Category: faith

The Orthodox Church of Greece has expressed condemnation of the government’s plans to recognize same sex marriage and the right of gay couples to adopt children. This is the right call as the Orthodox Church cannot accept social policies that conflict with the Christian teaching on marriage and the family. However, there is still a noticeable difference of opinion between the Church of Greece and the distorted and heretical views of Archbishop Elpidophoros of America. Recall the baptisms of two children in Greece by the American Archbishop whose parents were a gay couple in 2022.

Archbishop Elpidophoros misled the Metropolitan of Glyfada when he failed to inform him that “parents” of the children were both men. The Archbishop left behind much anger in Greece and has remained unrepentant over his actions. The bishops of Greece who are rightfully standing in opposition to the anti Christian agenda of the Mitsotakis government really need to also direct their words at Archbishop Elpidophoros and the Ecumenical Patriarch.

In addition, while the bishops of Greece are doing the right thing in the area of social morality, they can do the right thing in the area of religious freedom. This means they should condemn the persecution of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. They should also cease communion with the fake “church” and restore communion with the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church and the Russian Church.

The Turkish newspaper “Aydinlink” has expressed criticism that the Ecumenical Patruarchate includes the term “ecumenical” in its title. This is indicative of the fact that Turkey remains hostile to the Patriarchate. America in the end will do nothing for the Patriarchate.

Just as America did nothing after the anti Greek pogroms of September 1955 and the subsequent ethnic cleansing of Greeks from Constantinople.The Ecumenical Patriarchate made a disastrous decision to cooperate with the US against the Russians by interceding in Ukraine, the canonical territory of the Russian Church. The Russians will be unlikely to help the Patriarchate considering the Ecumenical Patriarch’s Russophobia. The Patriarchate has split Orthodoxy and compromised itself when its future is far from secure.

Former Ukrainian President Poroshenko recently praised the “tomos” that the fake “church” in Ukraine received in 2018 from Patriarch Bartholomew. Does Patriarch Bartholomew think the Nazi political elite in Ukraine will help the Patriarchate from the hostile Turks? Both the Ukrainian and American governments will leave the Patriarchate to its fate when the anti Russian hysteria fades away when the war ends.

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Greek City Times reports on the risk that the dome of Hagia Sophia could collapse in the event of an earthquake. It is asserted that pieces from the ceiling are falling because of the humidity caused by too many visitors. This is an indictment of the appalling mistreatment of the Great Church by the Erdogan government.

It will be a loss for the world if Hagia Sophia is destroyed. It will be a bigger loss to Orthodox Christians and Greeks specifically if the damage to Hagia Sophia continues unabated. There is still time for UNESCO and the academic community to raise their voices.

The fight for Hagia Sophia did not end when the conversion took place during the summer of 2020. While there has been serious damage to the Church-Museum, Hagia Sophia still exists and remains worth fighting for. The academic community remained silent in the run up to the conversion of Hagia Sophia. The historians and scholars of Byzantium can speak up now.

The Greek government reportedly is concerned about Archbishop Elpidophoros of America and divisions in the Greek American community. There are several factors to consider. The major interest of Greece was the participation of Archbishop Elpidophoros at the Turkish cultural center two years ago when the guests included the leader of the Turkish occupation of Cyprus.

Archbishop Elpidophoros should be removed for a variety of offenses. These include his participation in the aforementioned Turkish event but mostly for ecclesiastical and theological offenses. The Archbishop gained notoriety ten years ago when he suggested the Ecumenical Patriarch was “first without equals” in Orthodoxy with universal jurisdiction. This became more problematic after Patriarch Bartholomew claimed Ukraine as his own territory with the right to create an autocephalous Church.

In addition, the Archbishop held a liturgy at an Episcopal Cathedral which would be problematic even without that denominations embrace of Neo pagan LGBT ideology. The removal of the Archbishop would be a good start but Greece and Greeks cannot ignore the problem of Patriarch Bartholomew.

It was Patriarch Bartholomew who selected the present Archbishop. Patriarch Bartholomew divided Orthodoxy through his actions in Ukraine and specifically created divisions on Mount Athos and within the Greek speaking Churches of Greece and Cyprus.

Athens should be concerned about American involvement in the affairs of the Churches of Constantinople and Greece. Athens should intercede to drive out State Department involvement in Greek Church and diplomatic affairs. In any case, changing the Archbishop of the Greek Archdiocese of America is a good place to begin cleaning up Greek Church affairs.

Previously, the FBI announced that it would monitor Roman Catholic Churches that observed the Latin rite. The insane justification for this is that traditionalist Roman Catholics were involved with white supremacy! Never mind that historically white supremacists such as the Ku Klux Klan (the real ones) were notoriously anti Catholic.

The latest target for the FBI is the Russian Orthodox Church. The false assertion has been made that the Russian government is trying to infiltrate Russian Churches in America. This is both an attack on religious freedom and a disturbing assault on Russians living in America.

The degree of malice and stupidity that follows in the trail of the Russo-Ukrainian war gets worse in time. At this rate, anyone not going along with the anti Russian hysteria or anyone demonstrating concern about the eruption of a third world war is going to be labeled a Putin stooge. This anti intellectual madness is being further spread by CNN and other American propaganda outlets.

Greeks and other Orthodox Christians in America should not be complacent. An attack on one Orthodox Church is an attack on all. The FBI’s targeting of any religious institution should be condemned. The Biden administration is becoming dangerously authoritarian.

Alexander Belya is a defrocked priest of the Russian Orthodox Church. His precise offenses remain unclear but the fact remains that he is no longer a priest as a result of being laicized by the synod of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia. Patriarch Bartholomew early on moved to consecrate him a bishop in the Patriarchate’s Slavic vicariate.

Last year, the Orthodox bishops who are part of the episcopal assembly protested the decision of the Patriarch and Archbishop Elpidophoros to receive and elevate the former priest. The decision was reversed in order to preserve the Episcopal Assembly which unifies Orthodoxy in America. Now, the Archbishop is insisting on elevating Mr. Belya again.

The bishops of the Episcopal Assembly have threatened to withdraw which would leave only Constantinople’s bishops as members. The Russians withdrew from the assembly after Patriarch Bartholomew started the Ukrainian crisis five years ago. Now, Orthodox unity could take an even bigger hit because of the arrogance and insatiable hunger for power by both Patriarch and Archbishop.

Both Patriarch Bartholomew and Archbishop Elpidophoros need to be deposed.

Patriarch Theodore of Alexandria has written a letter of protest to Patriarch Porphyrios of Serbia. The Serbian Patriarch has publicly condemned the ongoing persecution of Metropolitan Pavel, Abot of the Kiev Caves Lavra. The Patriarch of Alexandria says that the Serbian Patriarch should condemn the Russian Church’s entry into Africa.

Patriarch Theodore of Alexandria is a hypocrite and he symbolizes the genuine hypocrisy of all those who recognized the fake Church in Ukraine. This Patriarch originally supported the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church when the schism began in 2018. One year later, without explanation Alexandria entered into communion with the fake “church” in Ukraine.

One hundred and two African priests protested the Patriarch’s decision and they were pretty much told to shut up. As a result, these priests asked to be received into the Russian Church in order to remain fully canonical. The Russian Church originally said no while hoping Alexandria would reverse its decision.

After a year when Alexandria failed to change course, the Russians received the African priests and entered Africa. For this, Patriarch Theodore has himself and Patriarch Bartholomew to blame. The Serbian Patriarch has condemned the violent persecution of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

Patriarch Theodore claims his Patriarchate is suffering from the Russian presence in Africa. This is a self serving and hypocritical Patriarch. The Ukrainian Church is enduring violent persecution and legal prosecutions.

Nobody is interfering with the Patriarchate of Alexandria and there is no persecution against this Patriarchate. Patriarch Theodore needs to be deposed as he is responsible for the ecclesiastical chaos in Africa. The Russian Church had severed communion with Alexandria which is why they entered Africa.

If the Churches of Alexandria and Moscow were in full communion, the Russian Church would never have set foot in Africa. Patriarch Theodore caused the cessation of communion between the Churches when he entered into communion with the fake entity in Ukraine.

Alexandria is paying the price for this fateful decision and for becoming an accessory to the violent persecution of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

Earlier this year, a Russian Orthodox player for the Philadelphia Flyers was widely condemned by ESPN and various pro LGBT groups for refusing to wear the rainbow on his uniform. In the past, various Evangelical and other Christians in professional sports have refused to display the rainbow. The first commandment teaches us to have no gods except the true God who for Christians is the holy Trinity.

We are commanded to reject idols or to make offerings to pagan gods. Church history is full of martyrs and saints who confessed their faith in Christ at the expense of their lives. The rainbow has now become an idol where Christians are being told to wear it, even if it conflicts with their faith. This is not only a violation of religious freedom, but a violation of the right to freedom of conscience.

Much is happening as the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese is preparing to serve a liturgy in an Episcipal Cathedral on June 10. The Episcopalians were woke long before there was any such thing as woke. Gay marriage and transgenderism were embraced by this sect decades ago. The Episcopalians have not been Christians for a long time.

Yet, Archbishop Elpidophoros will serve the liturgy in an Episcopalian Cathedral which are full of rainbow flags, oblivious to the growing Anti Christian hatred being espoused by the LGBT movement. It should be stated that the Archbishop and the Patriarch have refused to condemn the persecution of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. But the Archbishop will serve liturgy in a “church” that is in effect a pagan temple.

Meanwhile, the LA Dodgers have embraced an infamous group of drag queens that openly desecrate the cross and have profaned Christ and the Mother of God in unspeakable ways. They will honor them on June 16. The political establishment in California has embraced this notorious group. No one on the political left had condemned the anti Catholic group or the blasphemous activities it engages in.

This says everything about the Archbishop and the pathetic state of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese. Those who serve at the Atchdiocese in New York are out of touch with reality and with their own faithful. No wonder the faithful are leaving. The Archdiocese is complicit in scandal after scandal and is completely indifferent to the moral crisis in the country and society in which they live.

The LGBT movement has established an influence over the schools, the medical profession, and many politicians including the President. Teenage girls have been persuaded they are “trans”. They have gotten mastectomies and others have has hysterectomies. This is known because conservative media such as National Review and others such as journalist Abigail Shrier have reported on the horrific crimes being perpetrated against children.

What does Christ tell us to do?Are Christians to join the new pagans as the Archbishop seems to be doing? The LGBT movement is gaining strength and its hostility to ALL Christians is unmistakable. Tragically, the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese is morally and spiritually bankrupt at a time when the Church must raise its voice.

Today, the Roman Catholics and the Evangelicals. Does anyone think Orthodox Christians won’t come under similar attack? In 1965, Archbishop Iakovos stuck his neck out and went to Alabama to March with Martin Luther King. Contrast the two Archbishops.

This blogger had no desire to get involved in the cultural wars. But considering the rising hostility to the Christian faith and the grooming and mutilation of children, protests must be made.

Unfortunately, the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese will not lead. Archbishop Elpidophoros must be deposed. That is a necessary first step in preparing for the tough challenges ahead.