On May 11th in 330 AD, Saint Constantine the Great inaugurated New Rome – the “Queen of Cities” – which, after about a century, was established with the name Constantinople (City of Constantine).
It had thus turned a page in world history, by inaugurating – not just a city (or The City) – but an entire world, a civilization spanning Time, from late Antiquity to the beginning of Modernity. This civilization united peoples, developed Science to a pioneering degree for its time; it brought the Arts to their apogee, it highlighted the value of Man through the Orthodox Christian teaching about the potential of union with God by Grace, even of the poorest, the despised, but also the most sinful (through repentance of course). It also repelled waves of barbarian invaders and, even after its fall under the Ottoman scimitar, it gave us – its children – the spiritual resources to remain free and to even achieve greatness.
This State was mistakenly called “Byzantium” and its culture “Byzantine”. Consistent with our history and identity, we call it by its true name, “Romania”; the sum of peoples that constitute it as “Romeosyne” and our culture as “Romeiko”.
However on the 11th of May, the Church also honors the memory of two of the most significant personalities of European History. They are Saints Cyril and Methodius, the two brothers from Thessaloniki, who had conveyed the message of Christ to the Slavic nations in the 9th century AD, while simultaneously sowing the seed of civilization with the new (“Cyrillic”) alphabet that they had composed for them. These Saints did not attempt to Hellenize the Slavic nations (they did not exercise cultural imperialism), but made sure to help them create their own culture, with its own physiognomy and peculiarity. That is why our Orthodox Slavic brothers always recognize the contribution of those Saints, and are grateful to them and honor them.
Romeosyne embraces all the Orthodox Christian nations of the Balkans and of Central and Eastern Europe, as well as the millions of “Rum Ortodox” (Orthodox Romans) who are groaning under the sword of jihadism even in our day, in countries of the Middle East.
Romeosyne embraces the Orthodox Christians of Egypt (Patriarchate of Alexandria and All Africa), but its roots also extend into Europe’s past: before the Middle Ages with its tragedies and aberrations, before Colonialism, before the dark veil that shrouded the European West in ancient times and distancing it from itself – and to a large extent is still shrouding it today.
The people of our time are seeking their identity, their roots and the wisdom of their ancestors, aspiring to utilize them in the present day to heal their wounds, correct their mistakes and shed light on their lives, the lives of their children and the lives of those around them. Our own identity: our roots, the wisdom of our ancestors, which was never lost and continues to unite us with the entire world (with all peoples, because they are all children of God and “brothers of Christ”), with God’s Creation, with ourselves and with God, is Romeosyne.
It is a culture of Love, but is also of Bravery, of Kindness, and of Justice. And it is what leads us, like a Lighthouse, from the deepest Past, through to our Present and the Future.
Democratic Patriotic Popular Movement NIKI
Romeosyne Policy Department
