Greetings and wishing those at the Orthodox Times a blessed Lent,
My name is Theodore Karakostas. I am under the omophorion of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. I happen to be opposed to the actions of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Ukraine. Just as the faithful of the Church of Constantinople in the eighth century were opposed to the iconoclastic Emperors and Patriarchs, and just as the faithful sons and daughters of the Church of Constantinople opposed the signing of the Union of Florence in 1439, I oppose the uncanonical actions of the Church of Constantinople in Ukraine.
In the May 16 commentary, Ms(rs) Efthimiou launched a severe attack on the Russian Orthodox Church and even upon the person of his beautitude Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem. The unofficial council that convened in Amman, Jordan last year was a necessary first step to resolve the schism in Orthodoxy that was created by the Ecumenical Patriarchate’s unilateral actions in Ukraine. In the aftermath of the Ukrainian schism, both Patriarch John of Antioch and Archbishop Anastasios of Albania wrote to the Ecumenical Patriarch asking him to convene a council. His holiness Patriarch Bartholomew refused to do so.
At the present time, the Churches of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church under Metropolitan Onuphry are being seized and faithful of the canonical Ukrainian Church are being beaten and subject to acts of violence. The Ecumenical Patriarchate’s collusion with the State Department in a common antiRussian policy is scandalous and harmful not only to the whole of Orthodoxy, but to the Great Church of Constantinople itself. I for one am particularly angry that American officials have stuck their anti Christian noses in the affairs of the holy Church of Jesus Christ.
The Orthodox Church does not have a Pope. Patriarch Bartholomew’s claims of total authority over the Orthodox Church is inconsistent with the conciliar and synodical tradition of the Orthodox Church. It should be remembered the notorious heretic Nestorius was once Patriarch of Constantinople as were other heretics such as John Bekkas and Gregory Mammas. It has been customary for the Ecumenical Patriarch as “first among equals” to convene Pan Orthodox councils but considering the fact that the Church of Constantinople refused to do so at this time, it is necessary for another Church to take the initiative.
Since September 2018, the Orthodox Church has been in a state of semi-paralysis as a result of the schism. There is absolutely no evidence that Patriarch Theophilos is being pressured by the Russian Orthodox Church. In fact, the evidence demonstrates quite convincingly that Patriarch Bartholomew with the backing of American officials is the one who has been bullying the various Orthodox Churches to fall into line with his dictates.
A perfect example is the manner in which Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens and other Greek Bishops succumbed to pressure from Constantinople’s American friends at the State Department. Is it not obscene that former American Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and American “Ambassador” to Greece Geoffrey Pyatt are intervening in Church affairs and trying to dictate as to what constitutes an Orthodox Church. The Bishops of Constantinople and Greece who have colluded with American officials against the sister Church of Russia and the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church have betrayed Orthodoxy!
Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem is right to work to convene another council to solve the Ukrainian crisis. The Orthodox Church is led by Jesus Christ and not by any particular Patriarch or Archbishop. Authority in the Orthodox Church consists in a universal or ecumenical council in which the entirety of the Church participates. The Ecumenical Patriarch has made a mockery of the conciliar tradition by attempting to grab complete and total authority that he has no right too.
There are those of us within the Greek speaking Orthodox communion who are appalled by the Ecumenical Patriarchate’s policies and distortions of Orthodox ecclesiology. We want nothing more than an end to the Church crisis and the liberation of the Greek speaking Orthodox Churches from the authoritarian hand of secular America. Under the leadership of the two previous Archbishops of Athens Serapheim and Christodoulos, the Church of Greece fiercely resisted Patriarch Bartholomew’s encroachments on the canonical territory of the Church of Greece and would not have tolerated American interference in Church affairs as the cowardly Archbishop Ieronymos has done.
Orthodox tradition requires the faithful to speak and to oppose Patriarchs and Bishops when they begin promoting teachings that are erroneous to the faith. The faithful of Constantinople rioted in the streets and denounced the Patriarch and the Bishops who signed the heretical Union of Florence. Greek Orthodox Christians should actively oppose and speak against the subjugation of the Greek speaking Churches by American secular interests.The Greek Orthodox world today is unfree and this has been proven by the attention that American officials have given to influencing the Churches of Constantinople and Greece to participate in their aggressive anti Russian campaign.
Wishing you a blessed Lent on the day after the Sunday of Orthodoxy 2021. The Sunday of Orthodoxy which commemorates the victory of the triumph ofthe veneration of Icons. Let it be remembered that Patriarchs and Bishops of the Church of Constantinople had promoted the heresy of iconoclasm. Let it be remembered that the ordinary faithful of the Church of Constantinople were persecuted by the Emperor and heretical Patriarchs because they protected and revered the holy icons.
On the Sunday of Orthodoxy we recalled those Orthodox who kept the faith and recall the anathemas against the heretical Patriarchs and Bishops who burned and destroyed Icons. The Church of Constantinople properly repented and became Orthodox once again. May the Bishops of Constantinople and their partners within the Churches of Greece and Alexandria who have colluded in undermining the holy canons in Ukraine repent and be restored to Orthodoxy. Then Orthodox unity can be restored.
Theodore Karakostas