To All Clergy, Religious, and Faithful in Christ,
Beloved Brethren,
Grace and peace be multiplied unto you in the Name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
It is necessary at this time to speak with and conviction regarding a grave evil that has infected the hearts of many and sown division among the children of God—the sin of racism. It should be obvious to all Christians, but unfortunately, it remains a problem. In every generation, the followers of Christ are called to stand against that which distorts the divine image in humanity and violates the sacred law of love. Racism, whether expressed in word, deed, or unspoken attitude, stands in direct contradiction to the Gospel and remains utterly incompatible with the life of grace.
From the beginning, our Scriptures affirm that “God created man in His own image” (Genesis 1:27), endowing each human being with inherent dignity. This divine image is not limited by race, colour, or origin, for “God hath made of one blood all nations of men to dwell on all the face of the earth” (Acts 17:26). Any ideology, system, or behaviour that denies this truth offends against the Creator Himself and wounds the unity of the human family.
Our Lord Jesus Christ revealed in word and action that the boundaries of prejudice are to be broken. He commended the faith of the centurion, conversed with the Samaritan woman, and healed the child of the Canaanite mother—teaching that love transcends every barrier. In His commandment, “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself,” there is no exclusion, and in His parable of the Good Samaritan, there is no justification for hatred or indifference. To practise racism, to tolerate it, or to remain silent in its presence, is to deny the very essence of Christian discipleship.
Therefore, we solemnly affirm that racism is a sin. It separates souls from grace, defiles the communion of the Church, and betrays the Cross upon which Christ died for all mankind. Those who harbour resentment or superiority in their hearts are called to repentance and conversion, for in the Kingdom of God there is neither privilege nor caste, but only the redeemed multitude gathered from every tongue and nation.
We exhort all communities of faith—Orthodox, Catholic, and all who confess the Name of Christ—to be vigilant in teaching the truth of human dignity, to speak courageously against prejudice, and to create spaces where all persons are received as bearers of the divine image. Let our parishes, our homes, and our public witness become signs of the unity which the world so desperately needs.
May the Holy Spirit, the Giver of Life, purify our hearts of all bitterness and renew in us the grace to love without distinction. Let us walk together as one family in the light of Christ, awaiting that blessed day when every people and nation shall bow before the Throne of God, and love shall reign without division.
Given this day under my hand and seal, at Nashville, Tennessee, this 9th day of October, in the Year of Our Lord 2025.
+ Mar Mattai