Tag: Patriarchate of Alexandria

Categories
faith

Church Crisis Worsens

The Holy Synod of the Orthodox Church of Cyprus voted ten to 7 not to oppose the decision of Archbishop Chrysostomos to establish communion with the schismatic entity of Ukraine that masquerades as a Church. While it is still not entirely clear what this means for the Church of Cyprus over the long term it is apparent that nothing good can come from the outcome of these deliberations. The best case scenario indicates that the Church of Cyprus is going to be split with a possible schism occurring.

Patriarch Bartholomew’s destruction continues. Patriarch Bartholomew openly challenges Orthodox ecclesiology by claiming Papal style authority for himself and has made a mockery of the conciliar tradition of the Orthodox Church. The Church of Ukraine (the real one) has been undergoing a process of persecution by the government of Ukraine and a variety of neo-Nazi militia groups and white supremacists. The Greek Churches are all in a state of chaos having been morally and spiritually compromised as a result of blindly obeying the dictatorial Patriarch Bartholomew.

The Church of Greece has been split because of this Ukrainian situation. The Patriarchate of Alexandria has been split by the Greek hierarchy and many of the native African priests which has resulted in ugly allegations of racism being directed against the Greeks. The Patriarchate of Alexandria was a bright light in Orthodoxy and had very warm relations with the Russian Orthodox Church. Those relations are destroyed.

The chaos has spread to the Church of Cyprus. Even more disturbing are the rumors surrounding the Patriarchate of Jerusalem. Hitherto, Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem has been a rock and stood firm in refusing to recognize the schismatics. Early on in the Church crisis, the Patriarch cancelled a meeting with Ukrainian President Poroshenko when he realized he was going to be pressured to recognize the schismatics.

Patriarch Theophilos also called a Pan Orthodox meeting in Jordan back in February in defiance of Patriarch Bartholomew. This was a sign that the Patriarchate of Jerusalem was maintaining its independence. Now it appears Patriarch Theophilos has met with the Ukrainian Ambassador to Israel, a sign that appears to be ominous.

Greeks forget that the Patriarchate of Jerusalem is not an ethnically Greek Church. Its hierarchy is mostly Greek but its faithful are Palestinian Arabs who have legitimate grievances over the way they have historically been treated. If Jerusalem recognizes the schismatic entity things are going to get very ugly real fast. Other Orthodox Churches have refrained from interfering in the internal affairs of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem.

This may very well change if Jerusalem recognizes the Ukrainian schismatic entity. The Russian Orthodox Church has a strong presence in the Holy Land and the Russians may very well back the Palestinians with their legitimate grievances. On the other hand, the Patriarchate of Jerusalem has historically maintained its independence from Constantinople.

Jerusalem has never adopted the modern calendar and throughout the twentieth century maintained communion with the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Of Russia (ROCOR). Patriarch Theophilos may very well resist Constantinople’s encroachments. It not, the Greek speaking world will find that losing Hagia Sophia is by no means the worst thing that could happen to Greek Orthodoxy.

The Holy Shrines in Jerusalem have for centuries been maintained by the Greeks. On the one hand, this is a source of pride for those of us who are Greeks, but on the other hand the treatment of the native Arab Orthodox has been racist and shameful. The Patriarch of Jerusalem should refuse to bow to Patriarch Bartholomew’s bullying and should maintain communion only with the canonical Church of Ukraine.

In addition, Patriarch Theophilos should finally proceed to admit Arabs into the hierarchy of the Patriarchate and begin the process of reconciling the hierarchy with the faithful. The Arab faithful have a right to determine the course of their own Church and to decide what happens in relation to Church finances. Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem has stood bravely against the pressures imposed on him by the thuggish Patriarch Bartholomew. He must remain strong.

This entire Ukrainian affair has been nothing but utterly destructive for Orthodoxy. Only the blind can continue to support Patriarch Bartholomew at this point in time. Patriarch Bartholomew must be deposed! Of this there can be no question.

Categories
faith

On the inaccurate statements of a Church of Greece hierarch

His Eminence Metropolitan Anthimos of Alexandroupolis has criticized the Russian Orthodox Church and accused it of trying to erase the Ecumenical Patriarchate. This assessment is completely and entirely false. The Russian Church has done nothing to harm the Ecumenical Patriarchate other than to defend itself, its clergy, and its faithful from persecution.

It is abundantly clear that many of the hierarchs of the Church of Greece are ignorant of what has been happening in Ukraine. Furthermore, there is no excuse for being ignorant considering that fact that several hierarchs of the Church of Greece including Metropolitans Serapheim of Pireaus, Serapheim of Kythyra, Nektarios of Corfu, and Simeon on New Smyrna have informed the Synod as to what has been happening in Ukraine. In addition, prominent priests and theologians such as Father Theodore Zisis, Father Anastasios Gotsopoulos, and Professor Demetrios Tselengides have all spoken against recognition of the Ukrainians schismatics in great detail citing the Church canons.

Over one year ago, a petition in Greece signed by priests, theologians, monastics, and lay people was sent to the Holy Synod asking them NOT to recognize the schismatics. There is simply no reason for the hierarchs of the Church of Greece to be issuing statements based on ignorance. The true facts regarding the situation in Ukraine are well known and it is only because of laziness that Greek hierarchs refuse to be enlightened about Ukraine.

It is an established fact that the Ukrainian Orthodox Church under the synod of Metropolitan Onuphry is the canonical Church of Ukraine. The Ecumenical Patriarchate, the Patriarchate of Alexandria, and the Church of Greece maintained communion with this canonical synod until 2018-2019. An “autocephalous” Church cannot be established on the territory where a canonical Church already exists.

The canonical Church consists of two thirds of all Ukrainians. This fact has either been disregarded by Greek hierarchs or these hierarchs are too lazy to get information. The legitimate Church has been fiercely persecuted and Greek hierarchs refuse to open their eyes. We Greeks can’t really complain anymore about the plight of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Turkey since we are in effect supporting the persecution of Orthodox in Ukraine.

His Eminence Metropolitan Anthimos seems to forget the Ecumenical Patriarchate’s previous attacks on the Church of Greece. It has been reported previously by the Greek language “Orthodox Typos” in Athens that the late Archbishop Serapheim (1974-1998) refused to invite Patriarch Bartholomew to Athens because of the Patriarch’s encroachments on the canonical territory of the Church of Greece. Furthermore, the late Archbishop Christodoulos (1998-2008) very publicly feuded with Patriarch Bartholomew because of Constantinople’s aggressive actions in Northern Greece.

If the Church of Greece today had the kind of strong leadership that Archbishops Serapheim and Christodoulos provided it is unlikely that the Athens Synod would have recognized the Ukrainian schismatics. The two previous Archbishops were both independent minded and provided guidance to the Holy Synod. The present Archbishop Ieronymos on the other hand has not only not provided leadership he has bowed before the secular interests of the State Department and the American Embassy in Athens.

The Russians have never tried to undermine the Ecumenical Patriarchate. Moscow has always affirmed both by its statements and attendance at Pan Orthodox gatherings that the Ecumenical Patriarch is “first among equals”. Moscow has never tried to remove Constantinople from holding first place in the dyptychs or abolishing its “primacy of honour”.

Moscow has only challenged Constantinople when the latter Church has attempted to exceed its authority by attempting to grab Moscow’s territory as it did during the mid 1990’s when it established its own Bishops in Estonia. His Eminence Metropolitan Anthimos should recall that the late Archbishop Christodoulos of Athens openly supported Moscow during the Estonian crisis. In addition, the Church of Greece has resisted Constantinople’s encroachments just as Moscow has.

Yet, it would not be accurate to say that the Church of Greece was trying to “erase” the Ecumenical Patriarchate. The state into which the Greek Orthodox world has fallen is truly lamentable. Our Churches are now under the influence of the State Department.

How ironic this is. His Eminence Metropolitan Anthimos accuses the Russians of trying to “erase” the Ecumenical Patriarchate. His Eminence should reread the history of the Church of Constantinople during the 1950’s and the 1960’s. When the Turkish government waged its campaign of ethnic cleansing against Orthodox Greeks through pogroms and mass expulsions the State Department uttered not a single word of protest on behalf of the Patriarchate’s flock.

Who is really trying to “erase” the Ecumenical Patriarchate? It is not the Russians.

Categories
faith

Pompeo must go!

While on a visit to Athens Secretary of State Mike Pompeo accused the Russians of trying to “coopt” the Orthodox Church. This is laughable coming from a buffoon whose employees at the American embassy in Athens have interfered blatantly in the affairs of the Orthodox Church of Greece and on Mount Athos. It is the fake “church” of Ukraine that is persecuting the bishops, priests, and faithful of the canonical Ukrainian Church.

This artificial creation calling itself “Orthodox Church of Ukraine” is a political creation and has nothing to do with the Church of Jesus Christ and the Holy Apostles! The sickness of anti Russian racism is so depraved that all Russians are apparently being targeted. In the estimation of Mike Pompeo and the State Department Russian Bishops, Priests, and ordinary believers are nothing more than instruments being used by Moscow.

This is utterly despicable. It is Washington alone that has successfully co opted the Ecumenical Patriarchate and a significant portion of the Church of Greece along with the upper ranks of the Patriarchate of Alexandria. At a time when Turkish aggression is manifesting itself against the territorial rights of Greece, Pompeo should have stuck to political and diplomatic matters.

Pompeo should be fired as Secretary of State for being a violator of religious freedom. As a Greek Orthodox, I find it infuriating to watch the Greek Orthodox world being co opted by these secularists as part of their insane anti Russian agenda. The Trump administration has made some mistakes.

One mistake had the name John Bolton and was taken care of. Another mistake is named Mike Pompeo and it is time for him to be shown the door.