Metropolitan Hilarion Alfayev the top Church diplomat of the Russian Orthodox Church presided at a doxology in commemoration of Greek Independence Day. The doxology at a Russian Monastery was held for the remembrance of the souls of the Greeks who died fighting the Turks. Furthermore, Patriarch Kyril of Moscow and all Russia sent messages of congratulations to the Greek President on the two hundredth anniversary of the outbreak of the Greek Revolution.
Furthermore, Metropolitan Onuphry the spiritual leader of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church likewise congratulated the Greeks on the anniversary of Greek Independence. Both the Russian Patriarch and the Ukrainian Metropolitan recalled the oppression of the Greeks under Turkish role and the bravery of the Greeks who fought for their freedom. These expressions of congratulations are indicative of the brotherly attitude toward the Greeks by both the Russians and Ukrainians.
Incidentally, there has been no noticeable statement regarding Greek Independence from Patriarch Bartholomew. The recognition of the pseudo bishops of Ukraine by the Churches of Constantinople and Greece is a mark of shame on the part of the Greek speaking Orthodox world. The brotherly statements of both the Russian and Ukrainian Orthodox leaders should compel the Church of Greece in particular to withdraw its recognition of the Ukrainian schismatics.
There has been nothing but devastation to Orthodoxy in general and the Greek speaking world from the recognition of the Ukrainian pseudo bishops. Patriarch Bartholomew cares nothing about the damage to Orthodoxy. He also does not care about the Greek speaking Orthodox world either. Patriarch Bartholomew undertook his anti Russian actions under the cover of the Greek flag.
At the end of the day he is the enabler of the continued American domination of both Greek political and ecclesiastical affairs. It will take some time for Constantinople to reverse its errors in Ukraine. If the Patriarchate even survives. The State Department sees the Ecumenical Patriarchate as an instrument in which to attack the Russians for the time being. Washington will not do anything to help the Patriarchate in its position in Turkey over the long term.
While it does not seem that the Church of Greece will reverse its position on Ukraine now, there is a much better chance of the Athens synod reversing its stances than that of Constantinople. The day of March 25, 2021 was a glorious day when the world recognized the Greek heroism that started two hundred years ago.
It is a shame that the Greek anniversary occurred under the shadow of the schism within Orthodoxy. The Greek speaking world must remember the example of Saint Mark of Ephesus who realized that the preservation of Constantinople would matter for little or nothing if the Greek Orthodox repudiated the faith of Christ as was done by the hierarchy at the Council of Florence.
Greece today confronts many difficult problems. Fidelity to the faith of Christ and those of the holy fathers is the surest way of both enduring and confronting the difficulties that the Greeks face today. The bishops of Greece should look to the examples of both Saint Mark of Ephesus as well as Patriarch Gregory V who was martyred after the outbreak of the Greek War of Independence.
Patriarch Gregory V was an Orthodox traditionalist much like Saint Mark. It should also be remembered the legendary General Kolokotronis was a staunch Russophile and the leader of the Russian Party in Greece. Greece’s first President was John Capodistrias who had served as Russian Foreign Minister.
There is much that the Greeks and the Russians have in common spiritually, historically, and politically. The Russian expressions of congratulations toward the Greeks even as the Greek Churches have caused the Russian Church great pain is demonstrative of the realities of Greek-Russian brotherhood.