Japanese Orthodox Priest Dimitris Takana, who lived in the Greek capital and studied at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens sent a touching message for the country saying, “from antiquity to the present, Greece has enlightened the world.”
"My dear Greeks, your generosity is so great and invaluable. I know this very well from my own experience.
After much love and mercy, you have accepted not only me but also everyone else who comes to you, good or bad. You never complained even when certain strangers did something unpleasant to you. This is because you know what justice is. From antiquity to the present, you have enlightened the world. Greece is the light of the world revealed by God.
Not only is it the light that illuminates the world, but it also shines through the soul of its people. This is highlighted by the way Greece is mentioned and written as "希臘" in Japanese: the eternal light of hope. This light is so bright that no one can escape it.
If one is willing to accept it and be enlightened by it, one's mind will open up and see the world for what is real and true and what is in front of them. On the contrary, if one is unwilling to accept it, he will return to darkness, even when his eyes are open, just as Plato describes in the parable of the cave. I humbly want to be one of those enlightened ones and to be awakened by Greece and its Orthodoxy.
Japan is far away and my prayer comes from the heart all the way to you. Greece lives because Christ, Our Lady, and the Saints are always with you. Amen."
