ISTANBUL, Turkey | Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew denounced the idea that the economy can function autonomously without considering environmental consequences, calling it naïve to believe nature has unlimited capacity to recover. “The future of life on our planet will be ecological and peaceful — or it will not exist,” he said in his annual message marking the new ecclesiastical year.
Bartholomew’s statement set a sharp tone, placing environmental protection and peace at the heart of the Church’s agenda. The Patriarchate stressed that September 1, the Feast of the Indiction, has for decades been designated as a day of prayer for the protection of creation — not simply as a reaction to the ecological crisis, but as a natural continuation of the Church’s life, described as “applied ecology.”
The Patriarch called for what he termed “ecological repentance,” a radical shift in mindset and behavior toward creation. “Alienation from God breeds exploitation of both nature and humanity,” the statement said, while life in Christ generates ecological sensitivity and compassionate action.
He also condemned what he described as the “pandemonium of wars,” where bombings and violence silence innocent victims and “the groaning of creation.”
The Ecumenical Patriarchate pledged to continue leading international efforts on environmental protection, making ecology a central theme in inter-Christian and interfaith dialogue. It urged Metropolises, parishes and monasteries worldwide to develop coordinated initiatives, with a particular focus on educating younger generations.
The message concluded with an appeal to live “in an eco-friendly and brotherly way,” to safeguard the integrity of creation, and to cultivate a “culture of solidarity.”
