What is it with these Russians? Will they never stop with their corruption?
The Church of Greece receives funds collected by the Moscow Patriarchate faithful in aid to the needy in Greece
Source: Department for External Church Relations of the Russian Orthodox Church
The Russian Orthodox Church has transferred to the Greek Orthodox Church’s account 517 629, 34 euros collected by the Russian Church with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill in order to help feed Greeks who have lost their jobs and have been left without means of livelihood.
Greece continues to suffer from the severest crisis. According to the latest estimates of the Greek National Bureau of Statistics, the level of unemployment has reached 22,6%. This indicator is even higher among the youth under 24 – 50,8%. The austerity plan has forced the Greek Government to renounce its social liabilities and to close houses for the elderly, to reduce pensions and social benefits and to introduce new taxes.
In this situation, the Greek Church is carrying out a national campaign for raising funds and collecting foodstuffs for the needy. Each day, the Archdiocese of Athens distributes some 10 thousand food rations, worth of 0.95 euros each. While before the crisis, appeals for food came mostly from expatriates from Africa, Asia and the Middle East countries, now the proportion of the Greek natives among the hungry has reached 60%. These are mostly lonely retired people. Food aid has been organized in other dioceses of the Greek Church as well.
The Russian Orthodox Church began its fund-raising campaign in aid to the hungry in Greece on February 21, 2012. The work was coordinated by the Department for Charity and Social Service. At present the campaign is over. The funds raised have been converted to euro and transferred to the account of the Greek Church. A letter has been sent to the Greek Church saying that the funds are intended for the feeding of the poor, the website of the ROC Department for Charity and Social Service reports.
I take it that your use of the word “corruption” was sarcasm.
Fr. John Morris
You are correct, Sir.
I admit I was mystified at first, too. I’m always a bit slow on the uptake… 😉
“The Russian Orthodox Church has transferred to the Greek Orthodox Church’s account 517 629, 34 euros ”
Something seems wrong here. Is 517 629 really the number of the Greek Orthodox Church’s account?
Seems better than the brief cases full of cash which make their way to Damascus..
Brief cases? Ever tried to sneak a brief case into Syria, Stevie?
Stevie? gee Paddy have I struck a nerve? very mature.
“have I struck a nerve?”
Apparently I did.
Father, bless.
Many Europeans use a comma where we use a decimal point in amounts of money. I took that phrase to refer not at all to an account number, but rather to mean that the amount of the gift was 517,629.34 euros. I am happy to accept correction on this matter.
I think it’s because of how it is written – as it stands now, it reads as if the ROC has transfered EUR34 into the GOC account number 517 629.
Ah the joys of grammar and misplaced commas – the bane of anyone drafting legal documents…
Bashful82,
many countries, including Russia, use Arabic numerals with not point, but decimal comma:
Countries where a comma “,” is used to mark the radix point include: Albania, Andorra, Argentina, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Canada (French-speaking), Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia (comma used officially, but both forms are in use elsewhere), Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Estonia, Faroes, Finland, France, Germany, Georgia, Greece, Greenland, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, Indonesia, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kirgistan, Latvia, Lebanon, Lithuania, Luxembourg (uses both marks officially), Macau (in Portuguese text), Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Netherlands, Norway, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa (officially[15]), Spain, Sweden, Switzerland (when the amount is not in Swiss francs[16]), Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam” ref. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decimal_mark
That should be: countries that use not points, but commas as decimals.
Yes, the €517,629 is of course very generous when you remember that the Russian Orthodox Church is spending €100 million on its “Spiritual Center” at Quai Branly in Paris.
When you have to beg from the Russians, a country that’s had 3 major famines in the past 100 years, you’ve got to be desperate. Either that, or they diner owners in Queens and Toronto and Melbourne are sick of sending you money.
Greece is as parasitic on its diaspora as Israel or Mexico or Ireland or Bangladesh.