ECUMENICAL PATRIARCHATE

Exarchate of Parishes of Russian
Tradition in Western Europe

The Ecumenical Patriarch in Greenland

A personal account by Margaret Barker. A full report will appear in the November issue of The Messenger.

The Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew has just completed his seventh successful water borne symposium in the series 'Religion Science and the Environment', which he inaugurated in 1995.  ‘The Arctic; the Mirror of Life’ began on September 6th at Ilulissat, about 70 degrees north on the west coast of Greenland, and travelled south for six days on the MS Fram to Narsarsuaq, about 60 degrees north.

For each Symposium The Patriarch convenes a group of religious leaders, scientists, policy makers and the media to address a current problem in the environment.  This time is was the effect of climate change and transported pollutants on the people of Greenland.  The Symposium was planned with the help of the government and people of Greenland, who welcomed the Patriarch warmly, and received the whole Symposium at a reception and concert of traditional music and storytelling in Nuuk, their capital.

The Arctic receives the results of the industry and lifestyle of other people, and the traditional way of life of Arctic peoples is being destroyed.  Melting sea ice makes hunting impossible, and in some regions the warming earth is being washed away and villages disappear.  Sea food is poisoned and often unfit to eat.  The melting ice will eventually affect sea levels all over the world, threatening islands and coastal areas with the reflected results of the contemporary industrialised consumer lifestyle. 

The Symposium hears papers from experts in various fields of science, but also discusses and reflects upon the spiritual and theological significance of what is happening and what could be done.  In the Arctic, the Symposium was joined for the first time by representatives of the Evangelical Churches in the USA.

The Symposium opened with a gathering of religious leaders to pray for the planet.  A Cardinal, a Lutheran bishop, leaders from both Sunni and Shia Islam, the former chief Rabbi of France, and a Buddhist leader from Japan stood at the mouth of the great ice fjord in Ilulissat, together with children from Asia, Africa, Europe and South America to join with the Patriarch in a time of silent prayer for the future of the earth. 

The Symposium concluded with a pilgrimage to Tjodhilde’s church in Quassiarsuk, the first church in the western hemisphere.  It was built in 1000AD for the wife of Eric the Red, and is thought to be the site of the first baptism.  The Patriarch gave his blessing to Greenland at this historic place.  Then he visited a reconstruction of the original stone and turf church – no more than 2 x 3.5 metres – which was built in 2000 a short distance from the ancient site.  The Patriarch gave the tiny community two icons for their church, and a small gold cross to each person.