Category: faith

The Russian Orthodox Church has received one hundred and two African priests into its omophorion. Hitherto, Africa has been recognized as belonging under the authority of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria. The Russian Church has now established its own exarchate in Africa which is bound to create confusion and chaos.

Sometime in 2019, the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria entered into communion with the fake church in Ukraine that calls itself “Orthodox Church of Ukraine”(OCU). Until 2018, the whole of Orthodoxy recognized the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) as the legitimate and canonical Orthodox Church. The UOC is an autonomous and self governing part of the Russian Orthodox Church.

The problems were begun by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew when he intervened in Ukraine and brought together two groups of unordained and unconsecrated clergy pretending to be Orthodox bishops and priests. These two groups merged in December 2018 at a fake council under the auspices of the Ecumenical Patriarch and became what is now the OCU. A group led by a defrocked charlatan split from the OCU but that is another story.

Af first Patriarch Theodore of Alexandria supported the canonical Church of Ukraine (UOC). He urged the faithful of the canonical Church to remain within it and to remain loyal to the canonical bishops. After about a year, Patriarch Theodore reversed his stance and immediately entered into communion with the fake bishops of the OCU.

Some time ago, Orthodox priests in Africa asked the Russian Church to accept them as they were opposed to the uncanonical actions of Patriarch Theodore. The Russian Church initially hesitated fearing that the schism with Alexandria might be aggravated. Last summer, Patriarch Theodore concelebrated the liturgy with the leader of the OCU and this appears to have been the catalyst for Moscow’s decision to receive the African priests.

In September, the Russian Orthodox Church decided to establish an exarchate in Africa. Moscow has now proceeded to receive the African priests. Patriarch Theodore has lamented this decision of Moscow.

Patriarch Theodore should not be playing the victim. He knows full well why Moscow has established an exarchate in Africa. As mentioned above, Patriarch Theodore himself was once a supporter of the canonical Church in Ukraine. He cannot possibly be ignorant as to why Moscow is now in Africa. He is also not ignorant of the fact that he is in the wrong for establishing communion with the fake bishops of the OCU.

Patriarch Theodore of Alexandria can defuse the Church crisis as it pertains to Africa. He can and should publicly repent for establishing communion with the OCU. He should sever communion with the OCU and formally apologize to Patriarch Kyril of Moscow and Metropolitan Onuphry of Kiev (the legitimate bishop of Ukraine).

If Patriarch Theodore were to reverse his decision on Ukraine it would not only defuse the crisis between Alexandria and Moscow it would set a precedent for the Church of Greece to reverse its own horrendous error in recognizing the schismatic OCU.

Stelios Kouloglu is a Greek member of Parliament representing the leftist Syriza Party. He has unwisely intruded into the controversy between Scientist Elias Mosialos and the Greek Orthodox Church. Mosialos provoked and offended Orthodox Greeks with a post on Facebook which ridiculed the Virgin Mary. Rather than apologize and bring the matter to a close, Mosialos responded with a bizarre statement indicating he does not understand Christianity or why Christians were offended.

That he is ignorant of Christian beliefs and is likely not a member of the Church is not for us to judge. This is his own business. The problem is his manner and arrogance. A well educated Scientist should have more important things to do than posting offensive and blasphemous pictures insulting the most Holy Theotokos.

Now we have the above mentioned Kouloglu comparing Orthodox Greeks with Al Quada and ISIS. The Syriza member of Parliament compared Greeks who are angry with Mosialos with the terrorists who perpetrated terrorist acts against French cartoonists of the Charlie Hebdo magazine in 2015. This is the typical stupidity of a representative of the contemporary left.

The left is trying to turn a buffoon like Mosialos into a victim and martyr. Do Christians not have the right to protest and be angry? Apparently, expressing anger is for Kouloglu no different than perpetrating terrorist acts. In this regard, it is clear that the Greek left is taking its talking points from radical leftists-secularists in America and Europe.

We are seeing the anti Christian hatred in America and Europe being imported to Greece. This demonstrates Syriza (like Pasok) is not a Greek political party but an internationalist one. It is true that their have been calls to fire Mosialos.

A resolution to this matter is simple. Mosialos should apologize. The Church should accept his apology and urge forgiveness. This is the Orthodox way. Mosialos should understand he is a Scientist and not a commentator. His job is not to express opinions on matters outside his chosen field.

He should retreat to his profession. He should also learn about the art of diplomacy. The bishops of Greece have other pressing matters to attend to and should avoid being provoked. As for Syriza, Orthodox Greeks should remember what Mr. Kouloglu thinks of them next time there is an election.

Thoughts and prayers to Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew who has covid. May the Patriarch be in the best of health. It has not been easy criticizing him over Ukraine but as an Orthodox Christian that is part of Constantinople’s flock it has been truly distressing to see a schism forming in Orthodoxy.

Best wishes to the Patriarch. May the Patriarch be stronger and may he reverse course on Ukraine and reconcile with his brother bishops in Russia and Ukraine.

Christ is born! Glorify him!. We have much to be thankful for this Christmas. The year 2021 was a major improvement over the horror of 2020. Yes, covid is still with us and the new variant called omicron is surging around the world.

But we are in a much better place than we were last Christmas. There have been no lockdowns and people are celebrating with family and friends once again. Most importantly, religious services are being held.

It remains to be seen what the next year will bring but some news reports indicate that the pandemic will become an endemic. Covid will be permanent but will be like the flu and people will live normal lives again. We can thank God for providing us with Doctors and Nurses who have worked hard to help the sick.

We can thank God that the past year brought us much greater freedom than we had last year. Let us pray to Christ our God, vanquisher of death that this pandemic will be eradicated with his divine birth. Orthodox Christians live in the world, but are not of the world.

We believe that Christ is God. All things are possible through him. There is no power greater than the power of faith. We are cognizant that we live in a fallen world and we are all sinners. What is not possible with man is possible with God.

Faith is the refuge of the follower of Christ. Throughout the centuries, Christians have overcome persecution, diseases and other evils. We ask the Saints to intervene on our behalf and to help us.

We ask the Evangelists and Apostles. Saint Luke comes to mind who in addition to being the author of the third Gospel and the Acts of the Apostles was a Doctor. We have the example of Saint Justinian, Emperor of Constantinople who used the resources to the Empire to provide support for the population when plague struck in the sixth century and was resulting in the deaths of ten thousand people per day. We pray for the sick and the vulnerable, for the Doctors and all those working to alleviate the present crisis.

But in the end we hope for the divine intercession of he who was born in a manger because there was no room at the inn. Let us ask the Lord through prayer and worship for liberation from covid. Let us ask for the merciful intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos and Saint Joseph.

Patriarch Bartholomew is making an appeal to the Turkish government to open the school of Halki which was closed fifty years ago. This is a gesture worthy of support. The closure of Halki constitutes an act of state sponsored discrimination and the controversies Patriarch Bartholomew presides over elsewhere does not relinquish the Turkish government from its responsibilities to respect religious freedom.

Patriarch Bartholomew would have served the Patriarchate better had he concentrated on the problems of his Church in Turkey. Had the Patriarchate not caused division over Ukraine and had the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese in America been in better condition, the fight for Halki (and Hagia Sophia) might have been waged with greater support and sympathy. The Patriarchate is right to accuse Turkey of violating religious freedom but the reality is that the Church of Constantinople is an accomplice to the violation of religious freedom of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church by Ukrainian authorities.

As has been pointed out previously on this blog, the Patriarch and the Archbishop of America have made a major error in aligning with the American foreign policy establishment. Whatever cooperation exists between Constantinople and Washington has not paid off for the Patriarchate. Hagia Sophia has been converted into a Mosque and Halki remains closed.

Patriarch Bartholomew’s American friends have not come to the rescue. It would appear that Washington has no interest in the Patriarchate beyond a common fight against Russia. This means Washington will do nothing on the Halki issue.

The Patriarchate should be more concerned about its destroyed image in Orthodoxy than in maintaining a fraudulent alliance with Washington. If the Patriarchate wants to survive in Constantinople, it must be restored as a bastion of Orthodoxy. This means disavowing its mad Ukrainian venture and reconciling with the Russian Church.

One reason why I was inspired to start this blog was to establish a forum to express dissent for the Church of Constantinople’s actions in Ukraine and throughout Orthodoxy. It is a tragedy that the voices speaking in an official capacity for Constantinople are doing so by ignoring harsh truths regarding that Church’s role in fomenting the schism in Orthodoxy and promoting oppression against Orthodox Ukrainians. His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia has said that Orthodoxy could not exist without the Ecumenical Patriarchate.

Such exaggerated boasts do not serve the Ecumenical Patriarchate well. It is fact that for three hundred and fifty years the Church did not have an Ecumenical Patriarchate. Furthermore, when the Patriarchate of Constantinople was formally established by the fathers of the Second Ecumenical Council in 381 AD it was second in honor after Rome. In addition, the Patriarchate was established by the authority of the universal Church. It did not establish itself.

The Ecumenical Patriarchate has no right to claim authority over the local Orthodox Churches. Contrary to the Archbishop’s assertion the Orthodox Church can and will function without the Ecumenical Patriarchate as it did when Rome fell into heresy. The Archbishop forgets that Patriarchs once espoused heresies such as Nestorianism (named after the Patriarch who reigned between 427 and 431 AD), Iconoclasm, and supported the Council Of Florence in 1439.

It is a provable fact that the Patriarch is not infallible and has clearly lost his way. The Patriarchate of Constantinople refuses to convene a council or to even discuss the Ukrainian issue. The Archbishop urged the faithful of Australia to be faithful to the Patriarchate and to show their love. Some of us are attempting to show our love by pointing out that the Ecumenical Patriarchate is wrong for espousing a new ecclesiology that is foreign to Orthodoxy.

The Ecumenical Patriarchate is being devoured by those who are indulging and supporting the errors of Patriarch Bartholomew. Those who wish to serve the Ecumenical Patriarchate do so by upholding and espousing the traditional Orthodox faith being upheld by the universal Church of which Constantinople is only one part of. The Church of Constantinople is being damaged the longer it refuses to submit to the demands of the universal Church and fails to comply with the process of conciliarity.

Pope Francis is on visit to Greece after having visited Cyprus. In Athens, a Greek priest was arrested after yelling “you are a heretic”. Such displays of hysteria do not serve the Orthodox Church or the interests of Greece. One does not have to be an ecumenist to suggest that people of different faiths should coexist peacefully.

I am not an ecumenist and I believe the dogmatic differences between Orthodoxy and Roman Catholicism cannot be bridged. At the same time it is possible to maintain civil relations and not be in a state of permanent spiritual war. In 2001, Archbishop Christodoulos of Athens accepted the apology of the visiting Pope John Paul II who expressed sorrow for the crimes of the Fourth Crusade that destroyed Constantinople in 1204.

The Orthodox world has serious grievances with the Roman Catholic Church. Some of these are still ongoing as with the aggressive activities of the Uniates in Ukraine. The way to deal with these issues is in a Christian manner through legitimate criticism and engagement.

One can reject any compromises of Orthodox faith while adopting a polite attitude to people of different faiths. In 2001, Greek Orthodox demonstrators denounced Pope John Paul II as a “two horned devil” and “antiChrist”. Such language emanates from fanatical attitudes similar to those that inspired the Crusades.

The Greek Church should be respectful to the Pope on his visit. Unfortunately, there are signs Archbishop Ieronymos is mishandling the visit. The Archbishop said the Roman Catholic Church did not support the Greek War of Independence. This is not really relevant since Greek Independence was achieved.

The Archbishop should have politely raised the issue of Roman Catholic (through Italy and France) support for Kemal’s armies in Asia Minor which deprived Greece of Constantinople and Smyrna. He could also have raised the issue of the Croatian Catholic genocide of Orthodox Christian Serbs during the Second World War.

These issues can be raised politely and diplomatically without needless hysteria. On the matter of the “union” between east and west, the Archbishop should politely state that Orthodoxy considers itself to possess the fullness of truth and no compromise is possible. Peaceful relations can be maintained and Orthodox and Roman Catholics can work together on matters of common concern.

For example, Orthodox Russia and Roman Catholic Poland and Hungary are fiercely resisting the western effort to impose LGBT ideology down their throats. In that common struggle, Orthodox and Roman Catholics have much in common and should fight together.

Once again, thoughts and prayers for the health of Patriarch Bartholomew who has entered the hospital for a second time on his American visit. Hoping for the Patriarch’s physical health and his spiritual health as well. Praying that Patriarch Bartholomew will reverse his decisions on Ukraine.

The Patriarch is elderly but there is still time to restore his prestige and the prestige of Constantinople in Orthodoxy.

Patriarch Bartholomew has reportedly stated that he does not care that the Russian Orthodox Church has broken communion with Constantinople. This is a statement that only serves to further demoralize those of us under Constantinople’s omophorion who do care that we are not in communion with the Russian Church. Patriarch Bartholomew has no right to speak for his flock.

He speaks only for himself. As a member of his flock, I am opposed to everything that Patriarch Bartholomew has done in Ukraine. His actions violate canon law and the precepts of Orthodox ecclesiology. He has made the Church of Constantinople complicit in the violence and persecution of Orthodox Ukrainians by the government in Kiev and the fake and artificial “church” established by the Patriarchate.

This madness must end. Patriarch Bartholomew sucked the Patriarchate of Alexandria and the Church of Greece into the madness. Sentimental Greeks have closed their eyes and followed Constantinople down the path of ruin. Patriarch Bartholomew has created division among the bishops of Cyprus.

It is apparent that Patriarch Bartholomew does not care about any of this any more than he cares about being out of communion with the Russian Church. It is hard to see how this ends except with Patriarch Bartholomew being deposed. The Orthodox Churches can remain patient for only so long before they convene a council and choose to depose the Ecumenical Patriarch.

Patriarch Bartholomew arrived in the United States and was soon hospitalized. We wish the Ecumenical Patriarch a speedy recovery. This blog has been critical of the Patriarch over Ukraine and other issues but the Christian way is to pray for even those who happen to be in the wrong.

Joe Biden’s doctor has offered his services to the Patriarch. This was very kind gesture. Politics aside, acts of compassion should always be acknowledged and recognized. Best wishes for the Patriarch’s recovery.