On August 16, Protopresbyter Petru Filipescu, with the blessing of Metropolitan Polycarpos of Italy under the Ecumenical Patriarchate, participated in an interfaith meeting on the theme “Caring for Our Common Home.” The event took place during an international camp organized by the Florentine association Opera per la Gioventù Giorgio La Pira at Villaggio La Vela in Castiglione della Pescaia (Grosseto). Father Petru, the rector of the Church of Saints Minas the Great Martyr and Ephraim the New Martyr – the Wonderworkers from Sedegliano-Udine, delivered a speech at the meeting.
Other speakers at the event included Hamdan Al Zeqri from the Union of Islamic Communities in Italy, Chief Rabbi Gad Piperno of Florence, Father Bruno Bignami from the National Office for Social and Labor Issues of the Italian Episcopal Conference, and a delegation from the Archdiocese of Pisidia (Ecumenical Patriarchate) led by Deacon Nikita Astapov. Roman Catholic Archbishop Gherardo Gambelli of Florence was also in attendance.
In his address, Father Petru emphasized the Ecumenical Patriarchate’s and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew’s commitment to environmental protection and Care of Creation. He spoke about the Orthodox Church’s teachings on the subject and shared examples from the Holy Fathers. Father Petru also discussed the ecological initiatives of the Orthodox Parish he leads, such as the Regenerative Community Garden (Garden of the Mother of God) and the Eco-School.
After his speech, Protopresbyter Petru engaged in a Q&A session with the camp participants. The article includes images from the event, showcasing the various activities and discussions that took place.
