P. 4 - Understanding brings individuals and nations together, reveals the workings of nature, and assists us to come nearer to God and to attain universal peace and harmony. As long as there is understanding, there can be no quarrels, no antagonism, no war in community, city, nation, or universe. Understanding comes from the sincere desire for knowledge, and knowledge, which a noted person said is the "breath of gods," is the result of man's ability to think. It is the germ of man's conscious evolution.

The Star, a Greek newspaper in Chicago, is always striving, as a guardian of Greeks and of the reputation of Greeks, to promote understanding, which will render the relationship between Greece and America mutually beneficial to these countries. Greeks and Americans and others in order to get along together must have an appreciative understanding of one another. Habits, 2traditions, and superstitious beliefs must be taken into consideration in order to acquire mutual understanding. A universal standard does not exist; therefore the psychology of the old proverb, "When in Rome, do as the Romans do," is always applicable, useful, and safe.

Greek ecclesiastical traditions require Greek Orthodox priests to attire themselves in long, wide black robes and a head-gear which is really very odd and of no especial significance. Such religious frocks and apparel may be proper and useful in countries where they originated, and where people are used to them, but here in America they are out of place. And not only urchins and hoodlums are curious and ready to ridicule such apparel but others also who are not familiar with these ecclesiastical robes.

Many unpleasant incidents have taken place when our priests have been seen on the streets. Boys will be boys the world over, and curious things attract the attention not only of boys but of many grown-ups as well, in 3America and everywhere. Our clergy have been ridiculed, insulted, stoned, and outrageously humiliated by groups of boys who, lacking understanding, have thought that it was fun to treat the curious-looking foreign priests as objects of merriment, curiosity, and mockery.

Our priests, because of their broad-mindedness, the result of their ecclesiastical training, have graciously smiled and taken it on the chin, saying,

"The boys are not to blame. Let them get it out of their systems."

But narrow-minded and hot-headed Greeks have resented it very much, calling it "uncivilized, irreligious, and unjust." and adding that it is very unbecoming to the authorities to tolerate things of that kind.

The Star has again and again suggested that the remedy lies with our Church; that the Church alone can stop these unpleasant occurrences and remove these 4misunderstandings with the people of our adopted country. Undoubtedly the hot-headed Greeks who have raised an appalling storm of criticism against the Star for suggesting a change in our priests' apparel can submit valid arguments against the plan suggested, but Mother Church knows better, and their appeals and petitions to the Holy Synod not to change the priests' vesture will be of no avail. The Church has already taken the matter under serious consideration, and the time is not far off when our priests, being in Rome, will attire themselves as the Romans do. Right and wrong, good and evil, are just degrees of understanding. When we all possess an appreciable degree of understanding, then we shall be able to realize that Greek priests and priests of other faiths may wear the same frock so far as Christianity is concerned.

As to our critics, they have every right to adhere to our traditions as long as our traditions do not jeopardize our compatriots nor affect the welfare and the progress of our communities in Chicago and elsewhere. Let us be sensible and endeavor to understand our neighbors as we expect our 5neighbors to understand us.

And in order to appease those hot-headed, old-fashioned Greeks who are supposedly true to all traditions, I am compelled to quote the statement of a mayor of Chicago, made when a Greek bishop, as representative of the Church and State of Greece, visited the Columbian Exposition and became the center of attraction and an object of curiosity and ridicule. In fact, a bodyguard was required for his personal safety. The Greek hierarch, tall, hand-some, dignified, with his long beard, attired in complete ecclesiastical accoutrements, of the significance of which the majority of the people have no understanding, was surrounded and followed by jeering crowds whenever he dared to walk the streets of our city. The learned and well-trained servant of the Greek Church, who had anticipated such treatment, since he was aware of the ignorance and the curiosity of the masses, refused to sanction a petition of complaint to the municipal authorities, advocated by hot-headed Greeks.

"The people are right," said the prelate. "My apparel is wrong, and no complaint shall be made."

But some narrow-minded persons among his fellow-Greeks, who resented the ridicule and the humiliation, went to the mayor with their complaints. The mayor said,

"Our American people are peaceable and never would have annoyed your bishop if he had complied with the habits and the customs of our country and had attired himself accordingly."

And that is tantamount to saying, "When in Rome, do as the Romans do."