ADDRESS AT THE NATIONAL PHILOPTOCHOS SOCIETY MEETING DURING THE 43rd CLERGY LAITY CONGRESS OF THE GREEK ORTHODOX ARCHDIOCESE OF AMERICA

(Nashville Tennessee, July 6, 2016 )

Beloved Ms. Maria Logou, President of the Greek Orthodox Ladies Philoptochos Society of the Holy Archdiocese of America, and dear Sisters in the Lord,

His Eminence Metropolitan of Kydonia and Apokoronos Damaskinos and myself we thank you for your very kind invitation to participate in this breakfast.

Given this opportunity, please allow me to share with you the following humble thoughts, regarding the significant role Orthodox women play within the philoptochos Societies.

As you know, a great debate is going on in many of the non-Orthodox churches regarding the ordination of women. Certain denominations have already proceeded and have ordained women as priests and bishops. As a result, this issue has created many problems, not only among the faithful, but also in the relations of the Orthodox Church with other Christian denominations.
In Korea also, the country of my humble ministry, believers and representatives of other denominations are asking us and wish to know what the position of our Orthodox Church is in this matter.

Our answer, among others, is always based on the argument about the specific role women play in charity work in our Orthodox Church. In other words, we describe and emphasize the important work carried out by the Philoptochos Societies, where Orthodox women operate in the best way possible and offer to the Church their multifaceted talents.

We are, therefore, grateful to all of you for your significant contribution to the Church of Christ. We admire you and we are proud of you. We hope and pray that you may have good health, longevity and power from on high in order to continue your precious work for the glory of God and praise of our Orthodox Church.

I thank you very much.

+ Metropolitan Ambrosios of Korea