Conference in Crete on Suicide

Conference in Crete on Suicide

Conference in Crete on Suicide
February 7, 2014

Video:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whVPuWh43TI  

On Friday, February 7, 2014  the Orthodox Academy of Crete, in collaboration with the Network of the Ecumenical Patriarchate for Pastoral Health Care, organized a Conference on suicide. The Conference was attended by His Eminence Archbishop of Crete Irineos, Their Eminence Metropolitans of Lambis Sivritos and Sfakia Irineos, Cydonia & Apokoronas Damascene, as well as, Metropolitan  Amfilohios  of Kissamos. Additionally, more than one hundred and thirty clergy from the Archdiocese of Crete and all the Holy Metropolises of the island participated.

Specialists analyzed the serious and sensitive phenomenon of suicide, which is of particular concern to the Church of Crete, as our Island, according to statistics, comes first in suicidal incidents across Greece. The meeting began with a prayer by His Eminence Archbishop of Crete Irineos, followed by a welcome speech by our Bishop, followed by Dr. Constantine Zorbas, Director General of OAC and Chairman of the Board of the Academy, and the Most Reverend Protopresbyter Fr. Stavros Kofinas Network Coordinator of the Ecumenical Patriarchate for Pastoral Ministry in the field of Health. The rest of the lectures were as follows:

  • “Epidemiological investigation of suicide in Crete,” by Despina Nathena forensic scientist of the General Hospital of Heraklion, Laboratory of Forensic Science.
  • “The Existential Impasse: Approaching the fact of suicide psycho dynamically” by  Protopresbyter Stavros Kofinas
  • “Suicide and Psychopathology: The effects of a neglected correlation,” by Protopresbyter Adamantios Avgoustidis, Associate Professor of the University of Athens and General Director of the General Administration of Pastoral Care of Culture and Communication of the Archdiocese of Athens, Psychiatrist
  • “Facing Suicide in the family,” by Athena Maroudas - Chatzoulis, Assistant Professor of Psychology of the Department of Communication and Media Studies of the University of Athens.

Each presentation was followed by a discussion on the topic. The meeting was concluded with a prayer and the greetings of His Eminence Archbishop of Crete Irineos, who expressed his joy for this gathering of clergy from all over the island, as well as his wish that the Orthodox Academy of Crete create similar opportunities for joint reflection and communication for the clergy of the island.