In Memory of Aristotle Delimbasis

 In Memory of Aristotle Delimbasis

By Theodoros Sar. Theodoropoulos, Lawyer Before the Supreme Court

 

A. On the 7th of June 2007, according to the civil calendar, the renowned figure known throughout Greece and beyond our national borders, the eminent Orthodox theologian Aristotle Delimbasis, peacefully passed away [at the age of 81]. He was recognized as a leading figure among contemporary Orthodox theologians.

Born into a prominent family from the heroic and holy land of Roumeli, after completing his illustrious studies at the Theological School of the University of Athens, he dedicated himself wholeheartedly to the public education of Greek children, where he excelled as a professor of religious, Greek, and history courses, in many secondary schools of our country.

Aristotle Delimbasis, as a well-prepared and impeccable educator, left his mark on public education, nurturing hundreds of outstanding students who, through their presence and activities, adorn and support the Greek society today.

Unfortunately, Aristotle Delimbasis resigned prematurely from his educational role, being nearly in the middle of his career, due to his vehement disagreement with the destructive 'educational reform' and the subsequent active confrontation with its proponents.

B. The blessed Aristotle Delimbasis is undoubtedly the greatest among the Orthodox theologians of our era.

The high academic level of the illustrious theologian is faithfully reflected in many of his writings, these being only some examples which he left behind:

1. Pascha of the Lord—Creation, Renewal, and Apostasy.

2. The Heresy of Ecumenism.

3. The Era of Antichrist.

4. The Language of Orthodoxy.

5. The Heresy of Marxism.

6. The Struggle for Orthodoxy.

7. Sing with Understanding.

8. The Unjust War.

9. The Heresy of Monophysitism.

Furthermore, besides these significant works, the illustrious Aristotle Delimbasis authored a plethora of other anti-heretical studies, widely circulated as standalone pamphlets or in leaflets, as the occasion demanded.

Parallel to his aforementioned writing activities, the late Aristotle Delimbasis published for a long series of decades the periodicals “Good Confession” and “Voice of the Fathers” which served as bright beacons in the anti-ecumenical struggle.

C. All the written works of Aristotle Delimbasis stand out, among other reasons, due to their high scientific value, the absolute patristic foundation of their content, the Doric precision of the presented material, the remarkable formulation of these works in the Greek language (which the emigrated author possessed to the fullest extent and mastered to perfection), as well as their user-friendly and comprehensible nature, thanks to the incorporation of detailed indexes.

A characteristic of the high quality of Aristotle Delimbasis's works is the aforementioned “Pascha of the Lord,” published in Athens in 1985, extending to a thousand pages and featuring a remarkable 7,059 citations, both from the Church Fathers and outside authors. Through these citations, all the contents of this renowned volume are thoroughly substantiated.

As expected, the scholarly presence of Aristotle Delimbasis particularly bothered and provoked panic among his ostensibly and solely pseudonymous “Orthodox theologian” colleagues, who, on the surface, were aligned with him. These individuals had ventured deep into the waters of the Ecumenism heresy, unabashedly advancing Uniatism and the Protestantization of the Greek people while failing to confront the situation honestly and openly. They promptly attempted to relegate him to a “state of oblivion,” primarily through their vehement efforts to restrict the circulation of his writings.

D. The unforgettable Aristotle Delimbasis was not only a great scholar but also an exemplar of character and generosity. He stood unwaveringly upright and resolute on the frontlines of the struggles for Orthodoxy and the Nation. He remained steadfast and uncompromising in his beliefs, entirely uninterested in personal gain or riches, unconsciously disregarding material goods and ephemeral pleasures of the worldly society. He was good, gentle, noble, and without malice, indifferent to worldly glory and its transient attachments. He always stood by the persecuted Orthodox, without expecting any kind of compensation for his arduous service, no matter what form it might take.

E. The author of these lines, composed in memory of the blessed Aristotle Delimbasis, had the fortune of meeting him nearly twenty years ago (since then forming a close and unwavering friendship). This acquaintance arose in the wake of the dark forces that operated during this twenty-year period, targeting the genuine Orthodox Christians. These persecutions left a mark on our nation's legal culture.

The notorious persecutions themselves, as is well known, constituted the final stage of the 'open confrontation' between genuine Orthodox Christians and the unrelenting persecutors, both within and outside the courts of law.

The lamentable persecutors of genuine Orthodox Christians and their shameless followers of every kind, both the visible ones and those moving in the shadows, relentlessly pursued, throughout this twenty-year period, the extermination of the irrepressible Orthodox Church of Greece and its worthy religious leaders.

Having had the honor to defend, as a lawyer, during this last twenty-year period of persecutions, nearly all the persecuted genuine Orthodox Christians, both in the courts across Greece and outside of them, I must declare openly that the victorious outcome of the harsh legal and other battles faced by these persecuted genuine Orthodox Christians is owed, in many ways, to the illustrious Aristotle Delimbasis. Through his wise legal opinions on critical legal issues and his presence in the courtrooms, serving as the defender of the persecuted individuals, he provided solid and highly significant support in handling the respective cases effectively.

Beyond this contribution, Aristotle Delimbasis provided immense legal and effective assistance to the long-suffering Patriarchate of Jerusalem during the patriarchate of the late Diodoros. This assistance was crucial for both the Patriarchate itself and the person of the Patriarch, as they faced immediate threats from both visible adversaries and covert underminers.

MEMORY ETERNAL to Aristotle Delimbasis!