Helsinki, Finland, 6 June 2003

Your Eminence Archbishop Leo of Karelia and all Finland,

Your Eminence Metropolitan Amvrosios of Helsinki,

Beloved brother Hierarchs,

Reverend Fathers,

Beloved children in the Lord,

It is a source of great joy for us once again to visit Finland, which we love and have visited many times in the past, retaining the warmest impressions and memories.

We thank God in the highest, who is worshiped as one in Trinity, for granting to our Modesty the joy also of the present visit to the Holy Orthodox Church of Finland and to its people, irrespective of religious doctrine.  We convey to you the warm love and affection, the heartfelt greeting and blessing of the Mother Holy Great Church of Christ of Constantinople.  We thank you for the warm reception of our Modesty, for your love and respect for the Mother Church, and for your kind words.  The impressions of our gathering today, which takes place on the occasion and in the framework of the fifth International Religion, Science & the Environment Symposium, will remain indelible in our heart.

The institution of these sea-born Symposia, recognized by the European Commission and organized under the joint auspices of His Excellency the President of the European Commission and our Modesty, has, as its special theme for this year, the Baltic Sea as a common heritage and shared responsibility of the surrounding countries.  The significant number, as well as the scientific and moral authority of the participants guarantee the high level of the research, discussions and results.

We participate in these Symposia because we believe it is our duty of love towards our fellow human beings to sensitise the conscience of everyone.  For, the slightest indifference of each one of us toward our neighbour and the consequences of our actions has led to the current critical situation of the excess pollution of the seas, especially the closed ones, as well as of many regions of the land.  This indifference has disturbed the ecosystems and in many cases caused their destruction, with very unfavourable results for humankind, such as the destruction of fisheries and agriculture in some places, the pollution of the atmosphere and waters by toxic materials, and other reversals of the natural environmental balance, which is necessary for the regular and healthy life of humanity.  From the Christian perspective, it is unethical to be indifferent toward the increasingly negative repercussions of our actions, simply because each of them has a very small impact on the situation. Experience has shown that, beyond a certain degree of self-purification, the environment cannot recover its natural condition and is gradually dying.

We are obliged to become conscious of the truth concealed in the teaching of the Apostle Paul that we all constitute one body, and when one member suffers, all members suffer together.  Any form of individualism, which leads us to care only for ourselves, is antichristian.  We who believe in Christ have to live the truth that we are all one body, that we all have a common interest, and that we must seek not only our own, but also the interests of every person (Phil. 2,4).

We are certain that our increased sensitivity on this issue does not need to be further developed.  Therefore we suffice in these few words and invoke upon you our heartfelt paternal prayers and patriarchal blessings, wishing all of you health, long life, progress in every good work and every blessing from the Lord, in order to know God and His divine will.  We foretaste the joy of our forthcoming meeting here, in about one month, when we will come again to your beautiful and noble country, this time at the invitation of our dear brother Leo, the Most Reverend Archbishop of Karelia and all Finland.

May the grace and the infinite mercy of God be with you all.  Amen.