ORTHODOX PATRIARCH TELLS YOUNGSTERS TO KEEP FAITH.Byline: Denise Levin Associated Press Associated Press: see news agency. Associated Press (AP) Cooperative news agency, the oldest and largest in the U.S. and long the largest in the world. Patriarch Bartholomew I Bartholomew I, 1940–, Orthodox patriarch of Constantinople, b. Imvros, Turkey, as Dimitrios Archondonis. He attended theological seminary in Istanbul and later studied in Rome, Switzerland, and Germany. , head of the Eastern Orthodox Church, lead thousands in the Divine Liturgy Di·vine Liturgy n. The Eastern Orthodox Eucharistic rite. on Sunday and urged young people to hold on to faith as the new century approaches. In his sermon, the leader of the world's 300 million Orthodox Christians urged the young to resist contemporary culture that clashes with traditional church teachings. ``Show the world just how strong you are in your beliefs: Remember to pray fervently, to talk to your priests and to your parents, remember to take Communion regularly,'' Bartholomew told about 5,000 followers who filled an exhibition hall at the downtown Convention Center. ``I promise that I will remember you all in my prayers - each and everyone of you, because I love you. I love you all, and I give you my patriarchal blessing In the Latter Day Saint movement, a patriarchal blessing (also called an evangelist's blessing) is a blessing or ordinance given by a patriarch (evangelist) to a church member. ,'' Bartholomew said. ``And do not forget, I repeat it, our faith is alive, our message is strong, our truth is universal.'' About 25 Eastern Orthodox parishes were closed Sunday so members and clergy could attend. The patriarch kept mainly to traditional spiritual themes during the second-to-last stop of his monthlong tour of 16 U.S. cities. A day earlier, he had criticized consumer culture and condemned pollution. ``To commit a crime against the natural world is a sin,'' Bartholomew said during a conference on environment, religion and science in Santa Barbara Santa Barbara (săn'tə bär`brə, –bərə), city (1990 pop. 85,571), seat of Santa Barbara co., S Calif., on the Pacific Ocean; inc. 1850. . Sunday's services were rich in religious tradition. Wearing a maroon maroon, term for a fugitive slave in the 17th and 18th cent. in the West Indies and Guiana, or for a descendant of such slaves. They were called marron by the French and cimarrón by the Spanish. robe stitched with gold, the patriarch led the crowd in the Divine Liturgy, a mixture of hymn and chant in Greek that expresses the religion's creed. CAPTION(S): Photo PHOTO Patriarch Bartholomew I leads the Divine Liturgy for more than 5,000 Orthodox Christians on Sunday at the Convention Center downtown. Associated Press |
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