September 7, 2004

NEW YORK - His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios, Primate of the Greek Orthodox Church in America, has expressed his deepest sympathy and prayers to the Russian people in the wake of last week's tragic loss of life stemming from the terrorist attack against innocent school children in Beslan in the province of Ossetia.

In letters to the proper ecclesiastical and political Russian authorities the Archbishop said: "As the Exarch in America of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople and Archbishop of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, I write to assure you of our earnest and intense prayers for the people of Ossetia who have suffered the tragic loss of so many loved ones. We share with them, and with you, the deep pain caused by this heinous act, and we express our spiritual solidarity with all the people of Russia in this time of intensified terrorist activity. Furthermore, we join with all people of good faith throughout the world in denouncing with all our soul the use of violence against innocent people in pursuit of political or religious agendas."

Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America