Àrchbishop Spyridon.

His Eminence Àrchbishop Spyridon (Prós tón Sevasmótaton Árhiepískopon Spyrídon ó Ámerikés kaí Aústralías), is now retired. He was consecrated by Árhiepískopos Gregóriou and Árhiepískopos Gennádiou, Saint Mary’s Cathedral, Chicago, Illinois USA; 23 February 1969 [‘National Greek Tribune’, Èthnikón Vïma, Pémbti 27 Fevrooários 1969, Selís 1, kaí 2a]. His Eminence was the writer’s ordaining Bishop under whose Episcopal direction, and blessings; the spiritual and secular works were performed.

Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan.

Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was born 5 September 1888 at Tiruttani, India, and died at Madras on the 16 April 1975. He held three professorial chairs including Mysore, Calcutta, and Oxford universities, from 1921-31, 1937-41, 1936 – 52 respectively. He served as chairman of UNESCO’s executive board from 1948 to 1949. And between 1949 and 1952 served as ambassador to the former Soviet Union. He was President of India from 1962 to 1967. He was the author of Indian Philosophy, 2 vol. (1923-27), The Philosophy of the Upanishads (1924), An Idealist View of Life (1932), Eastern Religions and Western Thought (1939). And East and West: Some Reflections (1955).

The Good Samaritan.

‘The Good Samaritan’ is one of Jesus’ narrative parables unique to Luke (10, 29-37) [see below]. A legalist puts the question to Jesus: “And who is my neighbour?” Jesus responds by juxtaposing the representatives of Judaic law (the priest and Levite) with the Samaritan. The representatives of the law ignore helping their compatriot because of the requirements of the Levitical codes (11-15). Whereas, the Samaritan responded to the needs of the wounded Jew; notwithstanding the traditional enmities between the Jews and Samaritans.

But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbour?” Then Jesus answered and said: “A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. “Now by chance a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. “Likewise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side. “But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion on him, “and went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. “On the next day, when departed, he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.’ “So which of these three do you think was the neighbour to him who fell among the thieves?” And he said, “He who showed mercy on him.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”

Luke 10, 29-37.

Katherine Dunham.

Katherine Dunham received the Chevalier, Haitian Legion of Honour and Merit (1952), and in 1965 was appointed, by the United States Government, the cultural advisor to the President of Senegal. The United States Postal Service issued a Black Heritage Commemorative Stamp, in her honour in 1978. In 1979, she was awarded the annual ‘Albert Schweitzer Music Award’, for her works in music and humanity.

In 1986, Dunham received the Southern Cross Award of Honour and Merit from the Government of Brazil and was the recipient of the Kennedy Centre Honours Award in 1983. She received The Medal of Artistic Merit, in Dance, from UNESCO in 1986, and in the same year received the Distinguished Service Award from the American Anthropological Association.

Dunham was made Grand Officer, Haitian Legion of Honour and Merit, and received an Honoree from the United States President’s Council on Youth Opportunity; in 1968. She received the Grand Cross Legion d’Honneur et Merite, from the Embassy of Haiti; in 1983. And five years later (1988) made Officer, of the Legion d’Honneur, Order of Arts and Letters, from the Government of France.

In 1988, she was made Officier de L’ordre des Arts et des Lettres, Le Ministre de la Culture et la Communication, Haiti. Two years later (1990), was the recipient of the Caribbean Award, Trinidad and Tobago. And received the United States President’s National Medal of the Arts; in 1992.

Katherine Dunham has also received numerous Honorary Doctorates, which include: Honorary Doctorates of Humane Letters from MacMurray College, Jacksonville Ill., (1972). Fine Arts, Tufts University, Medford, Mass., (1987), Chicago State University, Ill., (1993), Spelman College, Atlanta, Ga., (1990). Doctor of Fine Arts from Westfield State College, Westfield, Mass., (1979), Brown University, Providence, R.I., (1979), Dartmouth College, Hanover, N.H., (1979). Washington University, St. Louis, Mo., (1981), Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville, (1983). Doctorates of Fine Arts: Howard University, Washington, D.C., (1984), Buffalo State College, Buffalo, N.Y., (1987). And University of Southern California, Los Angeles, (1995). Doctor of Literature: Atlanta University, Atlanta, Ga., (1977). And Doctor of Laws from the Lincoln University, Lincoln, Pa., (1984).

Oedipus complex.

The Oedipus complex is the tripartite theory, of a universal phenomenon, developed by Freud suggesting emergence of the unconscious (not to be confused with the ‘subconscious’) feelings and thoughts, during the three psychosexual phases. These stages include the oral, anal, and phallic developments during the first five years of human life. The libidinal focus is on the parent of the opposite sex, and the same gender parent is perceived, perhaps with hostility; as a rival. With male children, this syndrome is called ‘Oedipus complex’, and female children ‘Electra complex’. The Oedipal syndrome is based, by Freud, upon the legendary King in Sophocles’ great dramatic masterpiece: ‘Oidipous the King’. The apparent universality of the ‘Oedipus complex’ is evident in Iocasta’s dialogue with Oedipus:

Tí th’ än fovît ãnthropos, õ tà tís tíhis krata, prónia th’ éstìn oodinòs safís; ikë krátiston zín, öpos thínaitó tis, sì th’ is tà mìtròs mí fóvoo nimfévmata polloì yàr idi kàn òneírasin vrotón mitrì zinevnásthesan. állà tafth ótó par oothén ésti, râsta tòn víon féri.

[The above is only an approximation, of the original Greek text, in Sir Richard Jebb’s book: ‘The Oedipus Tyrannus of Sophocles’, The Syndics of The Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. 1958. p. 106. ll. 977-83. – Mistakes in transliteration – Greek to English Alphabet – are mine [Fr.M]].

“And as for this marriage with your mother – have no fear. Many a man before you, in his dreams, has shared his mother’s bed”.

[ Robert  Fagles  (transl.),  Sophocles The Three Theban Plays,

Penguin Books, New York   U.S.A.   1982.    p. 215,   ll.1073-75 ].

The term ‘Oedipus complex’ is now preferred to describe this syndrome for both genders.

Oklahoma (U.S.) Bombing 19 April 1995.

Two former U.S. Army soldiers carried out a terrorist attack (using a massive homemade explosive device) on the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma in the United States. They carried out this attack six years prior to the terrorist attack on Manhattan New York, 11 September 2001. This attack caused the loss of 168 lives including nineteen children and eight federal law enforcement officers. Those Charged were Timothy McVeigh, who was convicted, on 11 counts of ‘murder’, ‘conspiracy’, and ‘using a weapon of mass destruction’ (2 June 1997). And Terry Nichols, convicted, of ‘conspiracy’ and eight counts of ‘involuntary manslaughter’ (9 August 2004). McVeigh was executed on 11 June 2001, and Nichols was sentenced to life in prison.

World War I (1914–18).

World War I, also called the Great War, involved the majority of the nations of Central Europe. Including south-central Europe, north-central Europe, west-northern Europe, Western Europe, East Asia, East Europe and North Asia, the Western Hemisphere, and the Middle East. Namely Hungary, Austria, Italy, Germany, United Kingdom (U.K.), France, Japan, Russia, the U.S., and Turkey; respectively. The Central Powers, for the most part, included: Germany, Austria, Hungary, and Turkey, who were in hostile engagement with the Allies. Namely, France, U.K., Russia, Italy, Japan, and from 1917, the U.S.

Anthrax.

Anthrax (a malignant pustule) is a disease caused by the bacterium ‘Bacillus anthracis’. This disease effects humans in two ways either through the subcutaneous tissue. Or the inhalation, of the spores of the bacterium, into the pulmonary system. And if not treated early [perhaps with ‘Penicillin G’, or ‘Tetracycline’], it could be fatal. Anthrax can also affect animals (e.g., horses, pigs, sheep, goats, etc.). Anthrax was developed as a biological weapon by the U.S., U.K., and Canada (1941), following the weapon programmes developed by the Japanese military particularly during World War II.

Botulism.

Botulism (‘Clostridium botulinum’) is a pathogenic bacterium that produces an endotoxin in the digestive tract. This toxin has, on rare occasions, be known to enter the body through wounds. Two-thirds q.l., of cases, are fatal.

Fr. Maximiadis.

~ Finis ~