core blasphemes what Orthodox Christians believe. And the President isn't even a religious leader, but a political leader. There is absolutely no excuse for such a scandalous and blasphemous action.
http://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2010/03/another-patriarch-gives-koran-as-gift.html
OrthoScooter said...
ΑπάντησηΔιαγραφήWatch also here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9f_4jPvGEA
At around minute 3:50
Repeat offender. Did it also with the Chairman of the Caucasus Muslim Board. These are our leaders... :-(
March 5, 2010 3:10 PM
John Sanidopoulos said...
This is a practice becoming all too common these days, and it only makes our hierarchs look like hypocritical idiots.
Thanks OrthoScooter for the video, I wasn't aware this was on youtube. I found it interesting how he gave the CEO of Coca Cola a Koran because he is a Muslim, but the CEO of Coke was smart enough to give a piece of memorabelia from Coke history to the Patriarch and stay clear of religion in his gift giving - as it should be!
March 5, 2010 3:34 PM