“In a world rapidly becoming more divided and divisive, we may not always be able to discern clearly between absolute good and evil. But all of us have the capability of choosing life over death. May God continue to guide us all in these troubled times.”
His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew endorses Nuclear Prayer Day
In his message, he calls upon every nation and leader to consider their role in this cycle of violence.
Full Statement by His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew
We wholeheartedly join in the supplications of people across the world on this Nuclear Prayer Day, which marks the 80th anniversary of the horrific bombing of Hiroshima that will forever remain an indelible scar in the history of humanity.
There is an intimate association between the climate crisis and the nuclear predicament. Much like in the case of overconsumption, more is not better when it comes to nuclear arms. Thirty years ago, we denounced the hubris of human arrogance and potential of global annihilation through the proliferation of nuclear weapons, declaring that we shall either move toward one world or none. Unfortunately, not only do nations continue to create such weapons of global obliteration, but they persist in coercing others into submission through such weapons.
Our world has increasingly become inseparably interwoven and inextricably interdependent in such a way and to such a degree that everything we decide and do, bears immediate consequence and impact for the entire planet. Beyond this, not only do we have a moral obligation to our planet, but we also have an ethical responsibility to our children to avoid such risks at all costs. However, we can only achieve this by practicing and protecting the fundamental principles of preserving human dignity and promoting human solidarity. Otherwise, we face the possibility of being the first generation to be the last since the Genesis account of the Judeo-Christian Scriptures.
The burden and responsibility lie primarily with our political authorities and heads of state. Every nation and every leader should consider their responsibility in this vicious circle of evil and violence. In a world rapidly becoming more divided and divisive, we may not always be able to discern clearly between absolute good and evil. But all of us have the capability of choosing life over death. May God continue to guide us all in these troubled times.
