[ The Third Millennium was welcomed in numerous different ways. M.W.Bro Savas P. Vafiadis , Grand Master, Grand Lodge of Greece between 1995 to 2001, while welcoming the new millennium has indicated the duties of Freemasons. His lofty ideas can provide guidance to all of us. We are posting his message as his guidance will be relevant even now. Please read on …]

Welcoming  The Third Millennium.

 Mankind has just entered the 21st century and passed to the 3rd millennium A.D. As it is well known our ancestors, systematically researched Nature, since more than 2.500 years. Moreover, the ancient Greek philosophers pioneered in trying to find answers to the eternal question of our existence. Thus social, physical and exact sciences processed by leaps and bounds, resulting into the recent immense development of sciences and technology. The most impressive advance was undoubtedly made in the last five hundred years in Europe and North America, mainly during the 20th century, which is now waning. Social and economic laws have been established to make people's lives more balanced and safe. Biology and medicine achieved an average increase of life expectancy by twenty years. Engineering and mechanical progress have made our everyday life more pleasant and comfortable; they also facilitated immensely all kinds of transport and accordingly, promoted largely the communications, giving the opportunity to human beings to strengthen their relations among them.

 However, the question is, can we be content and satisfied with all these high attainments and further more can we feel confident about the future, considering the present social, moral and natural situation in our globe?

The answer is that everything depends on all of us and on each man separately, namely on our education, our culture and our willingness, to take an active part in everything that occurs, every day, around us. It also depends on our perception about the mankind as a fraternal unity, without selfishness, prejudice and superstitions; and, what is also very important, it depends on our perception of Nature as a superb and sensitive dwelling, which demands our strong, perpetual and sincere interest and respect.

 Nevertheless, we all know that the right of the stronger is unfortunately still valid, that an illicit competition among great financial centers is in progress - to the expense of the weaker -, the only aim of those centers being the accumulation of wealth and power by any means.

 Finally, we bear witness to a daily violation of Nature to the environment and to the microcosm, to the benefit of some selfish groups who act unilaterally and without consideration. On the other hand there are millions of men, women and children who live in misery, poverty and continuous peril.

As Freemasons we must not be pessimistic. We also must not be indifferent to the injustice and violence caused by despotism. On the contrary, we must be sensitive to the misfortunes and to the adversities of mankind. Our solemn promises oblige us to be alert, to work peacefully, to enlighten people, to extend our fraternal bonds to all honest fellow-men and to assist them to their needs.

We, Freemasons, by our own example, can and must influence favorably and honestly our relatives, friends, colleagues, acquaintances, even the persons that cause humanity trouble for their own benefit. We should also help, assist and support mentally or materially, according to our possibilities, all unfortunate people who are in need. We can and should, finally, inform and convince anybody responsible of the severe danger we all risk by the thoughtless intervention to Nature.

So, welcoming with optimism, confidence and realism the entrance of the first year of a new century and the beginning of the 3rd Millennium, I cordially wish all people health, effectiveness and prosperity. I, also, ask Freemasons to join all together in a world-wide union chain and sincerely vow to contribute steadily and actively to the moral, physical and intellectual progress of the human Society, never forgetting to protect and preserve our natural environment, which constitutes a small but magnificent part of the divine and immense Universe.