Among the hierarchs who have condemned the blasphemy that was on display for the entire world to see, is Metropolitan Theologos of Serres of the Greek Orthodox Church. Preaching at the Holy Monastery of St. Paraskevi on Sunday, he said:

Unfortunately, we see that for some decades now in supposedly Christian Europe, conditions are being created that promote a model of life without God, without values, without rules and principles, without respect, without measure, without the fragrance of life, without beauty—principles and values that Greece taught to the world.

Unfortunately, a way of life is systematically promoted today, where the self-referential and passionate human becomes self-worth, an idol, a poor imitation of himself. Lawlessness is called freedom and disrespect is termed a right of expression. Today, from the dark abyss of human passions, a world emerges where moral decline, stark self-interest, materialism, trampling of the Divine and even the laws of nature, delinquency, amoralism, nihilism, the leveling of everything, and lack of basic respect dominate. All these create and consolidate in contemporary reality a deep decadence that exudes decay and death. What happened the day before yesterday, during the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in Paris, in a specific performance, was deeply provocative, disrespectful, tasteless, offensive to the faith of millions of people around the world, to aesthetics, and to the very spirit of the Olympic Games.

I wonder, would these specific “artists” and the host country dare to behave in this unacceptable way towards the Jewish or Muslim, or any other religion? Unfortunately, Europe, for decades now, has been ostentatiously and with excessive ingratitude, turning its back on Christ. Behold the modern “Gadarenes”…

(The Gadarenes are the people who pleaded with Jesus to leave them after he casted out demons in their town in Matthew 8).

Today, however, the world needs so much, primarily integral and balanced role models, who will be illuminated by the light of Christ, who will be inspired by quality and respectful ethos, by pure soul and word, by a disposition of sincere repentance, empathy, and mutual understanding. Humanity needs such healthy role models, especially today. From the highest principles of love for God and love for humanity.