The Greek Orthodox Church will play a pivotal role in the demonstration for Macedonia at United Nations Plaza in New York City on March 18, according to an announcement on Facebook in Greek by Dimitris Filippidis, Vice President of the PanMacedonian Association and one of the main organizers of the demonstration.
Filippidis met with Archbishop Demetrios of America (photo) who announced at a gathering the Church’s complete support during a conversation with the officers of the PanMacedonian Association of the United States.
According to Filippidis, the Archbishop will speak at the demonstration and will send an encyclical to parishes in the trip-state area encouraging their support.
The noon start time could pose problematic for most parishes whose Sunday morning Divine Liturgies end around that time.
It is unclear whether the Archbishop will ask parishes to begin earlier so they can finish in time to allow parishioners to attend, or even to organize their own busses from their parishes.
According to organizers of the New York City demonstration, dozens of busses are being organized from as far away as Maryland and Massachusetts by various Greek community organizations.
Organizers plan to send the message to the Greek government and the United Nations negotiator Matthew Nimitz that any use of the name “Macedonia” is opposed for Greece’s northern neighbor.
(Photo via Facebook)
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