Thoughts about March 25th 1821"With our mouths we should nurse the infection that poisons our country so that it and we may find prosperity” (PRIME MINISTER KAPODISTRIAS)

By Metropolitan Sotirios. We will  celebrate again this year the National  Holiday of March 25, 1821 withdoxologies,  parades,  dances,  speeches,  and with performances.  We will  honor ourancestors and heroes of the Greek Revolution. We will admire their sacrifices, theirachievements, and their heroism. Within the framework of these celebrations,  I inviteyou today to  think about   what  the heroes of  1821 want  from us and what  ourhomeland  Greece  expects  from  each  one  of  us.For those who do not know it, I remind everyone that the first political leader whogoverned a liberated Hellas was Ioannis Kapodistrias, who took office in 1828.  Hewas a man faithful to God, honest, sincere, and with a true patriotic love for Greece.Throughout his entire life, and as the foreign minister of Imperial Russia which wasall-powerful at that time, he worked tirelessly for the success of the revolution andthe ultimate liberation of Greece. As the first leader of the newly liberated Greece,which  was  at  that  time  small  in  size,  he  found  a  situation  that  was  difficult  toapprehend. He encountered the reality of poverty, debt, and impoverishment.  Alongwith  all  these,  he  had  to  battle  selfishness,  ambition,  stubbornness  and  anarchywithin the members of his government. It was these passions that ultimately led tohis assassination.Prime Minister  Kapodistrias  did  everything that  was in  his  power  for  the good ofGreece and its prosperity. Let us take note of this one piece of advice he offered:"With our mouths we should nurse the infection that poisons our country so that itand  we  may  find  prosperity  ".It  will  help  us  a  lot  to  study  the  history  of  Greece  from  1821  onwards  andespecially to pause at the Asia Minor Catastrophe of 1922; the Greek Civil War in thedecade of 1940; and the current situation in Greece today, with the economic crisisthat  it  now suffers.  Is this not  an infection of  pus that now poisons our country?Should we not, in all these circumstances, think and act in the same manner thatPrime Minister Kapodistrias did? Should not each of us do our part to eradicate thisinfection that is poisoning our homeland, so that it may once again be prosperous andhealthy?The heroes of 1821, Prime Minister Kapodistrias and our homeland, all invite ustoday to help resolve the problems that Greece now faces. The Greeks in Greece andabroad must remain united and act in unison. We must remain faithful to our trueGod, who is Jesus Christ our Lord, and to the ideals of our homeland. Each of us mustbear the proportionate share of the burden.  There is no room for selfishness, frivolity,egotism, stubbornness and personal fiefdoms.  Our thoughts, actions and our goalsmust all be aimed towards the success and prosperity of our homeland, Greece, sothat it may flourish in peace and glory.Especially we who are privileged to live in this blessed country of Canada – let usnever forget our heroic ancestors, Prime Minister Kapodistrias, our motherland Greeceand what each of them expects from us. Almost nothing else has been left here inCanada, except for our Orthodox Christian Faith, our Holy Orthodox Church and ourpatriotic love for our motherland Greece. Let us remain united and rally around ourChurch. Let us not set up separate fiefdoms here in Canada.  Let us respect the lawsof Canada and the Church. Let us live and practice our Orthodox faith and apply inour lives the ideals of our country.  Let us teach our children and future generationsour Orthodox Christian Faith, the Greek language and the ideals of our immortal andunique homeland, Greece.  Let us strive to live peacefully.  Let us act together inunison, progressing ahead and being inspired by the ideals of our homeland and ourOrthodox Faith that leads us to eternal salvation.True Greek and Greek Orthodox Christian: celebrate genuinely the National Greek Holiday of March 25th 1821. Think about the problems that our homeland Greece and Greeks everywhere now encounter, and do your part with sincerity, honourably andcooperatively,  to  help  solve  them.
Long live March 25th  1821!  Long live immortal Greece!  Long live Canada!  Longlive freedom and liberty!With fatherly love and fervent blessings
METROPOLITAN ARCHBISHOP SOTIRIOS OF TORONTO.