Icons and Relics

May 31, 1992

God created humanity to serve as a king of creation, not for any individualistic exploitation of it that results in destruction, but for the enjoyment of a peaceful and fruitful life in it in harmony with the other creatures, plants or animals. Nevertheless, we have recently experienced a dangerous development, arising from our senseless and often selfish use of natural recourses. The environment, as it is presented to us today, appears to resemble the “beast” in the Book of Revelation (Rev. 12.4), which awaits to devour the newly born child of the woman. The only difference is that the beast of the environment, in a metaphorical sense, expects to devour everyone, and not just the newly born.

If we are to avoid this pressing danger, then we urgently need to restore the proper relation between humanity and the environment. This reconciliation has always been facilitated by the favorable position of nature itself towards humanity on the one hand, and the means which humanity has at its disposal on the other.

We often speak about respect for the human being as the icon of God. And this is correct. Yet we should not separate this respect from the respect that is due to the whole of the physical environment, because it is obvious that the environment and its inhabitants are in constant and mutual interaction, as we pointed out in our Christmas message.

Allow me, your Royal Highness, to refer to an example of a contemporary ascetic on the Holy Mountain, who made the following poignant comment: “We venerate the clothing of St Nektarios, because the Saint used to wear it. Is it not much more fitting, that we should also venerate the flowers and the plants? After all, they enshrine within themselves the energy of God.” It is because the true monastic has the measure of life, that a monk or a nun will never turn either to idolatry or to pantheism. The monastic respects the whole of creation without attributing worship to it. That belongs to God alone.