Today, «Greece» or Romiosyni and children all over Greece are celebrating the Three Holy Hierarchs (Basil of Caesarea, John Chrysostom, Gregory of Nazianzus). It is «a day that pays tribute to education», for the «Three Hierarchs», the so-called «Patrons of Letters», were «great men of letters who were not only defenders of Orthodox Christianity, but supporters of Greek learning» (Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America). So these «holy» men are the patrons of «Greek» education. Now, let us have a closer look at them.
Basil said that «The Hellenes are the enemies … for they celebrate and devour Israel with open mouth» (Commentary on the Prophet Isaiah, 9.230,8), John said that «The Greek philosophers and rhetors are ridiculous and are no different from children talking nonsense» and talked against the «turpitude of the Hellenes» (Homily on Saint Babylas, against Julian and the Gentiles, 11-12, 15, 40). And Gregory said that «The wisdom of the Hellenes is typhus» (To Heron the philosopher). So «Greece» is celebrating today, as every year on the 30th of January, these «holy men», protectors of «Hellenic education» (paideia), as they tell us in Greece over and over again, and this great «Education day». It is no wonder to us that anti-Hellenism is flourishing in modern «Greece». We condemn this, and any other kind of anti-Hellenism and call on the state to implement reforms that will remedy this misery, banish the church’s influence from public school classes, and finally to honor the principles of religious freedom.
Hellenismos heute 