Hawzah News Agency  – Archbishop of Athens and All Greece, sent a response message to Ayatollah Arafi, respectfully, mentioning the mutual point of understanding between Orthodox Christians and Shia Muslims:

Ayatollah Alireza Arafi President of Islamic Seminaries in Iran

Dear Dr. Arafi,

Thank you for your festal letter on the Nativity of Christ, being as kind as to mention the tolerance Christians showed to the first Muslim community when the Ummah was in danger of extinction.

I trust Christians, on the whole, still hold the same attitude towards the Muslim community, to quote the Gospel 'so whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets' (Mathew 7:12).

Furthermore, the life and attitude of Ali ibn Abu Talib, his sons Hassan and Hussein, and the Shia teaching, in general, seem to come closer to that golden rule than any other Muslim approach. This is why we anticipate that your willingness for joint activities in order to achieve religious solutions to mitigate global crises such as wars, environmental problems, disrespect, and hatred spread against the sanctities of religions can be fulfilled for us, Orthodox Christians and Shia Muslims, set out from a mutual point of understanding.

| ask you to accept my condolences for the assassination of General Qasem Suleimani and look forward to a more luminous 2021.

Yours, in the Lord,

Archbishop of Athens and All Greece