Search Results for: the lie of ecumenism

For Whom Does Elpidophoros Speak?

July 26, 2021

His address at the International Religious Freedom Summit

Archbishop Elpidophoros has caused consternation among the Orthodox faithful by the speech that he gave at the International Religious Freedom Summit held in Washington D.C., 15 July 2021. In the speech he stated:

When you elevate one religion above all others, it is as if you decide there is only one path leading to the top of the mountain. But the truth is you simply cannot see the myriads of paths that lead to the same destination, because you are surrounded by boulders of prejudice that obscure your view.

This particular passage was excerpted and made into a widely circulated meme on the Internet. Some saw this excerpt and took it to mean that Elpidophoros was suggesting that there are many ways to salvation. It generated a flurry of criticism on various blog sites. I was unaware of the offending paragraph when I was asked for my thoughts on Elpidophoros’ speech. I read through the text of his speech twice. I was a bit baffled by the wordiness of the text and the highfalutin language he used. I finally found the stinking sardine in the pile of waffle (Elpidophoros’ speech) thanks to the Monomakhos article and a comment from a clerical friend.

At first I didn’t catch the remark about “myriads of paths” mostly because Elpidophoros gave the speech in what appears to have been a secular, political context—the International Religious Freedom Summit. As an American I am very sympathetic to a secular state and to religious pluralism. As a Christian I believe that Jesus is the only way to the Father. As an Orthodox Christian I believe that the Orthodox Church is the one true Church. So how does one speak as an Orthodox Christian to a diverse non-Orthodox setting like the Summit? Answer: With care and nuance.

I gained a better understanding from a YouTube video in which former U.S. Senator, now U.S. Ambassador, Sam Brownback was interviewed on EWTN about the Summit. Brownback explained that the Summit is bringing together major leaders of the different faiths from all over the world. He went on to explain: “We’re not talking theology.” That gave me a different perspective on the Summit—a more positive one. Too many of the conflicts in the world today have been exacerbated by religious ideology. We need religious leaders to encourage their followers to peacefully coexist with their neighbors of different faith backgrounds.

In my opinion, Archbishop Elpidophoros could have done a better job of bracketing his comment about having only one path leading to the top of the mountain, i.e., that he was talking about state-religion relations, not about theology in the usual sense. Loosely read, Elpidophoros’ mountain metaphor can be construed as an allusion to a universalist soteriology—an affront to Orthodoxy. Read from a secular, political angle, it can be understood as advocating the protection of religious freedom, something American Orthodox Christians can affirm. It seems to me that, unlike Ambassador Brownback, who spoke with nuance and sensitivity, Archbishop Elpidophoros stumbled in his speech and gave unnecessary offense to some Orthodox Christians.

As I see it, Elpidophoros’ challenge is how to speak to a non-Orthodox audience while being faithful to Orthodox Tradition. I believe that it is very desirable that Hagia Sophia be restored as an Orthodox house of worship. However, for Elpidophoros to drag in the Ukrainian mess and to make a veiled swipe against the Moscow Patriarchate’s alliance with the Kremlin is to open a huge can of worms. How does Elpidophoros reconcile his veiled swipe at the Moscow Patriarchate with the historic Orthodox teaching of symphonia? From the political or governmental perspective, there is a certain confusing ambiguity in Archbishop Elpidophoros’ speech: Is he speaking as a leader of Orthodox Christians who reside in the U.S. or on behalf of Patriarch Bartholomew, who resides in Istanbul, Turkey? And, who has a vested interest in the Ukrainian-Russian controversy? Put another way, does Elpidophoros speak for us American Orthodox Christians? It has been two years since he migrated to the United States in 2019.

Archbishop Elpidophoros’ importance at the Summit lies in the fact that he represents and leads the largest Orthodox jurisdiction in the U.S. — the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese. There is a certain irony in Elpidophoros’ presence at an international summit on religious freedom when he, in his capacity as Patriarch Bartholomew’s personal agent, perpetuates Greek colonialism in the U.S.. It is time for there to be an American Orthodox Church. It is time that externally imposed hierarchs be returned to Istanbul where they were born and for an American-born hierarch to be elevated as primate for the autocephalous American Orthodox Church.

Robert Arakaki, Ph.D. – Political scientist and Asian-American convert to Orthodoxy, Originally published at Handwritings on the Wall.

Tags: American Orthodox, Archbishop Elpidophoros, blasphemy, Christian theology, ecumenism, Hagia Sophia, heresy, International Religious Freedom Summit, IRF summit speech, IRFSummit, Istanbul, Leftist Infiltration, modernity, Patriarch Constantinople, religious freedom, Theology, universalism

Did Archbishop Elpidophoros Espouse Heresy at the Religious Freedom Summit?

July 16, 2021

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Archbishop Elpidophoros spoke on July 15th at the 2021 International Religious Freedom Summit in Washington on the topic, “The Rising Tide of Religious Nationalism.” The speech, and the press about it, have already caused quite a stir. Full text of the speech is here. Below is the Tweet about it from the IRF official account:

Archbishop @Elpidophoros addresses the #IRFSummit about the dangers of “religious nationalism” and “nationalistic religion”, emphasizing the importance of cooperative efforts to instill democracy and freedom of conscience around the globe.

Archbishop Elpidophoros is part of the Patriarchate of Constantinople, which is based in Turkey. Turkey, a nation with a long history of Christian persecution and genocide, has seen a rising tide of Islamic “religious nationalism” in this century. Given that context, we can easily understand the Archbishop’s participation in this summit and his choice of topic to address.

The summit included a pastor who spent two years in a Turkish jail for his faith. Armenian Orthodox Archbishop Aykazian spoke about the dangers his nation faces from Muslim neighbors: “The safety and integrity of more than a thousand years of Armenian Christian culture are hanging by the slimmest of threads. We need to make the plight of Christian communities visible and concrete in the eyes of the world.” There was even a side event on the enforcement of blasphemy laws in mostly Muslim nations. For Orthodox Christians, this is an area of utmost concern as many of our brethren suffer under Islamic rule.

There is no inherent reason why the participation of Archbishop Elpidophoros in this summit should be controversial. Given the subject of the summit, the attendees, and the circumstances of the Patriarchate of Constantinople in Turkey – we would have been surprised had the Archbishop not been a prominent attendee. Unfortunately, the content of his speech took a very controversial turn. The image below was Tweeted from the official account of the summit.

The quote looks very bad, and has already caused a firestorm on social media. It is very easy to read the Archbishop’s statement as a denial of the uniqueness of the Orthodox Christian Faith and an embrace of the heresy of “many paths to God.” More than a few Orthodox Christians have posted the picture along with Bible verses such as John 14:6 – Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

This quote does not exist in a vacuum. Rather, it appears to be only the latest example of the Greek Archdiocese’s lack of fidelity to the Orthodox Faith. The recent ecumenical efforts of the Patriarchate of Constantinople have been interpreted as a willingness to compromise with the world. The history of syncretistic Freemasonry (both in Constantinople and the Greek Church) makes people suspicious of anything that can be read as equating all religions.

It also doesn’t help calm fears that the Patriarch of Constantinople has a close relationship to Pope Francis, and often appears with him. Pope Francis has caused controversy by, among other things, signing a joint statement with the head of Egypt’s al-Azhar Mosque that proclaims “diversity of religions” is “willed by God.” For the Pope’s trip to Morocco, the Vatican released an image that combined the cross with the crescent. Critics have branded the Pope’s efforts at Christian-Muslim dialog as an attempt to forge a new religion known as “Chrislam.”

Let us also not forget the whole “Pachamama” fiasco in the Vatican.

It is further troubling that on topics ranging from Covid to migration to Climate Change, opinions from those in and around the Ecumenical Patriarchate sound like endorsements of the New World Order / Great Reset. The close association with progressive academics, particularly those at Fordham, is also alarming. These academics want to fundamentally transform the Orthodox Faith, while simultaneously pretending they don’t.

So should this latest statement be understood as a rejection of Orthodoxy? Maybe. But something else entirely could be going on here. This could be an example of institutional survival becoming the mission, rather than spreading the Orthodox Christian Faith. The Patriarchate of Constantinople has almost no domestic flock left in Turkey. The Government of Turkey could easily dispose of the Patriarchate if it chooses to.

Archbishop Elpidophoros is likely the next Patriarch. He is absolutely committed to the Patriarchate’s survival in Turkey, as is Bartholomew, the current Patriarch. Everything they do, every word they utter, every alliance they enter – all of it is with the goal of preserving the Patriarchate. Which is why we believe that the Archbishop’s words at the summit should be interpreted in a Turkish context and not an American one. Given the situation in Turkey, and the summit’s goal of protecting religious freedom, the words of the Archbishop are most likely intended as an indictment of political Islam and not a rejection of Orthodoxy.

Especially since the paragraph right above the infamous comment is all about the theocracy in Iran.

On the other hand, we could look at some aspects of modern Iran, and find a distinct brand of “Religious Nationalism,” a full-blown attempt at theocracy by a seeming majority. But to see a spiritual basis for the State is to create a stratification of society along religious lines, a spiritual apartheid, if you will. The result is a monolithic society unyielding to diversity.

Is that part of the speech really about Iran, or is Iran used as a stand-in for the increasingly Islamicized government of Turkey? Either way, it seems that this very poorly worded paragraph was aimed mostly at Islam. A fact that might have been clear to those with a Near Eastern context.

Unfortunately, the Archbishop governs an Orthodox Church in the United States and made his remarks at a summit in Washington. In an American context, his words are seen as straight-up heresy. A fact that he probably did not even notice, given his fixation on Turkey. No one advising him appears to have noticed either. Or perhaps some did, but the statement being open to interpretation as equating all religions nicely fit their anti-Orthodox agenda. So they didn’t stop the train wreck when they could have.

In any case, Orthodoxy did not need this new controversy. The single-minded focus on the survival of the Patriarchate was already wreaking enough havoc. To curry favor with the American National Security establishment, and to gain a larger flock, the EP inserted itself into the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. This has led to immeasurable suffering among the Orthodox Faithful in that benighted country, while sowing divisions among Orthodox around the world. The situation is further complicated by the global popularity of Metropolitan Onuphry of Kiev and All Ukraine. The Metropolitan is among the most admired Orthodox hierarchs in the world, and also among the most persecuted. His personal following ensures that the Ukrainian situation will not fade from the headlines any time soon.

In his speech, the Archbishop made some awful comments about the situation in Ukraine. Not to mention that he totally ignored the persecution of the canonical Church by the government in Kiev. At a summit dedicated to religious freedom. Go figure.

To gain allies and influence, the Patriarchate has been at the forefront of deeply controversial ecumenical engagements. To curry favor with global elites, the Patriarchate endorses progressive policy positions on practically every issue imaginable, and seems to signal LGBTQ+ friendliness at every opportunity. This leftist political and social engagement alienates many Orthodox Christians, whose pleas for moderation seem to fall on deaf ears.

All of this harms Orthodox witness in the United States. Greek Archdiocese priests, many of whom are very effective evangelists, complain that the Archbishop’s words and actions make their jobs harder. The situation isn’t doing anyone else any favors, either. Not only is the Greek Archdiocese the biggest jurisdiction in the United States, it is also the most visible. For us Orthodox Faithful, it is hard to know where the survival strategy ends and genuine heresy begins. The word “byzantine” comes to mind when sorting through all this.

In the end, there is probably no real difference in the impact of perceived heresy versus actual heresy.

While the Archbishop’s comments at the summit may not have been intentional heresy, they are at minimum a massive blunder that should have been avoided. Just one of many recent ones, unfortunately. Orthodox Christians in the United States deserve better than this. We deserve hierarchs whose focus is on the Orthodox Christian communities in this country. We may have that in some jurisdictions, but it is clear that the focus of the leadership of the Greek Archdiocese is not even on this continent.

Nicholas – member of the Western Rite Vicariate, a part of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese in America

Tags: anaxios, Archbishop Elpidophoros, authentic Orthodoxy, Constantinople, Ecumenical Patriarchate, ecumenism, Greek Archdiocese, greek orthodox bishop, heresy, International Religious Freedom Summit, IRF summit, Leftist Infiltration, Orthodox Christian Studies Center, Patriarchate Constantinople, political islam, Turkey

St. Bart’s Redux

July 13, 2021

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As if to add insult to injury, Abp. Elpidophoros returned on July 3 to St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church on Park Avenue. This is the same “St. Bart’s” where the archbishop and his entourage had served the Divine Liturgy to commemorate the thirtieth anniversary of Patriarch Bartholomew’s reign from Istanbul…err…Constantinople. At that occasion on June 11, the archbishop in his non-homily lavished obsequious praise upon his boss saying, “He is a living Apostle of love, peace and reconciliation.” Yeah, tell that to Metropolitan Onuphry and the faithful in the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, who have endured ecclesiastical schism, theft of church properties and sometimes even physical violence. That mayhem has been caused indirectly by Pat. Bartholomew’s meddling in Ukrainian politics. Auwe!, as the Hawaiians say. “No!”

**GOARCH’s Abp. Elpidophoros with St. Bart’s rector, Bp. Dean E. Wolfe**

This time, Abp. Elpidophoros was at St. Bart’s in a more personal capacity to visit with their rector, Bp. Dean E. Wolfe. The purple shirt you see is the indication of episcopal ordination. Wolfe used to be the bishop ordinary of the Episcopal Diocese of Kansas for the thirteen years from 2004 to 2017. Like many TEC dioceses around the country, it is a little liberal oasis in a conservative state. Bp. Wolfe cut a notch in his belt when “he officiated (at) the first authorized Episcopal same-sex marriage in the diocese.” (St. Bart’s website) Of course, there is no such thing. St. Bart’s is a large congregation, fully a quarter the size of the whole rural Diocese of Kansas. Wolfe must feel quite at home at that megachurch, where they are actively queering midtown Manhattan.

Regarding the tete a tete, the archbishop said “Ecumenical dialogue and collaborations are vital witnesses to Christ’s teaching and ministry.” We all want unity amongst Christians, but true ecumenism will never compromise the Truth of the Faith in order to make nice with heretics. The stricter kind will seek the return of schismatics to the Orthodox Church. It almost sounds unAmerican to say that, but it’s the inconvenient truth. By revisiting St. Bart’s, the archbishop emphasized his desire to grow closer to the Episcopal Church despite the repugnance of TEC’s promotion of the LGBTQ+ whatever-in-hell-turns-you-on agenda. That is the impression that one is left with.

Certainly a seasoned politician like Abp. Elpidophoros knows well that repeat association with heretics like Bp. Wolfe telegraphs a tacit agreement with their teachings. That, in turn, implies an abandonment of the Orthodox teaching that stands in stark contrast to the heresy. God forbid. We cannot but conclude that the archbishop is sending the wrong message to his faithful followers. Please, we don’t need this, Your Eminence – not after the unprecedented destabilization caused by the events of the last year and a half. Not now.

This author is – used to be – a cradle Episcopalian and Anglican priest who felt the need to leave his beloved denomination because it had abandoned Christian morality. It was not without having first made sacrifices that I renounced my ordination and submitted to (re)baptism as a layman in the Orthodox Church. Imagine my disappointment to see our venerable archbishop flirting in his official capacity with the very Episcopalian heretics with whom I felt the need to part company. Auwe!

Lawrence B. Wheeler – B.A., M.Div. Former Anglican priest, convert to Orthodoxy. Originally published at: St. Bart’s Redux (weborthodox.com)

Tags: Archbishop Elpidophoros, authentic Orthodoxy, Bartholomew, Bishop Dean E Wolfe, clergy / laity rift, CRT, Ecumenical Patriarch, ecumenism, Episcopal Church, Fordham, homosexuality, Leftist Infiltration, LGBTQ behavior, LGBTQ propaganda, Orthodox Bishops, parish life, queer theory, revolution within the form, Theology

Faithfulness to Covid at the Expense of Souls

April 21, 2021

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Our son and his fiancée don’t feel at home in the Western Rite parish we have attended since Covid began. They prefer the Greek parish he was raised in. On the Sunday of St. Mary of Egypt, our son planned to receive a blessing before a six-month stint of active duty. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen.

Many Covid restrictions at the Greek parish were recently relaxed or lifted. Cheered by the return of some normalcy, quite a few parishioners had been less than zealously following the remaining protocols. This state of affairs had so angered the priest, that he used his entire homily to severely scold his wayward parishioners for their sinful degeneracy. He denounced their failure to keep their masks securely over both nose and mouth. Some were even removing them entirely once in their pews! Parishioners had failed to social distance in the communion line. There was hugging and other physical contact between family groups! There were parishioners removing their masks while in line to receive communion, instead of immediately before the chalice. He was disgusted that parishioners getting some Eucharist on their lips had wiped their mouths on the cloth. Worst of all, some parishioners were still trying to kiss his hand when receiving a blessing.

There were other breaches of Covid etiquette, but I won’t bore you with all the details. Our son described his priest as “completely indignant.” Instead of preaching repentance on St. Mary of Egypt Sunday, the priest chose to verbally berate his flock for their insolent disregard of the tenets of Holy Faucism. After such a tongue lashing, our son felt awkward approaching his own priest. With his fiancée, he quietly exited the church after dismissal and came home.

Our son will now ship out to a potentially dangerous active duty rotation without a blessing. From birth, he has always had a blessing before major travel. This time he wanted one, but was too afraid of his own priest to even approach him. Perhaps next time, he will decide he doesn’t want or even need a blessing.

The Greek parish is all alone among the local Orthodox in its faithfulness to Covid. Our Western Rite parish never had many restrictions, and has long since discarded the few it once had. The local Serbian parish simply ignored Covid the entire time. They are none-the-worse for it. The local OCA parish has announced an end to all restrictions (including masks) at the end of May. Our state is wide open. A few localities have mask mandates, but they can be comfortably ignored by anyone who chooses to breathe fresh air. But for the Greeks, there is no end in sight.

Which makes any thinking person ask, why?

There is no scientific basis for the policies the Greeks are so dedicated to enforcing. Masks, social distancing, attendance limits, and even lockdowns are predicated on the novel notion of asymptomatic viral spread. The asymptomatic spread narrative was effectively destroyed by the publication of a Chinese study involving nearly 9.9 million individuals. It revealed not a single case of COVID-19 could be traced to an asymptomatic individual who had tested positive. This result was confirmed by a meta-analysis published in JAMA by researchers in the Department of Biostatistics at the University of Florida, Gainesville, and the Cancer Research Center in Seattle, Washington. If you are under 70, then your chance of dying from the virus after casually meeting with people who have no symptoms is 0.00035%, or 1 in 285,714.

Not only are masks unnecessary, they are also ineffective. Mask-specific research failed to find any benefit to them. Whether one mask, or the currently recommended double masks, they simply don’t work against an aerosolized virus. Now that 15 days to slow the spread has become more than a year of misery, experience has given us a lot of empirical evidence attesting to the futility of mandatory masking. When you compare areas with mask mandates to areas without, the ones without do the same or better.

There is no evidence in favor of the effectiveness of masks to “stop” a virus, but there is plenty of evidence that they cause harm. One study of over 25,000 school-aged children identified 24 distinct health issues associated with wearing masks. The study demonstrated that masks harm children physically, psychologically, and behaviorally. Not just children are impacted. This is a link to an article with over 20 documented reasons why masks are harmful.

I often wonder, how many young Orthodox children no longer remember what church was like before everyone wore a mask and what has that done to them?

The laptop class can throw on a mask for 15 minutes while grabbing a latte and congratulating themselves on their outstanding civic virtue. School kids and blue collar workers wear wet, dirty, disgusting pieces of cloth over their mouths for many hours at a time. This practice has made many ill, quite a few seriously. An example is the wife of a local politician who made her employees wear masks all day long. She did as well, until all-day masking sent her to the doctor. This is from her social media post about her mask-induced illness:

I went to the doctor today with a droopy eyelid and a swollen neck. Turns out what started as a slight case of maskne (a true condition, comes from wearing a mask), turned into something worse. One eyelid has drooped and my neck is swollen. Chances are my throat would have closed up if I hadn’t sought treatment. The doctor put me on a heavy duty prednisone treatment. I am COVID vaccinated and if you see me maskless in public, it’s not a sign of disrespect to you. I will totally social distance.

She has already been vaccinated and wearing a mask made her very sick. Yet she still feels the need to apologize to her husband’s constituents for not wearing a mask around town. This obsequiousness on her part to the new normal helps explain why the Greeks are so attached to Covid interventions.

Masks, social distancing, and even lockdowns are all part of a new civic religion. It is not about science. Not real science anyway with its frumpy concerns about facts and data. No, this is about being a good person and conforming to the approved narrative. It is all about faith. Think of the mask as the new baptismal cross – at a glance you know who is and who is not “on your team.” It is the mark of a true believer. Especially when you wear two masks, alone and outside.

The Greek Archdiocese is run by men who rub elbows with the ruling elites around the world. For them, virtue signaling in the approved manner is practically second nature. They know all the right people. They have all the right opinions. They wear all the right masks.

Or it could be just garden variety psychosis. The relentlessly negative reporting of the past year plus the Nonpharmaceutical Interventions (NPIs) seem to have driven a goodly portion of our population completely insane. Among the affected, there is an ongoing competition to be the most terrified of a disease with a 99.9% survival rate for those under age 70. Have some Greek Orthodox gone over the edge and now cling to magic talismans the way they should cling to Christ? Should the Church really be promoting that level of fear? Or should we be teaching people to overcome fear and live Orthodox lives?

It could be more sinister, of course. There are reputed links between the Church of Constantinople and both Freemasonry and the forces behind the Great Reset.

Regardless, the motivations really don’t matter at this point. In June 2020, we wrote a letter to the Greek Metropolitan of Atlanta asking him what would be necessary for our Greek parish to get back to normal. What objective measures would indicate things were now “safe?” His Eminence had no answer for us then, nor does he have one now. Neither does Fauci nor anyone else in the government, as you can see from this exchange with Rep. Jim Jordan.

Over the past year, poor leadership in the Church has hurt many souls. It is past time for all Orthodox parishes in all jurisdictions to stop waiting for an “all clear” signal from the CDC or any government agency that may never come. As we approach the Resurrection of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, it is time for all of us to be about our Father’s business. His blessing and protection are all we need.

Nicholas – member of the Western Rite Vicariate, a part of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese in America, a COVID refugee from the Greek Archdiocese

Tags: Archbishop Elpidophoros, Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops, Branch Covidians, clergy / laity rift, coronavirus, covid religion, Covid-19, Faucism, mask mandate, mask mandates, masks, Orthodox, Orthodox Bishops, parish life, surgical masks, virtue signaling

How and Why the Jesus Prayer?

February 19, 2021

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Click here to read the Greek language version of this article.

“Lord, Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner”

The “Jesus Prayer,” loved and practiced by many, misunderstood and discouraged by others, has been widely taught and discussed throughout the history of the Orthodox Church. The Orthodox Church has a great many beautiful and important prayers for numerous needs and occasions. However, the Jesus Prayer, often repeated continually, has gained high esteem by many saints and spiritual fathers as a way of learning to “pray without ceasing,” a practice which cleanses and opens up, first the mind and then the heart. Those who diligently practice the Prayer first acquire the Prayer of the Mind or the Noetic Prayer (Νοερά Προσευχή) and then the Prayer of the Heart (Καρδιακή Προσευχή). The Prayer of the Heart is considered to be the Unceasing Prayer that the Apostle Paul advocates in the New Testament, when he says “pray without ceasing.” (1 Thessalonians 5:17)

According to Wikipedia, the origin of the Jesus Prayer is probably the Egyptian desert, which was settled in the 5^th century by the monastic Desert Fathers (such as St. Anthony the Great) and Desert Mothers (such as Saints Syncletica and Theodora of Alexandria). A formula similar to the standard form of the Jesus Prayer is found in a letter written by Saint John Chrysostom (347 – 407 AD). This letter speaks of “Lord Jesus Christ, son of God, have mercy” and “Lord Jesus Christ, son of God, have mercy on us” being used as ceaseless prayer.

Possibly the earliest explicit reference to the Jesus Prayer in today’s fuller form, can be found in Discourse on Abba Philimon from the Philokalia. Philimon, who lived around 600 AD, cited, “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy upon me.”

Why, of all the prayers known to us, has the Jesus Prayer entered our Holy Tradition as the unceasing Prayer of the Heart; and why not the prayer “I thank you, I glorify you, lord, have mercy on me,” which was recently innovated and recommended by Archbishop Sotirios on January 24, 2021? What is the difference between these two prayers?

First, Saint Theophan regarded the Jesus Prayer stronger than all other prayers by virtue of the power of the Holy Name of Jesus. When Jesus asked his disciples, “Who do men say that I am?” He got several answers from them, including John the Baptist, Elijah and one of the prophets. However, when He asked, “but whom do you say that I am?” Simon Peter jumped up with “You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God.” Then Jesus replied, “Blessed are you Simon…for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood but by My Father in Heaven.” (Matthew 16:13-18) “(For)…no one can say Jesus is Lord, except by the Holy Spirit.” (1 Corinthians 12:3)

By this we see that the Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Holy Trinity, speaks through us when we confess Jesus as the Messiah, and as the Son of the Living God, for the Son is the second Person of the Holy Trinity (i.e. God, Himself), and not some dead (false) god, for there are many false gods that people worship and refer to as “lord.” Therefore, when we say Lord (i.e. God), Jesus Christ (the anointed one), Son of God…” we are witnessing that Jesus is the Messiah (the anointed one) and God. The name of Jesus in the proper context carries so much power, that the Desert Fathers and Mothers who were sorely tempted by the demons in the wilderness used this prayer to strengthen themselves in their spiritual struggles against the dark forces of Satan. We, too, as we live our lives in the spiritual wilderness of today’s world, can use the Jesus prayer to protect ourselves from the daily temptations of the evil one.

“I thank you, I glorify you, lord, have mercy on me,” is a prayer which does not mention the name of Jesus, the Saviour of the world, nor does it acknowledge Him as God. It is, therefore, a weak prayer with which to do battle with demons who tremble at the name of Jesus.

Second, the Jesus Prayer actually dates back even further than Wikipedia indicates, for it is not a mere or random invention of the 5^th century Elders (Γεροντάδες) of our Church. As we see below, it originates as far back as the first century, for it combines three Bible verses found in Holy Scripture:

(i) The Christological hymn of St. Paul: “…being in the form of God, He (Jesus) thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Himself the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men; and…as a man, He humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. For this reason, God has highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Phillipians 2:6-11)

(ii) The Annunciation: “And the angel said…fear not, Mary, for you have found favour with God; and behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a son and shall call his name Jesus. He shall be great and shall be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God shall give to him the throne of his father David; and he shall reign…for ever; and of His kingdom there shall be no end…The Holy Ghost shall come upon you, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow you. Therefore, that Holy Thing which shall be born of you shall be called the Son of God.” (Luke 1:30-35)

(iii) The Parable of the Pharisee and the Publican (sinful tax collector) spoken by Jesus, Himself: “To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable:“Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people – robbers, evildoers, adulterers – or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’ “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” (Luke 18:9-14)

Here we see that Jesus, Himself, teaches the Jesus Prayer and He completes it with the words, “a sinner.” Notice Jesus does not correct the prayer of the tax collector. He does not say the tax collector should have said “I thank you, I glorify you, lord have mercy on me.” Instead, He says the tax collector went home justified; whereas the Pharisee, who did thank God, but did so, proudly boasting of his good works, was not justified. This means that the Jesus Prayer has not only great power against demons because of the name of Jesus, but also the power to save us from sin because of the great humility and repentance found in the words of confession, “have mercy on me, a sinner.”

Third, there are many other Biblical references in which Jesus, Himself, endorses the Jesus Prayer. Consider the cleansing of the ten lepers. “… as Jesus entered a certain village, there met Him ten lepers, who stood afar off. And they lifted up their voices and said, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” (Luke 17:12-13) Note how they called him by his name, Jesus. They also said Master, meaning Lord or God. They approached Him for the miracle because they first acknowledged that Jesus is God. This was their public declaration of faith. Jesus healed them all of their leprosy and note that He did not correct the way they addressed Him. He did not say, “No, don’t say, ‘Jesus, Master, have mercy on us,’ but rather say, ‘We thank you, we glorify you, lord have mercy on us’, because that is more correct.” He did not say that at all! He healed them straightaway, but He did expect them all to thank God after they were healed.

Consider also the blind man who was begging by the roadside near Jericho. When he heard that Jesus was passing by, he called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” Jesus stopped and asked him,“What do you want Me to do for you?” “Lord, I want to see,”… Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God.” (Luke 18:35-43)

Note that Jesus did not correct the blind man who called out to Him in this manner, and also called Him Son of David, which, according to Old Testament prophecy, is the Messiah (the anointed Christ). The blind man did not call Jesus, ‘son of Joseph’ as had some others, who did not believe He was the Messiah. “Then they scoffed, isn’t this the carpenter’s son?…and they took offense at Him.” (Matthew 13:54-58) Instead, the blind man called Him “Son of David.” Despite being blind and unable to read, even the blind man knew that “Son of David” is a Messianic title which originates in the Old Testament, because God promised King David that one of his descendants would rule forever. Jesus was born in Bethlehem, the City of David, and according to his earthly genealogy and Mosaic Law, He was understood as the son of Joseph, the carpenter, whose ancestor was King David. In Matthew’s Gospel, there are six instances where Jesus is called “Son of David.”

There are many more Biblical references which name Jesus and confirm His Divinity. Let us examine some of these:

(i) As soon as Nathaniel, the Disciple, met Jesus, he cried out, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” (John 1:49) and Jesus did not correct him, because there was nothing to correct.

(ii) St. Paul, the Apostle to the Nations, writes: “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12) “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23) “Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9) “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” (Colossians 3:17)

(iii) St. Peter, the Apostle, said to the lame beggar, “I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!” (Acts 3:6)

(iv) The Evangelists write: “The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, ‘Lord (Jesus), even the demons are subject to us in your name!’” (Luke 10:17) “And whenever the unclean spirits saw him (Jesus), they fell down before him and cried out, ‘You are the Son of God.’” (Mark 3:11) Also, “…a man with an unclean spirit…cried out, “What have You to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are – the Holy One of God.” But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!…” (Mark 1:21-28)

(v) Jesus, Himself, said: (i) “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” (John 8:58) thereby affirming that He is the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, the triune God, Who existed before time began. (ii) He also promised, “Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.” (John 14:13) (iii) He likewise prophesied, “And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.” (Mark 16:17-18)

Therefore, dear reader, not only is the Jesus Prayer correct, but there are no other words which can substitute for the divinely inspired words, “Lord, Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner.” With these words, we confess our faith that Jesus is the Master of all (Lord); that He is the anointed Messiah (Christ) who came to redeem the world from sin; that He is begotten of the father (Son of God) and is therefore of the same essence as the Father, meaning Divine. Furthermore, by uttering His human name, Jesus, we also acknowledge His dual nature as God and Man, or the God-Man, who was born of the Virgin Mary so that he could live, suffer and die like a man, to save mankind. As the only perfect and sinless human, He became High Priest for us, offering Himself on the cross as the ultimate sacrifice to make atonement for our sins and re-unite us with the Father. He alone became the Offerοr and the Offering. All of this was accomplished by none other than Jesus.

“Jesus Christ the faithful witness, (is) the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. (He) has freed us from our sins by His blood.” (Revelation 1:5) “For there is one God, and there is one Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” (1 Timothy 2:5) “Since then we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.” (Hebrews 4:14)

Our confession is the Jesus Prayer, which is supported by reams of Holy Scripture, contains volumes of Orthodox theology and great power. It was not just any “lord,” not Mohammad, not Allah, not Buddha, not Brahma, or any other deity who died for us and shattered the gates of Hell. Only the crucified Lord Jesus destroyed the power of Sin and Death and Satan’s hold on mankind. This is why the demons tremble at the name of Jesus. This is why the elders (Γεροντάδες) of our Holy Orthodox Church ceaselessly pray the Jesus Prayer – to ward off demonic temptations and spiritual attacks, by exercising humility and ceaselessly calling on the name of Jesus.

To remove the name of Jesus, keeping only the unassigned word “lord,” enables several threats to erode our Orthodox faith and identity and to jeopardize our salvation:

First, the newly innovated prayer advances pagan and polytheistic Ecumenism, which for years, has been focusing only on “common ground” to promote a type of “love” that ignores differences and Truth. “I thank you, I glorify you, lord, have mercy on me,” is a non-denominational prayer that can be comfortably spoken by any Jain, any Jew, any Hindu, any Sikh, any Zoroastrian, any Muslim, even any idol or Luciferian worshipper. This prayer is not only un-Orthodox, it is even un-Christian.

Second, removing the name of Jesus replaces a Confession of Faith with a Denial of Faith. Are we suddenly afraid or ashamed to identify as Christians by saying the name of Jesus? A denial of faith threatens our salvation! Jesus said, “…whosoever shall confess Me before men, him will I confess also before My Father which is in Heaven. But whosoever shall deny Me before men, him will I also deny before My Father which is in Heaven.” (Matthew 10:33-34)

Third, by removing the name of Jesus, thousands of years of sacred prophecies, Biblical teachings and Patristic dogma become discounted and overturned, arbitrarily and for no good reason. This is unacceptable if we wish to maintain an Orthodox identity. On judgment day, when everyone rises from the dead, including all those who lived before us, it will be difficult to justify in the presence of God and His martyrs, any disobedience to the words of St. Paul, “Do not get carried away by various and strange teachings,” (Hebrews 13:9) even if the strange teachings came from someone that has the title of a bishop. Let us not forget that historically, the majority of heresies battled by the Orthodox Church, came from wayward bishops!

The more one utters the proposed innovated prayer, instead of the Jesus Prayer, the further away one drifts from Jesus, the Orthodox ethos and ecclesial consciousness, and the closer one draws towards heresy. “For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light…Their end will correspond to their deeds.” (2 Corinthians 11:13-15)

I hope and pray that the innovated prayer was an unintended error in judgment on the part of his Eminence Sotirios, and not another assault against those who adhere to Patristic Holy Orthodox Tradition. Those who are not interested in Orthodox Tradition are free to leave and join other jurisdictions anytime they wish; but we, the faithful, will not follow them…

Lord, Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner!

Demetrios Georgiou – member, Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Canada

Πως και Γιατí η ευχή «Κύριε Ιησού Χριστέ, Υιέ Θεού ελέησòν με τον αμαρτωλό»?

Η «Ευχή», αγαπητή και συνηθισμένη απο πολλούς, αλλά παρεξηγημένη και προς αποφυγή απο αλλους, έχει διδαχθεί και συζητηθεί ευρέως σε όλη την διάρκεια της ιστορίας της Ορθόδοξης Εκκλησίας. Η Ορθόδοξη Εκκλησία έχει πολλαπλές σημαντικές και όμορφες προσευχές που αρμόζουν σε αναρίθμητες ανάγκες και περιστάσεις. Πάντως, η «Ευχή», συχνά και συνεχώς επαναλαμβανομένη, εχει αποκτίσει υψηλό κύρος από πολλούς αγίους και πνευματικούς πατέρες ως ένας τρόπος εκμάθησης της «αδιάλειπτης προσευχής», μία πράξη η οποία πρώτα καθαρίζει και διανοίγει τον νου, και κατόπιν την καρδιά. Όσοι ασκούν με επιμέλεια την Ευχή πρώτα αποκτούν την Νοερά Προσευχή, και μετέπειτα την Καρδιακή Προσευχή. Η Καρδιακή Προσευχή φέρεται να ειναι η «αδιάλειπτη προσευχή» που παροτρύνει ο Απόστολος Παύλος στην Καινή Διαθήκη, όταν λέει «αδιαλείπτως προσεύχεσθε» (1 Θεσ. 5,17).

Κατά την Wikipedia, οι ρίζες της Ευχής πιθανολογούνται στην έρημο της Αιγύπτου, στην οποία εγκαταστάθηκαν τον 5^ο αιώνα οι ερημίτες-μοναχοί Πατέρες της Ερήμου (όπως ο Μέγας Αντώνιος), και οι Μητέρες της Ερήμου (όπως οι αγίες Συγκλητική και Θεοδώρα Αλεξανδρείας). Σε μιά επιστολή του Αγίου Ιωάννου του Χρυσοστόμου (347-407 μ.Χ.) βρίσκεται μια σύνταξη με ομοιότητες προς την συνηθισμένη μορφή της Ευχής. Αυτή η επιστολή αναφέρει το «Κύριε Ιησού Χριστέ, Υιέ Θεού Ελέησον», και το «Κύριε Ιησού Χριστέ Υιέ Θεού ελέησον ημάς» ως αδιάλειπτη προσευχή.

Ίσως η αρχαιότερη επίσημη αναφορά στην Ευχή με την σημερινή της ολοκληρωμένη μορφή να βρίσκεται στον Λόγο περί του αββά Φιλήμονος, (Φιλοκαλία των Ιερών Νηπτικών, Τόμος Β’). Ο Φιλήμων, ο οποίος έζησε κατα το 600 μ.Χ. ανέφερε το «Κύριε Ιησού Χριστέ, Υιέ του Θεού, ελέησόν με».

Γιατί άραγε εντάχθηκε η Ευχή στην Αγία μας Παράδοση, μεταξύ όλων των γνωστών μας προσευχών, ως η αδιάλειπτη Καρδιακή Προσευχή, και όχι η προσευχή που προσφάτως επινόησε και πρότεινε ο Αρχιεπίσκοπος Σωτήριος στις 24.1.2021 – «Σε ευχαριστώ, Σε δοξάζω Κύριε, ελέησόν με»; Ποία η διαφορά μεταξύ των δύο αυτών προσευχών;

Κατ’αρχήν, ο Άγιος Θεοφάνης ο αναχωριτής θεωρούσε την Ευχή ως ισχυρότερη απο τις υπόλοιπες προσευχές λόγω της δυνάμεως του Αγίου Ονόματος του Ιησού. Όταν ο Ιησούς ρώτησε τους μαθητές Του «Ποιός λένε οι άνθρωποι οτι είναι ο Υιός του ανθρώπου;» έλαβε διάφορες απαντήσεις από αυτούς, συμπεριλαμβανομένων του Ιωάννου του Βαπτιστού, του Προφήτη Ηλία, του Προφήτη Ιερεμία, και ενός άλλου προφήτη. Όμως όταν τους ρώτησε «Εσείς όμως ποιός λέτε ότι είμαι;» ο Σίμωνας Πέτρος έσπευσε με το «Εσύ είσαι ο Χριστός, ο Υιός του Θεού του ζώντος.» Τότε ο Ιησούς απάντησε «Μακάριος ει Σίμωνδιότι αυτό δεν σου το απεκάλυψαν η σάρκα και το αίμα, αλλά ο Πατέρας μου στους ουρανούς» (Ματ. 16,13-18). «Διότι…κανείς δεν μπορεί να πει ότι ο Ιησούς είναι Κύριος, παρά μόνο με το Άγιο Πνεύμα» (1 Κορ. 12-3).

Έτσι βλέπουμε ότι το Άγιο Πνεύμα, το τρίτο πρόσωπο της Αγίας Τριάδος, ομιλεί διαμέσω μας όταν ομολογούμε τον Ιησού ως Χριστό και ως τον Υιό του ζώντος Θεού, επειδή ο Υιός είναι το δεύτερο Πρόσωπο της Αγίας Τριάδος (δηλ. ο Θεός ο Ίδιος), και όχι κάποιος νεκρός (ψεύτικος) θεός, διότι υπάρχουν πολλοί ψευτο-θεοί τους οποίους άνθρωποι λατρεύουν και αποκαλούν «κύριο». Έτσι λοιπόν, όταν λεμε «Κύριε (δηλ. Θεέ) Ιησού Χριστέ (εκείνος που φέρει το χρίσμα), Υιέ Θεού…» μαρτυρούμε ότι ο Ιησούς είναι ο Χριστός (ο φέρων το χρίσμα) και Θεός. Πλαισιομένο σωστά, το όνομα του Ιησού φέρει τόση ισχύ, ώστε οι Πατέρες και Μητέρες της ερήμου, δεινά πειραζόμενοι από τα δαιμόνια, χρησιμοποιούσαν αυτή την Ευχή για να ενισχυθούν στους πνευματικούς τους αγώνες εναντίον των σκοτεινών δυνάμεων του Σατανά. Και εμείς λοιπόν, βιώνοντας την ζωή μας στην πνευματική έρημο του σημερινού κόσμου, μπορούμε να χρησιμοποιήσουμε την Ευχή για να προστατεύσουμε τους εαυτούς μας απο τους καθημερινούς πειρασμούς του πονηρού.

Το «Σε ευχαριστώ, Σε δοξάζω, Κύριε ελέησόν με» είναι μια προσευχή η οποία ΔΕΝ αναφέρει το όνομα του Ιησού, του Σωτήρα του κόσμου, αλλά και ούτε Τον αναγνωρίζει ως Θεό. Άρα, αποτελεί μία αποδυναμωμένη προσευχή για μια μάχη με τους δαίμονες οι οποίοι τρέμουν στο άκουσμα του ονόματος του Ιησού.

Δεύτερον, η Ευχή χρονολογείται ακόμα νωρίτερα από την εποχή που επισημαίνει η Wikipedia, διότι δεν πρόκειται για μια απλή η τυχαία εφεύρεση των εκκλησιαστικών μας Γερόντων του 5^ου αιώνα. Όπως παρατηρούμε παρακάτω, η προέλευσή της χρονολογείται και από τον 1^ο αιώνα, διότι συνδυάζει τρία ρητά της Αγίας Γραφής:

α) Τον Χριστολογικό Ύμνο του Αποστόλου Παύλου: «…ο Οποίος (Ιησούς) υπάρχων σε μορφή Θεού, δεν θεώρησε το ότι ήταν ίσος με τον Θεό σαν κάτι προς αρπαγμό (κλοπή), αλλά εκένωσε τον εαυτόν Του, έλαβε μορφή δούλου, και έγινε όμοιος προς τους ανθρώπους. Και βρισκόμενος σε μορφή ανθρώπου, εταπείνωσε τον εαυτόν Του, γενόμενος υπάκουος μέχρι θανάτου, και μάλιστα θανάτου σταυρικού. Για αυτό ο Θεός Τον υπερύψωσε, και Του χάρισε το υψηλότερο Όνομα από όλα τα ονόματα, για να κάμψει κάθε γόνατο στο όνομα του Ιησού, στον ουρανό, στην γη και στα καταχθόνια (υπό της γης), και κάθε γλώσσα να ομολογήσει οτι ο Ιησούς Χριστός είναι Κύριος εις δόξαν του Θεού Πατρός.» (Φιλ. 2,6-11)

β) Τον Ευαγγελισμό: «..και της είπε ο άγγελος, μη φοβάσαι Μαριάμ. Διότι βρήκες χάρη από τον Θεό. Και δες, θα συλλάβεις στην κοιλία σου, και θα τέξεις υιό, και θα καλέσεις το όνομά του Ιησού. Αυτός θα γίνει μέγας, και θα αποκαλεσθεί Υιός του Υψίστου, και θα του δώσει ο Κύριος ο Θεός τον θρόνο του Δαυίδ, του πατέρα Του, και θα βασιλεύσει…για πάντα, και η βασιλεία Του δεν θα έχει τέλος ποτέ…Το Άγιο Πνεύμα θα επέλθει έπανω σου, και η Δύναμη του Υψίστου θα σε επισκιάσει. Για αυτό, θα αποκαλείται Υιός του Θεού το άγιο [τέκνο] που θα γεννηθεί.» (Λκ. 1,30-35)

γ) Την Παραβολή του Τελώνου (αμαρτωλού φοροεισπράκτορα) και Φαρισαίου αφηγημένη απο τον Ιησού τον Ίδιο: «και είπε την εξής παραβολή για κάποιους οι οποίοι είχαν την πεποίθηση ότι ήσαν δίκαιοι ενώ εξουθενούσαν τους υπολοίπους…Δύο άνθρωποι ανέβηκαν στο ιερό να προσευχηθούν, ο ένας Φαρισαίος, και ο άλλος τελώνης. Ο Φαρισαίος στέκοντας όρθιος, προσευχόταν στον εαυτό του (προς εαυτόν) τα ακόλουθα: Σε ευχαριστώ Θεέ, ότι δεν είμαι σαν τους λοιπούς ανθρώπους – άρπαγες, άδικοι, μοιχοί – η ακόμη σαν αυτόν εδώ τον τελώνη. Νηστεύω δύο φορές την εβδομάδα, αποδεκατώ τα πάντα όσα αποκτώ. Ο δε τελώνης, στεκόμενος μακρυά, ούτε τα μάτια του δεν ήθελε να σηκώσει προς τον ουρανό, αλλά χτυπούσε το στήθος του λέγοντας: Ο Θεός ιλάσθητι μοι τω αμαρτωλώ (Ο Θεός δείξε μου έλεος [ελέησόν με], εμένα τον αμαρτωλό). Σας λέω οτί αυτός (ο τελώνης) επέστρεψε στο σπίτι του δικαιωμένος, και όχι εκείνος (ο Φαρισαίος). Ότι όποιος υψώνει τον εαυτόν του θα ταπεινωθεί, και όποιος ταπεινώνεται θα υψωθεί.» (Λκ. 18,9-14)

Σε αυτό το σημείο βλέπουμε ότι ο Ίδιος ο Ιησούς διδάσκει την Ευχή, και την συμπληρώνει με τις λέξεις «τω αμαρτωλώ». Παρατηρήστε οτι ο Ιησούς δεν διορθώνει την προσευχή του τελώνου. Δεν λέει ότι ο τελώνης θα έπρεπε να πει «Σε ευχαριστώ, Σε δοξάζω, Κύριε ελέησόν με». Αντιθέτως, μας λέει οτι ο τελώνης επέστρεψε στο σπίτι του δικαιωμένος, και ο δε Φαρισαίος, ο οποίος όντως ευχαρίστησε τον Θεό, αλλά με έναν υπερήφανο τρόπο, καυχόμενος για τις καλές του πράξεις, ΔΕΝ δικαιώθηκε. Αυτό σημαίνει ότι η Ευχή δεν περιορίζεται στο να έχει μεγάλη δύναμη εναντίον των δαιμόνων λόγω του ονόματος του Ιησού, αλλά επίσης έχει την δύναμη να μας γλυτώσει από την αμαρτία επειδή τα λόγια ομολογίας «ελέησόν με τον αμαρτωλό» περιέχουν μεγάλη ταπείνωση και μετάνοια.

Τρίτον, υπάρχουν πολλές άλλες παραπομπές στην Αγία Γραφή στις οποίες ο Ιησούς ο Ίδιος υποστηρίζει την Ευχή. Θυμηθείτε τον καθαρισμό των δέκα λεπρών… «και ερχόμενος σε ένα χωριό, Τον συνάντησαν δέκα λεπροί άνδρες, οι οποίοι στέκονταν από μακρυά, και φώναξαν λέγοντες Ιησού Επιστάτα, ελέησον ημάς.» (Λκ. 17, 12-13). Παρατηρήστε πως τον αποκαλούν με το όνομά του, Ιησού. Επίσης τον αποκαλούν Επιστάτη, που σημαινει Κύριος, η Θεός. Τον πλησιάσανε ζητώντας το θαύμα επειδή πρώτα αναγνωρίσανε ότι ο Ιησούς ειναι Θεός. Αυτή ήταν η δημόσιά τους ομολογία πίστης. Ο Ιησούς τους γιάτρεψε από την λέπρα τους, και παρατηρήστε ότι ΔΕΝ διόρθωσε τον τρόπο με τον οποίο Τον απεκάλεσαν. Δεν τους είπε «Όχι, μην λέτε το Ιησού Επιστάτα, ελέησον ημάς, αλλά καλύτερα πείτε το Σε ευχαριστούμε, Σε δοξάζουμε, Κύριε ελέησον ημάς, επειδή αυτό είναι το πιο σωστό..». Δεν το είπε αυτό καθόλου! Τους ίασε αμέσως, αλλά είχε βεβαίως την προσδοκία ότι θα ευχαριστούσαν τον Θεό έπειτα απο την ίασή τους.

Σκεφτείτε και τον τυφλό ο οποίος ζητιάνευε παράπλευρα του δρόμου κοντά στην Ιεριχώ. Όταν άκουσε ότι ο Ιησούς περνούσε, φώναξε «Ιησού, Υιέ Δαυίδ, ελέησόν με. Και εκείνοι που προηγούνταν τον επετιμούσαν να σιωπήσει, αλλά εκείνος πιό πολύ φώναζε Υιέ Δαυίδ, ελέησόν με.» Ο Ιησούς σταμάτησε και τον ρώτησε «Τι θέλεις να κάνω για εσένα; Κύριε, να δω το φως μου (να αναβλέψω). Και ο Κύριος του είπε Ανάβλεψε! Η πίστη σου σε έσωσε. Και αμέσως ανέβλεψε, και ακολούθησε τον Ιησού, δοξάζοντας τον Θεό.» (Λκ. 18, 35-43)

Παρατηρούμε ότι ο Ιησούς ΔΕΝ διόρθωσε τον τυφλό ο οποίος Του απευθύνθηκε με αυτόν τον τρόπο, αποκαλώντας Τον Υιό του Δαυίδ, ο οποίος κατά τις προφητείες της Παλαιάς Διαθήκης είναι ο Μεσσίας (ο Χριστός). Ο τυφλός δεν αποκάλεσε τον Ιησού «υιό του Ιωσήφ» όπως κάνανε κάποιοι άλλοι οι οποίοι δεν πιστεύανε ότι ήταν ο Μεσσίας. «δεν είναι αυτός ο γιός του μαραγκού (τέκτονος);» (Ματ. 13,55)… «και σκανδαλίζονταν από Αυτόν»(Ματ. 13,57). Αντιθέτως, ο τυφλός τον απεκάλεσε «Υιό του Δαυίδ». Χωρίς να μπορεί να διαβάσει επειδή ήταν τυφλός, ακόμα όμως και εκείνος γνώριζε οτι ο τίτλος «Υιός του Δαυίδ» πρόκειται για περιγραφή του Μεσσία που προέρχεται από την Παλαιά Διαθήκη, επειδή ο Θεός υποσχέθηκε στον Βασιλέα Δαυίδ ότι ένας από τους απογόνους του θα βασίλευε για πάντα. Ο Ιησούς γεννήθηκε στην Βηθλεέμ, την Πόλη του Δαυίδ, και κατά την επίγεια γενεολογία και τον Μωσαϊκό Νόμο, Τον κατανοούσαν ως τον υιό του Ιωσήφ, του μαραγκού, του οποίου ο πρόγονος ήταν ο Βασιλέας Δαυίδ. Στο κατά Ματθαίον Ευαγγέλιο, υπάρχουν έξι περιπτώσεις οπού αναφέρεται ο Ιησούς ως «Υιός του Δαυίδ».

Υπάρχουν αρκετές άλλες παραπομπές στις Γραφές που ονομάζουν τον Ιησού και βεβαιώνουν την Θεότητά Του. Ας εξετάσουμε μερικές από αυτές:

α) Μόλις συνάντησε τον Ιησού ο Ναθαναήλ ο Μαθητής, ανεφώνησε «Ραββί, Εσύ είσαι ο Υιός του Θεού, Εσύ είσαι ο Βασιλέας του Ισραήλ!» (Ιω. 1, 49) και ο Ιησούς δεν τον διόρθωσε, διότι δεν υπήρχε τίποτα να διορθώσει.

β) Ο Απόστολος Παύλος, ο Απόστολος των Εθνών γράφει «και δεν υπάρχει σε κανέναν άλλον η σωτηρία, διότι δεν υπάρχει κανένα άλλο όνομα υπό του ουρανού που να έχει δοθεί στους ανθρώπους και δια του οποίου πρέπει να σωθούμε.»(Πρα. 4, 12). «η ανταμοιβή της αμαρτίας είναι ο θάνατος, το δε χάρισμα του Θεού η αιώνια ζωή, εν Χριστώ Ιησού τω Κυρίω ημών.» (Ρωμ. 6, 23). «Ότι εάν ομολογήσεις με το στόμα σου τον Ιησού ως Κύριο, και πιστεύσεις με την καρδιά σου οτι ο Θεός τον ανέστησε από τους νεκρούς, θα σωθείς.» (Ρωμ. 10, 9). «Και ό,τι πράξετε, εν λόγω η εν έργω, όλα κάντε τα στο όνομα του Κυρίου Ιησού, ευχαριστούντες τον Θεό δι’Αυτού.» (Κολ. 3, 17).

γ) Ο Απόστολος Πέτρος είπε στον χωλό ζητιάνο, «δεν έχω αργύριο και χρυσάφι, αλλά εκείνο που έχω σου το δίνω. Στο όνομα του Ιησού Χριστού του Ναζωραίου, σήκω και περπάτα!» (Πρα. 3, 6).

δ) Οι Ευαγγελιστές γράφουν – «Οι εβδομήκοντα-δύο επέστρεψαν με χαρά λέγοντες Κύριε και τα δαιμόνια υποτάσσονται σε έμας εν τω ονόματί Σου.»(Λκ. 10, 17). «Και τα πνεύματα τα ακάθαρτα, όταν τον είδαν, έπεφταν μπροστά του φωνάζοντας και λέγοντας ότι Εσύ είσαι ο Υιός του Θεού.» (Μαρ. 3,, 11). Επίσης «…ανθρωπος με πνεύμα ακάθαρτο μέσα του…φώναξε Τι έχεις με έμας Ιησού Ναζαρηνέ; Ήλθες να μας καταστρέψεις; Γνωρίζω ποιός Είσαι, ο Αγιος του Θεού. Αλλά ο Ιησούς τον επετίμησε λέγοντας, φιμώσου, και βγες από αυτόν!» (Μαρ. 1, 21-28)

ε) Ο Ίδιος ο Ιησούς είπε: 1) «Αμήν λέγω υμίν, ότι πριν γεννηθεί ο Αβραάμ, υπάρχω Εγώ.» (Ιω. 8, 58) καθορίζοντας έτσι οτι εΙναι το Δεύτερο Πρόσωπο της Αγίας Τρίαδος, του Τριάδικου Θεού, ο Οποίος υπήρχε και πριν αρχίσει ο χρόνος. 2) Υποσχέθηκε επίσης «και ό,τι αν ζητήσετε στο όνομά μου, θα το κάνω για να δοξασθεί ο Πατέρας μέσω του Υιού.» (Ιω. 14, 13) …3) Επίσης προφήτευσε «σημεία θα ακολουθήσουν εκείνους που έχουν πιστεύσει. Θα εκβάλλουν δαιμόνια στο όνομά μου, νέες γλώσσες θα μίλουν, και φίδια θα κρατούν στα χέρια τους, και ό,τι θανάσιμο και να πιούν δεν θα τους βλάψει…θα βάζουν τα χέρια τους επάνω στους αρρώστους, και θα γίνονται καλά.» (Μαρ. 16, 17-18)

Έτσι λοιπόν, αγαπητέ αναγνώστη, όχι μόνο είναι ορθή η Ευχή, αλλά δεν υπάρχουν άλλες λέξεις οι οποίες μπορούν να αντικαταστήσουν τις θεόπνευστες λέξεις «Κύριε Ιησού Χριστέ, Υιέ Θεού, ελέησόν με τον αμαρτωλό». Με αυτά τα λόγια ομολογούμε την πίστη μας ότι ο Ιησούς είναι ο Κύριος όλων, ότι είναι ο χρισμένος Μεσσίας (Χριστός) που ήρθε να σώσει τον κόσμο άπο την αμαρτία, ότι ειναι εκ του Πατρός γεννηθής (Υιός του Θεού) και κατά συνέπεια ομοούσιος με τον Πατέρα, δηλαδή Θεϊκός. Εν συνεχεία, με το να λέμε το ανθρώπινο όνομά Του, Ιησούς, αναγνωρίζουμε και τις δυό Του φύσεις, ως Θεό και Άνθρωπο, η ως τον Θεάνθρωπο, που ετέχθη από την Παρθένο Μαρία για να ζήσει, να υποφέρει, και να υποστεί τον θάνατο ως άνθρωπος, για να σώσει την ανθρωπότητα. Ως ο μόνος τέλειος και αναμάρτητος άνθρωπος, έγινε ο Αρχιερέας μας, προσφέροντας τον εαυτόν Του στον σταυρό, ως την έσχατη θυσία για την εξιλέωση των αμαρτιών μας, και για να μας ξαναενώσει με τον Πατέρα. Ο Ίδιος έγινε και ο Θυσιαστής και η Θυσία. Όλα αυτά δεν κατορθώθηκαν από κανέναν άλλον, εκτός από τον Ιησού.

«…και από Ιησού Χριστού, ο μάρτυς και πιστός, ο πρωτότοκος των νεκρών, και ο άρχων των βασιλέων της γής. Αυτός που …μας λύνει από τις αμαρτίες μας με το Αίμα Του.» (Αποκ. 1, 5) «Ότι υπάρχει ένας Θεός, και ένας μεσίτης του Θεού» (1 Τιμ. 2, 5) «Επειδή έχουμε μέγα αρχιερέα, που διήλθε τους ουρανούς, τον Ιησού, τον Υιό του Θεού, ας κρατήσουμε την ομολογία μας.» (Εβρ. 4, 14)

Η ομολογία μας ειναι η Ευχή, η οποια υποστηρίζεται απο στοίβες Αγίων Γραφών, η οποία περιέχει τόμους Ορθόδοξης θεολογίας, και μεγάλη δύναμη. Δεν ήταν απλά κάποιος τυχαίος «κύριος», ούτε ο Μωάμεθ, ούτε ο Αλλάχ, ούτε ο Βούδας, ούτε ο Βράχμα, ούτε κάποια άλλη θεότητα η οποία θανατώθηκε για εμάς και έθραυσε τις πύλες του Άδου (της κολάσεως). Μόνο ο σταυρωθείς Κύριος Ιησούς κατέστρεψε την ισχύ της Αμαρτίας και του Θανάτου, αλλά και το κράτος του Σατανά. Για αυτό ακριβώς τρέμουν οι δαίμονες με το όνομα Ιησού. Για αυτό οι Γέροντες της Αγίας Ορθόδοξης Εκκλησίας αδιαλείπτως προσεύχονται την Ευχή – για να απωθήσουν δαιμονικούς πειρασμούς και πνευματικές επιθέσεις, καλλιεργώντας ταπείνωση και ασταμάτητα καλώντας το όνομα του Ιησού.

Το να εκτοπίσουμε το όνομα του Ιησού, κρατώντας μόνο τον αόριστο όρο «κύριε», ενισχύει αρκετές απειλές που μπορούν εν συνεχεία να φθείρουν την Ορθόδοξή μας πίστη και ταυτότητα, και να θέσουν σε κίνδυνο την σωτηρία μας:

Πρώτον, η νεωτεριστική προσευχή προωθεί τον παγανιστικό και πολυθεϊστικό Οικουμενισμό, ο οποίος για πολλά χρόνια εστιάζει την προσοχή του αποκλειστικά σε «κοινά σημεία», με σκοπό την εξάπλωση ενός είδους «αγάπης» η οποία αγνοεί τις διαφορές και την Αλήθεια. Το «σε ευχαριστώ, σε δοξάζω, κύριε ελέησόν με» αποτελεί μια ουδέτερη προσευχή η οποία μπορεί με ευκολία να ειπωθεί από οποιονδήποτε Jain, εβραίο, ινδουιστή, ζωροαστρικό, μουσουλμάνο, η και οποιονδήποτε ειδωλολάτρη η εωσφορολάτρη. Αυτή η προσευχή δεν είναι μόνο ανορθόδοξη, αλλά και μη Χριστιανική.

Δεύτερον, αφαιρόντας το όνομα του Ιησού, καθιστά αντικατάσταση της Ομολογίας Πίστεως με μια Άρνηση Πίστεως. Φοβόμαστε η ντρεπόμαστε ξαφνικά να ταυτοποιούμαστε ως Χριστιανοί με το να λέμε το όνομα του Ιησού; Η άρνηση της πίστης απειλεί την σωτηρία μας! Ο Ιησούς είπε «…όποιος Με ομολογήσει μπροστά στους ανθρώπους, θα ομολογήσω και Εγώ εκείνον εις τον Πατέρα μου στους ουρανούς. Αλλά όποιος με αρνηθεί μπροστά στους ανθρώπους, και Εγώ θα τον αρνηθώ στον Πατέρα μου στους ουρανούς» (Ματ. 10, 33-34)

Τριτον, με το να αφαιρούμε το όνομα του Ιησού, χιλιάδες χρόνια ιερών προφητειών, Βιβλικών διδασκαλιών, και Πατερικών δογμάτων απαξιώνονται και ανατρέπονται, αυθαίρετα, και χωρίς εύλογη αιτία. Αυτό είναι απαράδεκτο, εφ’όσον επιθυμούμε να κρατήσουμε μια Ορθόδοξη ταυτότητα. Στην Δευτέρα Παρουσία, όταν όλοι αναστηθούν, ακόμη και εκείνοι που ζήσαν πριν από εμάς, θα είναι πολύ δύσκολο να δικαιολογήσουμε – παρουσία του Θεού και των μαρτύρων Του – την οποιαδήποτε ανυπακοή στα λόγια του Αποστόλου Παύλου «διδαχαίς ποικίλαις και ξέναις μη παραφέρεσθε» (μην παρασύρεστε με διάφορες διδαχές οι οποίες είναι ξένες [από την Ορθή]) (Εβρ. 13, 9), ακόμη και εάν αυτές οι παράξενες διδασκαλίες προήλθαν από κάποιον με αξίωμα επισκόπου. Ας μην ξεχνάμε, ότι ιστορικώς, η πλειονότητα των αιρέσεων που καταπολεμήθηκαν από την Ορθόδοξη Εκκλησία προήλθαν απο επίμονους επισκόπους!

Όσο περισότερο κάποιος ψελλίζει την προτεινόμενη νεωτεριστική προσευχή αντί της Ευχής, τόσο και απομακρύνεται εκείνος από τον Ιησού, το Ορθόδοξο ήθος και την εκκλησιαστική συνείδηση, και τόσο πιο πολύ προσεγγίζει την αίρεση, «(διότι) αυτοί είναι ψευαδαπόστολοι, εργάτες δόλιοι, μετασχηματιζόμενοι σε αποστόλους του Χριστού. Και δεν αποτελεί θαύμα αυτό, διότι και ο Σατανάς μετασχηματίζεται σε άγγελο φωτός…και το τέλος αυτών θα είναι κατά τα έργα αυτών..» (2 Κορ. 11, 13-15)

Ελπίζω και προσεύχομαι ότι η νεωτεριστική προσευχή υπήρξε απλά μια στιγμιαία ολίσθηση κρίσεως εκ μέρους του Σεβασμιωτάτου κ. Σωτηρίου, και όχι μια ακόμη επίθεση εναντίον εκείνων που ακολουθούν την Αγιοπατερική Ορθόδοξη Παράδοση. Όσοι δεν ενδιαφέρονται για την Ορθόδοξη Παράδοση είναι απολύτως ελεύθεροι να φύγουν και να γίνουν μέλη σε οποιάδηποτε άλλη δικαιοδοσία όποτε το επιθυμήσουν…αλλά εμείς οι πιστοί, ΔΕΝ θα τους ακολουθήσουμε…

Κύριε Ιησού Χριστέ, Υιέ Θεού, ελέησόν με τον αμαρτωλό!

Δημήτριος Γεωργίου

Tags: authentic Orthodoxy, Demetrios Georgiou, desert fathers, ecumenism, Greek Archdiocese, Have Mercy on Me a sinner, Jesus Prayer, Lord Jesus Christ, Orthodox Bishops, Orthodox monastics, Orthodox prayer, Orthodox spirituality, prayer heart, Son of God, Sotirios, Theology, unceasing prayer

Executive Committee Assembly Orthodox Bishops

The Error of Blind Obedience to Bishops – According to the Saints of the Orthodox Church

December 8, 2020

14 Comments

By Nektarios Dapergolas, Doctor of History

This article was forwarded us to by a contributor in Canada. It is very timely as discussions over the actions of our Orthodox Bishops have been particularly intense in this time of COVID.

From the Apostle Paul to the Cappadocian fathers, and from Saint Athanasios to Fotios the Great, when all our Holy Church Fathers speak of improper obedience, they urge the faithful to defy and disobey those ‘ecclesiastical shepherds’ who are wrong and heretical. This issue is very timely because we live in a particularly dangerous time, a time of great dogmatic and spiritual confusion, a time when some church hierarchs are increasingly compelling the faithful to obey their demands to deviate from the teachings of our Holy Church by adopting various profane aberrations and blasphemous innovations (and here I include all that we have endured these last few months, the arbitrary church lock downs and sterilizations, worshipping with masks, prohibiting the veneration of Holy Icons, packaged church bread, and the heightened fear of illness and death, even at the Holy Chalice). From this point onwards, we shall bear witness to newer, modern saints, who urge the faithful to disobey heresy and erring bishops when there are good reasons to do so.

Let us begin with Saint Nicodemus of Mount Athos, who was perfectly aligned with St. John Chrysostom’s writings several centuries ago when he wrote, “If your elder is mistaken in the affairs of the state and its institutions, do not be curious. If, however, he is wrong in matters of the Faith, leave and abandon him, be he a man or even an angel from heaven.”

Recall also the impressive foresight of the famous Russian Saint John Maximovich (1897 – 1966), Bishop of Shanghai and San Francisco. The Saint’s foresight is an explicit exhortation against blind obedience and all types of delusional fantasies. In his words:

“In the last days, evil and heresy will have spread so widely that the faithful will not be able to find a priest or shepherd to protect them from delusion and guide them to salvation. At that time, the faithful will not receive safe guidance from men; but their guide will be the writings of the Holy Fathers. Especially at this time, every believer will be responsible for the whole fulness of the Church. Brethren, it is time for us all to undertake our responsibility to God and to history. Do not tolerate any more foolishness or misguidance from priests or archpriests. Do not turn a blind eye for you will be co- responsible. The Saints are forewarning you.”

Another great contemporary ecclesiastical figure who cautions us is the late Metropolitan (and great Orthodox protagonist) Augustine Kantiotis. This man was deeply respected by great modern-day saints, such as St. George Karslidis, who referred to him as a “Confessor of Christ,” and St. Paisios, who amidst other eulogies, even named him “the new Chrysostom of the Church.” Hear, then, what this great modern hierarch had to say regarding the holy writings on the subject of obedience:

“The bishop must obey the Gospel. This is why when the Bishop is ordained, he is ordained under the Gospel. As the Fathers say, this means that the people shall obey the Bishop on one condition – that the Bishop obey the Gospel. But when the Bishop does not obey the Gospel and does not do according to the Holy Canons, then the clergy and the people are not obliged to obey the Bishop. In the event of a dilemma because of a contradiction between the Gospel and the bishop’s teaching, ‘we must obey God rather than human beings!’ (Acts 5:29) And then heroic clergymen and monks, even ordinary lay people – in cases where the bishops are silent and the pulpits are silent – then every clergyman and lay person has the right and the obligation to say those things which the Bishops dare not say either because of cowardice, or a worldly spirit, or misapprehension. Whenever the pulpits were silent, simple and humble monks and people, men and women, supported Orthodoxy. Let us not forget that Romania was liberated from Ceausescu with the help of an obscure cleric who lit the fuse of freedom and destroyed Ceausescu’s dictatorship and tyrannical regime. Therefore, each clergyman is not a slave of his hierarch, but is only obligated to obey his Bishop when that Bishop is a contender in the holy struggle.”

As mentioned earlier, St. Paisius also advised us what to do when our faith is threatened and persecuted or the Divine is blasphemed; because if we do not speak, we too bear responsibility. Saint Paisios said:

“During these difficult times, each of us must do whatever is humanly possible, and what is not humanly possible should be left to God. In this way, our conscience will be at peace, knowing that we did whatever we could do. If we do not react, our ancestors will rise from the graves. They suffered so much for our homeland, but what are we doing for our country? It is unacceptable for Greece and Orthodoxy, with her traditions, her Saints and heroes, to be fought and persecuted by the Greeks themselves while we do not even speak! This is terrible! I asked someone, ‘why do you not speak? How can so and so do this?’ He replied, ‘what can I say? He is complete filth.’ Well, if he is filthy, why does no one say anything? He should be held accountable! No, they leave him be. Just say, ‘I don’t agree with this. Do things honourably. Do you want to serve only yourself and ruin everything else?’ If Christians do not react or confess their faith, the perpetrators will do worse things; but if we react, the perpetrators will pause to reflect. Unfortunately, today’s Christians are not fighters. The early Christians were strong; they changed the world. In the Byzantine era, when an icon was removed from a church, people reacted. Christ was crucified that we may rise again, and we are indifferent! If the Church does not speak so as not to break with the state, if the Archbishops or Metropolitans do not speak so as to get on well with everyone because they need their help with their institutions, if the Athonite monks do not speak so that their allowances are not cut off, then who will speak?”

So far, we have discussed the folly of unconditional obedience; but there is also another circulating fallacy – that it is sacrilege to criticize the errors and falsehoods of the clergy – something which the Holy Church Fathers also reject. Let us conclude with a few words about another irrational idea – the criticism from Ecumenists towards those who oppose it, that those who resist Ecumenism are creating a schism in the Church. Can anyone seriously dare to assert that a schism (even if we do eventually come to this) is being caused by those who strictly adhere to the Orthodox Tradition and the Holy Canons, and not by those who accompany and co-pray with Cardinals, Protestants, imams, gurus, and so on; or those who serve the Divine Liturgy together with excommunicated and schismatic persons; or who give in to heresies and embrace all manner of un-Orthodox falsehoods and innovative blasphemies? It makes no difference if such erring individuals comprise the majority of Bishops. Who said that truth and Divine Grace have to exist in the majority? Are the false synods in Ecclesiastical History not well known, or what the majority thought at that time? Or has no one noticed that we are living during unprecedented end times, for which it was written that the even the Elect may be deceived? (Matthew 24:24) To put it simply, who is responsible for an upheaval due to shocking or unprecedented events? Is it the one who opposes the scandal, or the one who creates and insists upon the scandal? Criticizing those who oppose Ecumenism as being the schismatic ones, is the most absurd “logic” for it cannot withstand any reasonable criticism.

Similar absurd “logic” is the recent and widely known advice attributed to a Cypriot Metropolitan that it is better to fall into heresy with the church than to be righteous outside of it. Let us be clear that the Church, which is the Body of Christ, cannot err. Errors and heresies are committed by people who then end up alone, outside the church, even if they are patriarchs, bishops or the vast majority of the clergy. The issue here – and it is worth repeating – is not quantitative. The issue is spiritual truth, which can sometimes be expressed by people counted on the fingers of one hand. Let us recall that for decades during the history of the Church, almost all the bishops of the Byzantine Empire had succumbed to the heresy of Monotheletism, but the church was not composed of these; she consisted of St. Maximus the Confessor (and a few others). At the time of the pseudo-synod of Ferrara-Florence, the Church once again consisted of one cleric, St. Mark Evgenikos, who alone resisted the decision of the false council, together with the laity. St. John Chrysostom explicitly states that if only three people keep the right faith intact, these alone will comprise the Church of Christ (Patrologia Graeca 55,158 & 160, 203). Finally, let us also consider the well-known words of the late great Elder Ephraim of Arizona, that in the difficult years ahead, for some time only a few simple priests will keep and preserve Orthodoxy, while the “great ones”, the church officials, will follow the devil. In such cases, who then comprises or will comprise the Church of Christ? Who, then, constituted or will constitute in all these cases the Church of Christ? Is the answer not obvious?

In closing I need to clarify that I tried to outline with the most simplest explanation the viewpoint of the modern stance of those actors who embrace the so called “new patristics”, and how they are ridiculed by the writings of our Saints, in matters such as what is true obedience, the criticizing of the hierarchs, and what is the right way of the clergy and laity to react against the nuances of misguided Bishops. My aim was to simply provide some light to the way that modern Bishops think and act in this turbulent epoch, so while they pretend to talk about Christ and Orthodoxy, in fact it brings to our mind the warning of Saint Paul “I know that after my departure, fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock.” (Acts 20:29-31) A reaction against the wrong path and unorthodox teachings is an essential duty of every Christian. And our defiance against the nuances is an obvious duty, not only as the Holy Canons allow but rather impose, along with the Holy Fathers of our Church.

Right now, the bishops are making decisions that materially affect our practice of the Faith. They are justifying these decisions on the basis of our health, our safety, and our fear. In such a situation, not getting feedback from the laity is grossly negligent. How do the bishops know that we are afraid, if they never ask us or even our priests? Please sign the petition today to prayerfully ask the Orthodox Bishops to end COVID restrictions and to endorse voluntary, informed consent for any vaccines for COVID.

For more information, please visit our page dedicated to articles concerning our current Church situation in the United States and Canada as background to why this petition is so important.

Tags: Archbishop Elpidophoros, authentic Orthodoxy, bishop letter, Canada, church closings, clergy / laity rift, common spoon, communion, contact bishops, corona conflict, coronavirus, ecumenism, eucharist, expert opinion, fear, heresy, icons, lock downs, martyrs, modernity, Orthodox fundamentalism, Orthodox martyrs, parish life, re-open parishes, Sotirios, Theology

Does ‘Greek’ Orthodoxy Support The Great Reset?

November 23, 2020

11 Comments

We’ve known for some time that the mortality rates for COVID are extremely low, and getting lower as doctors improve their treatment protocols. The virus has above a 99.95% survival rate for those under 70. See the bullet points in this article summarizing reasons why the virus is not nearly dangerous enough to justify the current hysteria, or even for most people to risk the side effects of a vaccine. Additionally, we’ve now been told by the New York Times that immunity for recovered patients can persist for a long time:

Eight months after infection, most people who have recovered still have enough immune cells to fend off the virus and prevent illness, the new data show. A slow rate of decline in the short term suggests, happily, that these cells may persist in the body for a very, very long time to come.

At this point, over 11 million Americans have recovered from mostly asymptomatic COVID-19. The true number is probably many times higher than that. There is now every reason to believe that those people are now immune to further infection. So herd immunity could be close, and maybe even reached in some areas. If such an immune response is possible, then vaccination which produces immunity is also possible, and we are being promised effective vaccines any day now. This is all great news!

Death rates are down from where they were. Hospitalizations are down, including less use of ICU beds. No hospital system is being “overwhelmed.” In fact, the only metric which is repeatedly causing alarm is the rise in “cases.” Headlines are screaming about a rise in “cases” across all media. But despite the massive hype, many people are beginning to question if “cases” are really something to panic over.

Top pathologist, expert in virology, and biotech CEO Dr. Roger Hodkinson said the following to government officials in Alberta during a zoom conference that was recorded and subsequently uploaded to YouTube:

I might know a little bit about all this. There is utterly unfounded public hysteria driven by the media and politicians, it’s outrageous, this is the greatest hoax ever perpetrated on an unsuspecting public…. social distancing is useless because COVID is spread by aerosols which travel 30 meters or so before landing. Masks are utterly useless. There is no evidence base for their effectiveness whatsoever. Paper masks and fabric masks are simply virtue signaling. They’re not even worn effectively most of the time. It’s utterly ridiculous. Seeing these unfortunate, uneducated people – I’m not saying that in a pejorative sense – seeing these people walking around like lemmings obeying without any knowledge base to put the mask on their face… positive test results do not, underlined in neon, mean a clinical infection… I’m absolutely outraged that this has reached this level, it should all stop tomorrow.

As the doctor noted, positive tests do not indicate a “case” of anything. They indicate that viral RNA was found in a nasal swab. It may be enough to make you sick, but probably not. Note the current “case” of Donald Trump , Jr. who tested “positive” but is totally asymptomatic. And a positive result does not mean you are contagious. In general, it is extremely hard to have any confidence in any of the testing measures, as evidenced by the fact that Elon Musk could test positive two times and negative two times in the same day before declaring that something “bogus” was going on.

Positive tests without actual symptoms are not real “cases” the way we understood that term prior to our current COVID hysteria. So the “uptick” in cases, as most normal people and medical professionals have come to realize, is not an actual crisis. Nor are our “countermeasures” such as masks, lockdowns, curfews, etc. even effective in stopping what transmission is occurring. Rand Paul, medical doctor and Senator, made that clear when discussing his governor’s latest lock down measures:

“Let’s hope, in this case, the court will intervene,” Paul said. “I’ve been calling my governor for months ‘DWP,’ drunk with power, because he’s taken this power without any consent from the legislature.”

“…the edicts that are coming from the governor, and from the governor of Michigan, they’re completely arbitrary,” he said. “They’re not based in any kind of science. There is really very little objective science to prove that any of this works.”

As to the cloth mask mandates, Paul, a physician, said that studies show that they do not work and exist merely as an act of “theater.”

“They’re theater,” he said. “If you look at the cloth masks, 97% of virus-sized particles go through a cloth mask, so we’re kidding ourselves, and what it’s doing is it’s detracting from the one thing that could save and could really help us, and that’s the vaccine.”

“There’s about 10 different countries or venues, maybe 20, that instituted mandatory masks, and every one of them to a T, the infection rate or the COVID rate went up after the mask mandate,” Paul continued. “Now, this is just showing that … all these mitigation strategies — washing our hands, staying six feet apart — they really don’t work, frankly.

“Lock downs” do not work and the economic and social devastation they cause are way worse than a virus with such a low mortality rate. Even officials from the WHO have recently admitted that. So now we are 8 months into 15 days to flatten the curve, and it is clear that the United States and the world have wrecked our economies, expanded poverty, made people depressed and suicidal, abandoned our elderly in care homes to deaths of despair and neglect, threatened mass starvation, and destroyed our spiritual lives by reducing God to a “non-essential” hobby. All for no tangible benefits to combat a virus that almost 100% of the infected under the age of 70 will recover from, usually having had little to no symptoms. After recovery, they will have long-lasting immunity to reinfection.

This is why 35,236 medical professionals have signed the Great Barrington Declaration which states:

Current lockdown policies are producing devastating effects on short and long-term public health. The results (to name a few) include lower childhood vaccination rates, worsening cardiovascular disease outcomes, fewer cancer screenings and deteriorating mental health – leading to greater excess mortality in years to come, with the working class and younger members of society carrying the heaviest burden. Keeping students out of school is a grave injustice.

Indeed, for children, COVID-19 is less dangerous than many other harms, including influenza.

As immunity builds in the population, the risk of infection to all – including the vulnerable – falls. We know that all populations will eventually reach herd immunity – i.e. the point at which the rate of new infections is stable – and that this can be assisted by (but is not dependent upon) a vaccine. Our goal should therefore be to minimize mortality and social harm until we reach herd immunity.

The most compassionate approach that balances the risks and benefits of reaching herd immunity, is to allow those who are at minimal risk of death to live their lives normally to build up immunity to the virus through natural infection, while better protecting those who are at highest risk. We call this Focused Protection.

Those who are not vulnerable should immediately be allowed to resume life as normal.

Do you see a theme here? The virus is not worth destroying our lives over. Get back to normal and focus on the vulnerable! Tens of thousands of experts have gone on record telling us to stop what we are doing and live our lives. The “experts” have spoken, and spoken, and spoken.

But outside of Florida, where Governor Ron DeSantis has become a bastion of common sense, politicians in almost the entire United States, and much of the world, are only listening to pro-lock down “experts.” Many American states are headed into a second severe lock down, even though many of those same places never fully re-opened to begin with. Canceling Thanksgiving, closing schools, closing restaurants to in-door dining, curfews, closing bars, closing gyms, closing churches, stay-at-home orders, limiting capacities severely at public events or outright banning them, mandating mask wearing even in your own home, limiting or canceling athletics, canceling Christmas even – most governors in this country are in a contest to become the biggest, most unconstitutional Scrooge in history.

The intolerant drive to suppress any and all fun in life seems like an unwanted revival of that historical scourge of America, Puritanism, which author H.L. Mencken described as, “The haunting fear that someone, somewhere, may be happy.” Transgender affirming, Gay-rights supporting, anti-God, anti-gun, pro-weed, and pro-abortion Puritans. Tell me you saw that coming. Thank you 2020 for yet another gift.

How on Earth could this be happening? How do we find ourselves being lorded over by power-drunk petty politicians and being lectured by a narcissistic dwarf called Dr. Fauci “to do what you’re told” as our society is fundamentally wrecked?

As one of my economics professors was fond of saying, “If the stated reasons make no sense, then they are probably a smokescreen.”

The Great Reset

Is The Great Reset the real reason so many powers-that-be are trying to destroy our civilization in order to build back better? And is their embrace of the globalist agenda the reason why Christian Bishops, Roman Catholic and Orthodox alike, are so quiescent as their churches are kept closed and their parishioners impoverished?

Time Magazine did a whole cover on The Great Reset, and the World Economic Forum has been talking about it for months. World Economic Forum founder Klaus Schwab even published a book on the subject. But it was not until a video went viral of Justin Trudeau, the Prime Minister of Canada, talking about the opportunity afforded by the pandemic for a “reset” that most of the world took notice. Trudeau made his statements during a September 29 video conference where he, United Nations Secretary General António Guterres, and Jamaica’s Prime Minister Andrew Holness announced the convening of a “high-level” meeting to discuss how world leaders “could build a better, more equitable system that works for everyone” in the wake of the pandemic:

“This pandemic has provided an opportunity for a reset. This is our chance to accelerate our pre-pandemic efforts to reimagine economic systems that actually address global challenges like extreme poverty, inequality and climate change,” declared Trudeau.

“Building back better means getting support to the most vulnerable while maintaining our momentum on reaching the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the SDGs [Sustainable Development Goals].”

Trudeau has since tried to say that The Great Reset is a conspiracy theory. Can it be called a conspiracy when it is a publicly acknowledged movement supported by very influential people who are all also echoing the same talking points? Trudeau’s remarks are eerily similar to those of Democrat former vice president Joe Biden and U.K. prime minister Boris Johnson. Joe Biden’s Official Presidential Transition Website is – buildbackbetter.com. On that site, we are promised that: “President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Harris are confronting a pandemic, an economic crisis, calls for racial justice, and climate change. The team being assembled will meet these challenges on Day One.”

Former Presidential Candidate, Senator, and Secretary of State John Kerry endorsed The Great Reset as an opportunity to squelch the rise of populism around the word:

Former Secretary of State John Kerry attended a panel discussion at the World Economic Forum during which he asserted that a great reset was urgently needed to stop the rise of populism.

“The notion of a reset is more important than ever before,” Kerry said. “I personally believe … we’re at the dawn of an extremely exciting time.”

So The Great Reset is clearly a thing. But is The Great Reset a bad thing? Roman Catholic Archbishop Vigano, former Apostolic Nuncio, issued a warning about it:

A global plan called the Great Reset is underway. Its architect is a global élite that wants to subdue all of humanity, imposing coercive measures with which to drastically limit individual freedoms and those of entire populations. In several nations this plan has already been approved and financed; in others it is still in an early stage. Behind the world leaders who are the accomplices and executors of this infernal project, there are unscrupulous characters who finance the World Economic Forum and Event 201, promoting their agenda.

The purpose of the Great Reset is the imposition of a health dictatorship aiming at the imposition of liberticidal measures, hidden behind tempting promises of ensuring a universal income and cancelling individual debt. The price of these concessions from the International Monetary Fund will be the renunciation of private property and adherence to a program of vaccination against Covid-19 and Covid-21 promoted by Bill Gates with the collaboration of the main pharmaceutical groups. Beyond the enormous economic interests that motivate the promoters of the Great Reset, the imposition of the vaccination will be accompanied by the requirement of a health passport and a digital ID, with the consequent contact tracing of the population of the entire world. Those who do not accept these measures will be confined in detention camps or placed under house arrest, and all their assets will be confiscated.

It might be tempting to dismiss the Archbishop’s warnings as so much conspiracy mongering, if it weren’t for the niggling fact that almost everyday brings more announcements of technology that will play a role in the things he is warning about:

Recently, the United Nations had some big announcements that went largely unnoticed, including the rollout of a biometric digital wallet and an announcement that one of its specialized agencies The International Civil Aviation Organization is one step closer to an internationally recognized digital travel credential.

As reported by Biometric Update, this particular UN biometric digital wallet is intended for UN employees and it can be used for data related to human resources, medical status, travel, payroll and pensions.

The Great Reset for Dummies

Let’s look a bit closer at the details using information from The Great Reset for Dummies:

The Great Reset is a massively funded, desperately ambitious, internationally coordinated project led by some of the biggest multinational corporations and financial players on the planet and carried out by cooperating state bodies and NGOs. Its soul is a combination of early 20th century science fiction, idyllic Soviet posters, the obsessiveness of a deranged accountant with a gambling addiction—and an upgraded, digital version of “Manifest Destiny.”

The mathematical reason for the Great Reset is that thanks to technology, the planet has gotten small, and the infinite expansion economic model is bust—but obviously, the super wealthy want to continue staying super wealthy, and so they need a miracle, another bubble, plus a surgically precise system for managing what they perceive as “their limited resources.”

The goal is to count and then efficiently manage and control all resources, including people, on an unprecedented scale, with unprecedented digital anxiety and precision—all while the masters keep indulging, enjoying vast patches of conserved nature, free of unnecessary sovereign peasants and their unpredictability.

The reform in question is meant to disrupt all areas of life, on a planetary scale: government, international relations, finance, energy, food, medicine, jobs, urban planning, real estate, law enforcement, and human interactions—and it starts with changing the way we think of ourselves and our relationship with the world.

Much has been made lately of how politicians are so hypocritical in not obeying their own COVID rules. Governor Newsome and his maskless dinner party at a fancy French restaurant, even after chastising Californians to limit Thanksgiving festivities. Speaker Nancy Pelosi got a haircut at a salon in California, even though salons were closed there at the time. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, a supporter of nationwide mask mandates, was photographed maskless in an airport and in the hallway of the Capitol. DC Mayor Muriel Bowser traveled to Delaware for a Biden victory party, but didn’t follow her own quarantine protocols upon return. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced new lockdowns, even though the previous week she had been whooping it up maskless on the street with a huge crowd to celebrate the Biden “victory.”

While the level of hypocrisy surely calls into question the seriousness of the “pandemic” and the effectiveness of the rules being flouted, a deeper question must be pondered. Is this just typical political hypocrisy, or is it the dawn of a new social order – one that will ensure the wealthy, and their lackeys, are free to do as they please while we, the serfs, struggle under severe restrictions? Once power is centralized in the hands of the technocratic elite, then to whom must the new master class answer?

As Vigano warned, this is not a grassroots effort. It is led by the top-tier of wealth and power in the world:

So, who are the people leading this, and how coordinated is this effort? From the looks of it, it seems to be the usual suspects: top capitalists of the world, historically wealthy dynasties from different parts of Earth, members of secular and religious royalty, billionaires, etc.—in other words, it’s the people who have enough money to feel like this world is theirs, the 0.0001%—and maybe also the people immediately under them who are seeking upward mobility. Some familiar faces, some faces we’ve never seen.

On the ephemeral side, the vision of the “resetters” is related to the futuristic ideas that were popular in the early 20th century, to the dream of a global corporate monopoly that propped up the bolshevik revolution of 1917, and to the overall crave of controlling the world with technology, something that was attempted and failed in the Soviet Union in the 60s—using the language very similar to today’s. On the concrete side, the Great Reset (which by the way is very well coordinated, to the extent that both Biden and Johnson are using the same coded words put forward by the WEF) grows out of the post-WWII efforts to maintain a “correct” power balance in the world, with “correct” financial interests reaping the benefits.

These elites don’t necessarily agree on everything, and in some ways compete with each other. But on the basics, there seems to be widespread agreement. No one at that the top seems to dispute Klaus Schwab, founder of the World Economic Forum, when he says, “A Better Economy Is Possible. But We Need to Reimagine Capitalism to Do It.”

Among the upper crust, the desirability of a total overhaul of society is not even controversial. In fact Sesame Street has teamed up with the World Economic Forum to make a podcast called The Great Reset: Resetting Education with Sesame Street in which Grover can be heard helpfully telling children, “Resetting the entire world. That is a very big job.” The partnership is also producing a series of videos to teach children about the vital importance of learning to live with the ‘New Normal’: wearing masks, maintaining six feet social distancing, gratefully accepting their vaccine shots, and getting used to not playing with friends in person but just meeting them virtually on a screen.

While the COVID angle may be new as of 2020, the “Global Reset” movement has actually been in business for quite awhile, but under the banner of combatting “Climate Change:”

Let’s not forget that prior to 2020, there has already been a very expensively organized fear narrative, supported by more or less the same players who are now pushing for the Great Reset. I am of course talking about the weaponized “climate change” narrative. And while there are plenty of environmental problems that need to be addressed asap, the corporate “climate change” movement has been strangely focused on messaging that roughly coincides with the messaging of the Great Reset campaign, serving their financial goals—and the funding trajectories also overlap. So it looks like the financial interests behind the Great Reset tried out to use the “climate movement” first but it didn’t generate the desired fear levels quickly enough… it’s not a hippie grassroots movement—even if a lot of individual people sincerely pour their souls into that.

Now, it is very possible that the environmental movement was good and honest when it just started—but a lot of it has been since hijacked, in a very stealthy way where the people on the ground don’t even realize whom they are serving.

It should not be surprising that discussion of COVID control measures quickly morph into discussions of “Climate Change.” The two concepts are inextricably linked as rationales for transforming the world we know, into the world the elites want to bring into existence. Whether out of a genuine concern for ecology, fear of the virus, desire to help the poor, or even just out of a loathing for the bad orange man, many people are acting as foot soldiers for a global movement that will ultimately enslave them.

For all of this to succeed, America has to be gotten out of the way:

Traditional America, now, is very much in the way of this. Its habit of generous consumption and free expression, its self-centered foreign policies, its sense of entitlement, and its big suburban houses are a no-go. A traditional, independent, strong America is an obstacle. I feel like there is an active effort to “even America out,” to co-opt its government, to destroy farms and small businesses—especially the ones that are not consistent with this all-digital future—and to bring down the entitled middle class, especially in “outdated” career paths. It feels like we are currently in the middle of a “color revolution,” a soft coup. Usually, American elites do it to other nations—but now it’s happening on the domestic soil. It feels like the Great Reset agenda, through its messengers and through its money, is shaping both the schizophrenic “COVID response” and the suddenly mainstream and well-funded, super corporate “social justice / climate” movement, which are all at this point intertwined in terms of messaging.

What if all the economic destruction around the lock downs were not an accidental by-product of trying to wrangle a virus, but were the actual point?

Greek Orthodoxy and The Great Reset

COVID, Climate Change, income redistribution, anti-populism, the need to “build back better,” the need to “reimagine” the economy, the need to erase borders and national sovereignty (particularly American), the need to manage things globally – the same “coded words” permeate our political, social, and even religious discourse now. As we have noted in multiple articles, Orthodox bishops associated with the Ecumenical Patriarchate (though most of the others have not done much better) have been particularly reluctant to push back against COVID closings of churches and other restrictions. The Greek Orthodox organizations have also, among all the Orthodox, made the most prodigious use of the “coded words” of The Great Reset.

Examples of the use of Great Reset-style language can be found in For the Life of the World: Toward a Social Ethos of the Orthodox Church which was a collaboration of scholars and theologians published earlier in 2020 and fully endorsed by the Patriarch of Constantinople, Bartholomew. We have published some excerpts below with emphasis added on the points most closely aligned with Great Reset concepts:

Neither, certainly, should Orthodox Christians fear the reality of cultural and social pluralism. Indeed, they should rejoice in the dynamic confluence of human cultures in the modern world, which is one of the special glories of our age, and take it as a blessing that all human cultures, in all their variety and beauty, are coming more and more to occupy the same civic and political spaces. The Church must in fact support those government policies and laws that best promote such pluralism.

The modern nation-state is not a sacred institution, even if it can at times serve the causes of justice, equity, and peace. Nor are borders anything more than accidents of history and conventions of law.

The developed world everywhere knows the presence of refugees and asylum-seekers, many legally admitted but also many others without documentation. They confront the consciences of wealthier nations daily with their sheer vulnerability, indigence, and suffering. This is a global crisis, but also a personal appeal to our faith, to our deepest moral natures, to our most inabrogable responsibilities.

An international free flow of labor, and with it the capacity of labor to organize on a global scale and thereby demand basic standards of employment in all labor markets, would make such exploitation very nearly impossible. Hence the unholy collusion between many transnational corporate interests and many states to make the free flow of labor across borders impossible, often by the most draconian means.

The effects of sin and of our alienation from God are not only personal and social, but also ecological and even cosmic. For instance, our often heedless consumption of natural resources and our wanton use of fossil fuels have induced increasingly catastrophic processes of climate change and global warming. Therefore, our pursuit of alternative sources of energy and our efforts to reduce our impact on the planet as much as possible are now necessary expressions of our vocation to transfigure the world.

This means that the issue of climate change is also an issue of social welfare and social justice. The Church calls, therefore, upon the governments of the world to seek ways of advancing the environmental sciences, through education and state subventions for research, and to be willing to fund technologies that might serve to reverse the dire effects of carbon emissions, pollution, and all forms of environmental degradation.

And the Church encourages the faithful to be grateful for—and to accept—the findings of the sciences, even those that might occasionally oblige them to revise their understandings of the history and frame of cosmic reality. The desire for scientific knowledge flows from the same wellspring as faith’s longing to enter ever more deeply into the mystery of God.

Great economic inequality is, inevitably, social injustice; it is, moreover, according to the teachings of Christ, a thing abominable in the eyes of God. Whole schools of economics arose in the twentieth century at the service of such inequality, arguing that it is a necessary concomitant of any functioning economy. And the Church must in every generation, remembering the example of the Church of the Apostolic age, ask of every society whether there are not effective means—and perhaps new economic models—by which it would be possible to achieve a more just distribution of wealth, and thereby a more radical commitment to the common good, of society and of the planet we all must share.

The Green Patriarch and the Greek Church (with some dissent) are totally on board with global solutions to arrest climate change, explore new economic models, and redistribute wealth. Localism is bad, as national governments can foment nationalism and/or populism. National sovereignty (particularly American) must yield to international institutions. Borders are mere lines on a map, and it is immoral to try and control the flow of migrants or refugees across them. Globalism is good. National cultures must make way for diversity, because the Church must support “pluralism” and open borders. One must wonder whether open borders, pluralism, and denunciations of nationalism are meant to apply to Greece as well as the United States. Actually, there probably isn’t much question of that at all. We are certain that the Greek academics and theologians who enthusiastically champion “Hellenism” and welcomed Biden as “good for Greece” are probably not being very even-handed in their desire for “pluralism.”

Please note in the Tweet above that the President of Greece, a country with massive economic problems and a potential war on the horizon with Turkey, was most excited about the U.S. rejoining the Paris Agreement on Climate Change under a new Biden Administration. There seems to be a trend here….

The Ethos document was written in 2019 and published early this year, so no mention of COVID exists. However, there is a ringing endorsement of vaccines, and not one mention of opposition to mandatory vaccination. The Ethos document gushes over scientific and technological progress. There are some cautionary words about the potential misuses of technology, but nothing about the potential for loss of privacy, surveillance, or censorship. Curiously, the authors did see fit to denounce the use of the Internet to spread “misinformation.”

Are we saying that the Ecumenical Patriarch is part of a global movement to reset the world? Archbishop Vigano said as much about Pope Francis, who is a very close friend and ally of Patriarch Bartholomew. Here is what we can say about the Ecumenical Patriarch, the Greek Archdiocese, and the Greek Orthodox Church:

Many writings, sermons, and communications frequently use the same “coded words” of social justice, income redistribution, Climate Change, anti-populism, open borders, etc. that are associated with The Great Reset.
Realizing many of the social and political goals espoused by Greek Orthodox organizations would make The Great Reset easier to carry out.
It is difficult to find writings, sermons, and communications that support concepts such as private property, right to self-defense, personal autonomy, right to privacy, vaccine freedom, local sovereignty, etc. that would make The Great Reset more difficult. This is despite the fact that other local Orthodox Churches and jurisdictions do frequently support and defend those very concepts.
The Ecumenical Patriarchate has close ties to many globalist organizations.
The Greek Archdiocese has gone above and beyond in enforcing COVID protocols. For example, masks are frequently required in GOA churches even when not required by local ordnances. Archbishop Elpidophoros and Archbishop Sotirios pushed multiple spoons for communion. The GOA has said almost nothing about even the most severe lock downs in California and elsewhere, going so far as to criticize those who did stand up for liberty.
Archbishop Elpidophoros marched with BLM, and practically endorsed Joe Biden for president during a prayer at the DNC.
The Patriarchate of Constantinople and the Greek Orthodox Church are suspected of being under the influence of Freemasonry.

Even so, there is no way to know if the Patriarch and those affiliated with him are merely being influenced by those pushing The Great Reset, or if they are actively involved in the movement to bring it about. In truth, it probably doesn’t matter. These Greek organizations appear fully globalist in mentality, and are totally blind (willfully or otherwise) to the extremely sinister endgame of the global elites who seek to re-engineer our entire world in order to control it. For our own “good” of course. And consciously or otherwise, the Ecumenical Patriarch and his subordinates are helping to bring this Satanic vision about.

We are not saying that the Ethos is entirely wrong. There are many good points in the document, and in fact, we don’t even disagree with everything in the parts we excerpted. Nor do we think that everything is fine with the world the way it is. The world economy in its current state is unsustainable. We do need to do a much better job of making Christ manifest in our treatment of the poor and needy. Our natural environment does need better care. But at the same time, lofty and even Christian ideals are being put to the service of Satanic ends. The Orthodox Church can espouse reform in a way that doesn’t destroy our economies or leads to the strengthening of the transnational elite that seeks to enslave us all in the name of a better world.

The time is now to speak up, before it is entirely too late. End the lock downs, reject The Great Reset and pursue Christian ends through Christian means. Unfortunately, for those of us who are Orthodox, we will be in this fight without much of the Greek Church.

The editorial staff of Orthodox Reflections – members of the GOA, OCA, and Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America

Tags: Archbishop Elpidophoros, Archbishop Vigano, authentic Orthodoxy, Bartholomew, Catholic inquirer, Ecumenical Patriarch, elite, fear, global elite, Great Reset, Greek Archdiocese, greek orthodox bishop, Joe Biden, John Kerry, Leftist Infiltration, lock downs, mask mandate, modernity, Orthodox fundamentalism, Pope Francis, Roman Catholic, Roman Catholic Church, technocrats, Theology, transnational elite

No Orthodox Papacy Means Stability for the Faith

November 17, 2020

8 Comments

One of the latest controversies in the Roman Catholic Church was sparked by director Evgeny Afineevsky’s documentary called Francesco featuring several interviews done with Pope Francis. Among the Pope’s statements that caused a stir was this legitimization of homosexual civil unions, “What we have to create is a civil union law. That way they [homosexuals] are legally covered. I stood up for that.”

Immediately the Catholic faithful launched into a bitter war of words over what the Pope meant by his statements. As a non-Catholic, this is not an argument in which I am qualified to participate. However, there is one aspect of this lamentable situation which directly relates to my own Orthodox Faith. The Website Where Peter Is has as a slogan, “Where Peter is, there is the Church.” In other words, the Church is defined as the body of believers headed by the Pope and in communion with him. No Pope, no Church. Addressing the civil union statements, a writer on that site published an article entitled Has Pope Francis changed Church teaching on same-sex civil unions?

For the record, the author doesn’t believe he has. But from an Orthodox Christian perspective, that isn’t really the point. For us, the headline itself spells out the problem with the Papacy. Roman Catholics accept that the Pope could change Roman Catholic teaching on his own authority. That is why almost every word uttered by the Pope is parsed and argued over. If the Roman Church is defined by the office of the Papacy, then the Roman Catholic Faith appears to be whatever the “Vicar of Christ” says it is. Even if what the Pope says is not in fidelity to the historic teachings of the Christian Faith. Honest Roman Catholics admit this is the case, and they admit there is nothing that can be done about it.

Writing in Lifesitenews.com, Archbishop Vigano wrote the following:

If canonically it is unthinkable to excommunicate a Catholic for the mere fact that he wishes to remain so, politically and strategically this abuse would allow Bergoglio to expel his adversaries from the Church, consolidating his own power. And I repeat: we are not talking about a legitimate operation, but of an abuse that, despite being an abuse, no one would be able to prevent, since “the First See is judged by none” – prima Sedes a nemine judicatur. And since the deposition of a heretical Pope is a canonically unresolved question on which there is no unanimous consent of canonists, anyone who would accuse Bergoglio of heresy would be going down a dead end and would obtain a result only with great difficulty.

And it is exactly this, in my opinion, that Bergoglio’s “magic circle” wants to achieve: to reach the paradoxical situation in which the one who is recognized as Pope is at the same time in a state of schism with the Church he governs, while those who are declared by him to be schismatic for disobedience will find themselves expelled from the Church because of the fact that they are Catholic.

Bergoglio’s action is above all directed outside the Church. The encyclical Fratelli Tutti is an ideological manifesto in which there is nothing Catholic and nothing for Catholics – it is the umpteenth embrassons-nous [“let’s embrace”] of the Masonic matrix, in which universal brotherhood is obtained not, as the Gospel teaches, in recognizing the common fatherhood of God through belonging to the one Church, but rather by the flattening of all religions into a lowest common denominator that is expressed in solidarity, respect for the environment, and pacifism.

With this way of acting, Bergoglio is a candidate for “pontiff” of a new religion, with new commandments, new morals, and new liturgies. He distances himself from the Catholic religion and from Christ, and consequently from the Hierarchy and the faithful, disavowing them and leaving them at the mercy of the globalist dictatorship. Those who do not adapt to this new code will therefore be ostracized by society and by this new “church” as a foreign body.

On October 20 in Rome, Pope Francis prayed for peace along with representatives of the world religions: the motto of that ecumenical ceremony was “No one is saved alone.” But that prayer was addressed indiscriminately to both the True God as well as to the false gods of the pagans, making it clear that the ecumenism propagated by Bergoglio has as its goal the exclusion of Our Lord from human society, because Jesus Christ is considered “divisive,” “a stumbling stone.” This modern man thinks that he can obtain peace by leaving aside the One who said of Himself: “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life; no one comes to the Father except through Me” (Jn 14:6). It is painful to note that this apostasy of formerly Christian nations is accompanied by Jorge Mario Bergoglio, who ought to be the Vicar of Christ, not his enemy.

What a predicament to find yourself in. To be Catholic, you must be in communion with the Pope who is the “successor of Peter” and the “Vicar” of Christ. But the current Pope is a globalist heretic who is altering the faith, possibly even going so far as to create a new one under Masonic influence. To preserve the Catholic Faith, you must oppose the Pope’s innovations, as Archbishop Vigano does. But if you oppose the Pope, you risk no longer being Roman Catholic. The Pope can excommunicate you for your opposition, putting you outside the Church, even if your opposition is clearly grounded in the Apostolic Faith. And, there is no way to remove a Pope even if he is blatantly heretical. Sadly for Roman Catholic Traditionalists, there is nothing you can do because “the First See is judged by none” – prima Sedes a nemine judicatur.

From a traditionalist point of view, the next pope is unlikely to be any better than this one. Waiting this out then is likely to take decades or longer, assuming that a “Catholic” Pope could ever be elected again given the problems in the Roman Catholic Hierarchy. Here is how one Roman Catholic Priest summed up the situation with the bishops after the release of the report on Former Cardinal Theodore McCarrick:

This document is just another nail in the coffin of the moral authority and relevance of the episcopacy. They haven’t been relevant to the faithful for quite some time. I think it’s time for priests to now realize (if they already haven’t) that the bishops have abandoned us as well. Every priest is on his own (unless he has some friends he truly trusts).

You have written extensively about the decline of our culture and the impending persecutions. I agree with you. I believe it’s important to realize that these persecutions will come from everyone in power; including the hierarchy who will try to make peace with our persecutors, as we already see them doing with Biden. They are already selling out priests who speak out too strongly against moral evils. The threat to religious liberty in the Church is not particularly from the secularists; it’s from the bishops who refuse to speak out and will sacrifice their priests who disturb the fragile and imaginary peace they seek to maintain with the powerful in the culture.

The Papacy is lost to those who wish to maintain traditional Roman Catholic moral and theological teaching. The office now serves powerful, globalist interests. The parish priests, the good ones, are on their own. There may be a few good bishops left in the Roman Church, but they are not in control and do not constitute a substantial voting block in the College of Cardinals. But even if, at some point, the Roman Catholic Church could bring back a Pope John Paul II or a Pope Benedict XVI, the dilemma presented by the Papacy would still be unresolved.

If you got one Pope Francis, then you can obviously get another one. Nor does the Papal office have the best of histories in any case. Papal pretensions and innovations caused the Great Schism and the Protestant Reformation. A talented Orthodox priest gives a summary of many of the issues with Papal innovations in this video. Fr. Victor E. Novak, an Orthodox priest and convert from Roman Catholicism, wrote, “For a millennium, since causing the Great Schism in 1054, Rome has been the cause of division after division in the West, leading to the splintering of Western Christendom and ultimately to the secularization of the West.”

Roman Catholic Traditionalists are in an unsustainable situation long-term. They can’t wait out the crisis. As Archbishop Vigano has warned, Pope Francis is just getting started. The heresies will shortly get more blatant to the point that even the most die-hard defender of the Papacy will be unable to finesse an explanation. Traditionalists can’t resolve the crisis by either deposing the Pope or electing a new one. Which means at some point they must recognize the truth of the situation. They can preserve the Papal Office and their communion with it, or they can preserve their allegiance to the Christian Faith. They can’t save both.

Since you can’t be Roman Catholic without the Papacy, and it is maddeningly difficult to be Roman Catholic when the Pope obviously isn’t, the most logical course of action is to convert to Orthodoxy. As Fr. Novak wrote:

The Orthodox Church has never added to or subtracted from the “faith once delivered to the saints” (Jude 3), and has never suffered a Reformation, Counter Reformation, or a Revolution as seen at and after the Second Vatican Council. There are no problems with liberal modernism in the Orthodox Church, no waffling on moral teachings, and no movements for women priests, liturgical innovation, or the definition of new dogmas. Despite having no “earthly head” and maintaining the primitive Christian decentralized ecclesiastical structure, the Orthodox Church remains fully united and hasn’t suffered serious schism since 1054. The Orthodox Catholic Church is today what she was 1,000 years ago, 1,500 years ago, 2,000 years ago.

Today, traditional Roman Catholics who enter the Orthodox Church can worship essentially as they always have, only in full sacramental communion and visible unity with the 300 million member Orthodox Catholic Church. Rather than looking back to the 1950s or to the Council of Trent (which isn’t even as old as the Protestant Reformation!) they can fully embrace the Faith and Order of the “Undivided” Church, the Faith of the Church Fathers, the Seven Ecumenical Councils and the Canon of St. Vincent of Lerins.

And that is the message that many of us carry to the wonderful, Traditionalist Roman Catholics who are struggling. Christ is calling them home to the true Church and the true Faith, and many are answering that call. I believe more would, if they did not have a serious misunderstanding of the role of a divisive figure within Orthodoxy – Patriarch Bartholomew II of “Constantinople.” Far too many believe the Ecumenical Patriarch’s role is analogous to the Papacy, and that makes them reluctant to trade one problem with unchecked power for another. Fortunately for the Orthodox Church, while the Patriarch is a problem, he just isn’t a very important one.

Constantinople was only raised in status above a normal bishopric in 381 A.D. The 3rd Canon of the First Council of Constantinople spells out exactly why the Bishop of Constantinople was being elevated, “The Bishop of Constantinople, however, shall have the prerogative of honor after the Bishop of Rome because Constantinople is New Rome.” This was a political decision based on the facts on the ground in the Roman Empire at that time. Unlike the Bishop of Rome, there is nothing equivalent to the “Petrine Theory” that can lend credence to any expansive claims of authority made by Constantinople.

Further, the See of Constantinople was occupied by heretics or schismatics for over 230 years of its entire existence. Nestorius was Patriarch of Constantinople. Clearly, obtaining the office of Patriarch of Constantinople is no guarantee that a man is Orthodox in faith and/or morals. Despite that spotty record, however, the Orthodox Church as a whole has clearly endured and clearly preserved the Deposit of the Faith. That is because the nature of the Orthodox Church can be expressed thusly:

Basic to the ecclesiology of the Orthodox Church is the concept of conciliarity. The Church is, in fact, at her core always synod, the literal meaning of the word “Ekklesia.” The concept of conciliarity, i.e., the conciliar or synodal approach to managing the Church’s affairs, is not confined solely to convening various types of synods, but also includes every expression of ecclesiastical life. Through conciliarity, the nature of the Church as theanthropic communion in Christ is expressed. This is why any ecclesiastical practice which is not a result of conciliarity is a deviation from Orthodox ecclesiology.

The preservation of the Orthodox Faith does not depend on any one bishop. Which is why the modernists have such a loathing for the Orthodox Church – its decentralized structure practically defies meaningful infiltration.

Now, this does not mean that the Patriarch of Constantinople is not a problem. In the early 20th century, the Patriarchate appears to have been infiltrated by Freemasons, perhaps eventually so was much of the Greek Church. In the early 1920’s, Patriarch Meletios took control over the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, and promulgated a new interpretation of Canon 28 of Chalcedon: the “barbarian lands” theory according to which all territories not part of another Orthodox Church belong to the Ecumenical Patriarchate. None of the other Orthodox Churches seem particularly convinced by that novel interpretation of a Canon that had been around since 451 A.D. Since that very, very recent time in history, the claims to authority of the Ecumenical Patriarch have steadily expanded. This has led to Patriarch Bartholomew interfering in the local affairs of various Orthodox Churches such as in Ukraine and Macedonia.

At the moment, Patriarch Bartholomew is making the case for himself becoming, essentially, an Orthodox Pope:

“We, Orthodox, must make a self-criticism and reconsider our ecclesiology if we do not want to become a federation of Protestant Churches,” said Patriarch Bartholomew.

According to Bartholomew, the problem of unity can be solved if it is recognized that there is a bishop in the Orthodox Church who is higher than other bishops and has exclusive power.

“Since in our ordination to a Bishop we swear to obey the decisions of the Ecumenical Councils, we must admit that in an indivisible Ecumenical Orthodoxy there is a “First” not only by honour, but a “First” with special responsibilities and regular powers entrusted by the Ecumenical Councils,” said the head of the Phanar.

There are secular forces that are pushing the Ecumenical Patriarchate forward in its ever more expansive claims. The United States has used the EP’s interference in Ukraine as an arm of its anti-Russian foreign policy. Greek supremacists want a way to push back against the larger, more powerful Russian Orthodox Church that they feel overshadows them. Modernists see centralization of power in the EP as the means to finally transform the Orthodox Church in the same ways that Pope Francis is changing the Roman Catholic Church. Many of these modernists are grouped around the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America based out of New York.

How likely is he to succeed in his quest for “Papal” powers? There is a much better chance of pigs becoming fighter pilots. The EP’s actions in Ukraine have already led to a schism with the Russian Church and the canonical Ukrainian Church, who together comprise the vast majority of Orthodox Christians in the world today. The canonical head of the Ukrainian Church, not the rogue body set up by Constantinople, is Metropolitan Onuphry. His Beatitude had this to say about Constantinople:

“This spiritual relaxation from Constantinople in preserving the purity of the holy Orthodox faith is the root cause of the schism that occurred in 2019,” he continues.

His Beatitude also points to the desire of the Phanar to give “to Caesar not only what is Caesar’s, but also what is God’s,” which was the cause of the fall of Constantinople and the destruction of the great Byzantine Empire.

“And today, the Constantinople ecclesiastical authorities are ready to accept any custom and law forbidden by God that the world offers, just to return Constantinople (now Istanbul) to its former glory, and to regain the authority the Church had in the heyday of the Byzantine Empire,” the Ukrainian archpastor continued.

“Theoretically, the break in Eucharistic communion, which occurred in 2019, could be healed, but for that, the respected Patriarch of Constantinople should behave with all as the first in honor and equal in authority. Unfortunately, His Holiness acts as the first both in honor and authority, but this is alien to the Orthodox spirit of conciliarity, by which the Orthodox Church has lived and lives,” His Beatitude concludes.

The Patriarch of Constantinople is a modernist tool of anti-Christian globalist forces the same as Pope Francis, of whom he is a huge fan. Patriarch Bartholomew’s attachment to Orthodox – Roman Catholic Ecumenism causes some Orthodox to worry that he will unite with Rome. Were he to do so, of course, some modernist “Orthodox” might follow him. On the other hand, such a move would be guaranteed to create a world-wide schism that would leave him practically alone. On his own, the Patriarch of Constantinople has a native congregation of a few thousand Greeks in Turkey, an island of monks, and some Greek “diaspora” churches scattered around the world. It is hardly a base of power. In fact, the Patriarch’s ability to meddle in other countries is only possible because of the support of secular powers such as the United States. Times change, worldly powers come and go, and priorities shift.

Let me illustrate, somewhat crudely, how little the Patriarch of Constantinople matters. Patriarch Bartholomew could marry his homosexual lover on the steps of the Vatican at a “wedding” co-officiated by the Pope and a Satanic High Priest, after which he could pledge eternal devotion to one of the Pope’s spare Pachamama idols – and the practical impact on the Orthodox Faith would be exactly nil. To be honest, the same thing could be said about any bishop, or even a synod of bishops. No one has the power to change the Orthodox Faith.

For many Orthodox around the world, the ambitions and pretensions of Patriarch Bartholomew are a pain to deal with. He and his representative in the United States, Archbishop Elpidophoros, can be unnerving, embarrassing, and downright infuriating. In Ukraine and other places, his intervention has led to many heart-rending tragedies. For those of us, who care about bringing people to the Kingdom, the Patriarch is a stumbling block of sorts. But his “power” and “influence” are severely limited compared to Pope Francis and that will always be the case. Pope Francis matters, just not in a good way. The Patriarch of Constantinople really doesn’t.

So for those of you looking for the authentic Christian Faith, you will find it in the Orthodox Church. As with any organization led by fallen men, we do have some personnel issues. The Church is a hospital for sick souls, after all. But our altars are pure, the faith is undefiled, and our decentralized structure is tailor-made to resistance in the modern world. There will always be Orthodox priests and Orthodox bishops, be they in catacombs or in cathedrals. And if one compromises the faith, there will always be another to take his place. While Christ is essential, no one man or one office ever is.

Please come home.

Nicholas – Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America

Tags: Archbishop Vigano, authentic Christian Faith, Catholic inquirer, Christ, freemasonry, freemasons, globalism, journey to Orthodoxy, Latin Mass, modernism, modernist, original church, Orthodoxy, pachamama, papal innovations, papal power, Pope Francis, Roman Catholic, Roman Catholic Church, Roman Catholicism, trad Caths, traditionalist Roman Catholics, True Church

Assembly Orthodox Bishops Virtual Meeting

Are Orthodox Christian Bishops Afraid of COVID, the Government, or Both?

October 16, 2020

16 Comments

President Trump, after recovering from COVID, was due to leave Walter Reed hospital when he Tweeted this message, “Feeling really good! Don’t be afraid of Covid. Don’t let it dominate your life.” As an obese 74 year-old with a famously poor diet and a high-stress job, Trump has very publicly beaten the virus and in a short period of time. President Trump is also the man whose campaign has organized events across the country which gathered together tens of thousands of his most fervent supporters.

Through Trump’s actions we can confirm two very important things. First, COVID-19 is obviously not as deadly as the media and government scientists first led us to believe. President Trump is one of the most briefed men on the planet. He has the best medical experts in the world on speed dial. He is not interested in dying. And he wants to be re-elected president with all his heart. That would not occur if his campaign events were threatening his life and the lives of his voters. So, just like anyone else who has been paying attention, it is clear that President Trump is aware that COVID may be highly infectious, but for the vast majority of the American population, it is not a major life threat. The survival rates published by the CDC confirm an expected 99.98% survival rate for patients under 49, and even at 70 plus years of age a patient has a 94.6% chance of pulling through. Worldwide numbers indicate that COVID mortality is within the range of the seasonal flu.

The other thing Trump’s message of COVID defiance and his rallies without limits prove is that President Trump is certainly not an Orthodox Bishop in the United States. If he were, he’d be way more timid.

38 Successors to the Apostles just finished gathering, virtually of course, for the 10th annual meeting of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the USA. Among other things, the bishops drafted A Message of Hope from the Assembly of Bishops. You can read the entire message at the link. The portions we would like to focus on are quoted below:

In our present circumstances, trying to hold a sensible middle ground between opposing forces of faithless reason on the one hand and spiritualized folly on the other is the greatest challenge of our time…. Certainly, our present physical separation from one another and spiritual isolation from the divine services have complicated our ability to navigate these troubled waters. It is not fitting for us, as Orthodox Christians, to add to the burdens of our brothers and sisters either by condemning them or by appeasing them with insincere flattery. Rather, we ought to honestly fulfill the law of God by bearing one another’s burdens, as the Holy Apostle Paul reminds us (cf. Gal. 6:2).

On the one hand, we suppose, it was good that the Orthodox bishops in this country finally, as a group, acknowledged that we have a few problems here. On the other hand, after reading through this multiple times, we kept asking ourselves, “Where’s the hope here again, other than in the title?”

President Trump is a secular leader, and one that is not noted for his deep and abiding faith in God. But even he was able to call upon us to cast off fear and live our lives. The Orthodox Bishops did not. Trump was bold and inspirational in a time of crisis, the Bishops are trying to hold a tepid “middle ground.” From the beginning of this crisis, Orthodox Christians have asked the bishops to evaluate the data on the virus for themselves and make wise, independent, transparent decisions. The choice has not been between “faithless reason” and “spiritualized folly.” Those words are deployed to merely cover the Bishops’ own fear of action.

Rather, as is even more abundantly clear today than ever, the choice has been between politically useful hysteria and protecting the well-being of our most vulnerable in society. Even WHO officials have now realized that lockdowns are doing the most harm to those who can least afford it. Dr. David Nabarro of the WHO has urged world leaders to stop using lockdowns as a primary virus control method, “Look what’s happened to smallholder farmers all over the world. … Look what’s happening to poverty levels. It seems that we may well have a doubling of world poverty by next year. We may well have at least a doubling of child malnutrition.”

Shouldn’t the Shepherds of Christ’s Church on Earth have something to say about a public health strategy that is doubling the rate of poverty and doubling child malnutrition? Opposing this doesn’t seem like “spiritualized folly” to us. And supporting such policies doesn’t appear to us to be any kind of reason, “faithless” or otherwise.

But there is even more evidence emerging that continuing to destroy economies and human lives over a virus with a close to 100% survival rate for those under 70 is a horrible idea. Over 6,000 scientists signed a petition calling for end of coronavirus lockdowns:

Over 6,000 scientists signed their names to a petition calling for an end to coronavirus lockdowns, citing the “irreparable damage” they have caused.

“As infectious disease epidemiologists and public health scientists we have grave concerns about the damaging physical and mental health impacts of the prevailing COVID-19 policies, and recommend an approach we call Focused Protection,” states the petition, which was signed by over 2,800 medical and public health scientists, over 3,700 medical practitioners, and over 60,000 private citizens, according to Newsweek. “Current lockdown policies are producing devastating effects on short and long-term public health.”

The petition continues: “Keeping these measures in place until a vaccine is available will cause irreparable damage, with the underprivileged disproportionately harmed.”

“The most compassionate approach that balances the risks and benefits of reaching herd immunity is to allow those who are at minimal risk of death to live their lives normally to build up immunity to the virus through natural infection, while better protecting those who are at highest risk,” the petition reads. “We call this Focused Protection.”

When the lockdowns began, many bishops and priests published letters saying that destroying jobs and closing churches was to help “the least of these” (Matthew 25:31). Those of us complaining about the lockdowns and the church closures were often accused of not caring about the vulnerable. We were told, in no uncertain terms, that we were putting money above human lives. Well, that was then and this is now. And now that 15 days to flatten the curve has turned into 7 months, it has become abundantly clear that the lockdowns and social isolation are hurting and even killing the most vulnerable in our society. And it needs to stop.

So why did the bishops not stand up for the least of these among us? Why can politicians and scientists speak out, but the men burdened with leading the Faithful simply keep quiet? Are they that afraid of a virus or the government, or both?

The bishops also noted, “our present physical separation from one another and spiritual isolation from the divine services.” Churches in many states, such as California, are still closed or severely constrained. Lawsuits are popping up all over on Constitutional grounds, and many churches are resisting the restrictions in a myriad of ways. This message was a perfect time for the Bishops to condemn restrictions on religious liberty, and declare once and for all that the Church is “essential.” They, of course, did no such thing which is how most of the Bishops have behaved since the beginning of this crisis. Not only will the Bishops not fight for California, they won’t stand up for Christian freedom of worship in even the mildest of language.

Thanks be to God that we have leaders in the Orthodox Church such as Abbot Tryphon who are willing to stand for the Church. Abbot Tryphon wrote the following in a recent article entitled The Church is THE Essential Institution:

Given the communal nature of the Church, it is particularly alarming our City, State, and Federal governments are using this Covid-19 pandemic to bar people from gathering in their temples for common worship. The importance of social interaction in the central square, as seen in traditional villages where the cafe life, together with the communal nature of the Church, were the primary source of fraternal interaction, demonstrate the danger facing a society that has ordered her people to remain apart, sequestered in their homes.

A nation that forbids her people from participating in corporate worship, is a nation that is doomed.
Isolated from others, the communal nature that is an important element in what it means to be human, is lost. As humans, we are meant to be together, for it is in our lives together that we grow in mind and spirit. It is in community that we learn to love God, and it is within the corporate gathering together for the Divine Liturgy, that we collectively hear the Word of God, and receive the Life-giving Body and Blood of Our Saviour.

It is high time we clearly let those who’ve decided that liquor stores, pot shops, and drug stores are by far less essential to the maintenance of our souls, then the Church. A nation that forbids her people from participating in corporate worship, is a nation that is doomed. It is clear that we have need for access to the food we need for physical sustenance, but the spiritual food needed for a healthy soul and body, makes the Church THE most essential institution in the land.

Like President Trump on the secular side, Abbot Tryphon boldly proclaims truth but from an Orthodox Christian perspective. Compare his prophetic boldness in crying out that a nation which forbids corporate worship is “doomed” with the Bishops’ “middle ground.” Who speaks for the historic witness of the Faith of the Martyrs – Abbot Tryphon or the Bishops?

The danger to our Faith extends past this current crisis. The Bishops’ continuing silence probably means that we are not taking steps to make our own plans as a Church for how to deal with any future crisis. The current policy of simply “comply” has been condemned as dangerous by other Orthodox leaders such as Archbishop Theodosy (Snigiryov) of Boyarka who said:

If the Church adopts a “whatever they say, we’ll do,” stance as its doctrine of responding to social problems, then in the near future, authorities in different countries will be able to close our churches, and deprive the faithful of the Liturgy under any humanitarian pretext—a pandemic, the danger of nuclear war, climate change, etc.

The Bishops missed more opportunities than just defending the vulnerable (while embracing actual science), and calling for an end to restrictions on Christian worship. The ongoing vaccine effort is alarming many with concerns about decreased safety protocols and possible side effects from the use of potentially dangerous new technology. The Russian Church has dealt with those concerns by proclaiming that patients have the right to voluntary, informed consent of all vaccines. Our American Bishops ignored this controversy in their message, even though it is being discussed daily and even featured in presidential debates.

The Bishops also failed to renounce the “new normal” and advocate unequivocally for a return to pre-COVID life, at least for those under 70 or otherwise not in high risk groups. 7 months in, we still have mask mandates, restrictions on travel, and experiments with “immunity” passports. As with lockdowns, the science does not support the need for the “new normal.” Recently, a survey conducted by over a dozen medical institutions for the CDC and published in Sept. 11’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report showed that 85% of those who contracted COVID-19 during July among the study group either “always” or “often” wore face coverings within the 14 days before they were infected. Just 3.9% reported never wearing a mask. And, of course, the data tell us that the overwhelmingly, vast majority of those who did get the virus will be just fine.

The uselessness of mask mandates has always been known based on prior experience with the flu. We have been writing about masks for months. Which makes us wonder why the vast majority of Orthodox parishes are still enforcing mandatory masks, even when many of their localities are not requiring them? When will the Bishops take a stand against the “new normal,” or does their reticence to do so mean that at least the 38 who signed off on this statement are on-board with it?

The Bishops’ message also said:

At the same time, this health crisis and the energy required to shoulder it have also given rise to an unhealthy increase of polemical opinion related to questions of science, medicine, and civil and ecclesiastical directives. As often happens when human passions erupt, such polemics have infected other areas of society as reflected in the rise in this country of racial tensions, ideological clashes, and political polarization… we are not called to base our lives upon the ephemeral convictions that are common in the realm of politics, economics, or ideology. Rather, we are called to “set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth” (Col. 3:2), placing our trust in the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ and doing His Holy Will through our efforts to fulfill His life-giving commandments.

Many American cities have been rocked for months with violent riots. Innocent business and home owners have suffered billions in property damage. There is rampant, open speculation of increased mob violence after a possible botched election. But the Orthodox Bishops don’t condemn the violence while calling for calm and prophetically taking to task the politicians who have promoted the chaos? Why do the Bishops note our current distress, but somehow refer to all this chaos and destruction as “polemics“?

As Christians, of course we place our hope in the Gospel, just as the Bishops advise. But how can our leaders ignore what is happening around us? Not only are we beset by Marxist-led mob violence in the streets, but churches are being attacked and vandalized. Christians are being “cancelled” from their jobs and from society for the crime of merely standing up for the tenets of our faith. A Supreme Court nominee is being attacked for the crime of taking her Roman Catholic faith seriously. Yet our Bishops ignore all that and simply tell us to focus on Jesus Christ.

That is not bad advice, focusing on Jesus is always the right thing to do. But we need more out of our leaders to help us in the life we have to live prior to entering God’s Kingdom. What is happening to us now as a nation and as a Church matters, and the Bishops seem completely disconnected from our daily struggles.

It is estimated that 1 in 5 churches will close in the next 18 months. That crisis is reaching the Orthodox as well. The Greek Archdiocese has launched a COVID-19 Parish Recovery Initiative:

Many parishes of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America have reported declines in weekly giving and stewardship donations due to the lengthy COVID-19 shutdown. Additionally, reports showcase the decline of attendance at holy services and ministries as well as technological challenges associated with delivery services and ministries virtually.

Millions of people are deeply disappointed in the way the Church (and the other “Christian” bodies in the US) has caved to COVID hysteria. They are lost, dejected and in need of guidance. They are staying home in droves, and they are keeping what money they have and not giving it to the Church. Our people need the kind of “spiritualized folly” that the Bishops condemn. They need the Faith of the Apostles and Martyrs, not the scribblings of academics too afraid to even meet their fellow Bishops face-to-face. By God’s Grace that boldness still exists within our Holy, Orthodox Church. May God grant that the Bishops catch the the fire of the Holy Spirit in their bellies and that it pours out into their preaching. Then maybe the leaders of our Faith will be capable of giving us a real message of hope over fear.

Nicholas, member Greek Archdiocese of America

Tags: Archbishop Elpidophoros, Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops, authentic Orthodoxy, bare face is legal, bishop letter, corona conflict, fear, lock downs, mask mandate, masks, message, middle ground, Orthodox Bishops, Orthodox fundamentalism, Orthodox martyrs, spiritualized folly, surgical masks

Is Freemasonry Systemic in the Greek Orthodox Church?

October 7, 2020

6 Comments

James G. replies to the Orthodox Reflections article on Freemasonry

In the Greek Orthodox Church of Canada, Archbishop Sotirios has been named Grand Commander of the Order of the Phoenix in Greece, according to the last line in his Biography on the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Canada Website The Grand Commander wears the badge of the Order on a necklet, and the star of the order on the right chest.

O James G. απάντα στο άρθρο του <<Orthodox Reflections>> το οποίο βρίσκεται στο περί της Μασωνίας και του Οικουμενισμού στην Ορθόδοξη Εκκλησία.

Στην Ελληνική Ορθόδοξη Εκκλησία του Καναδά, ο Αρχιεπίσκοπος Σωτήριος ονομάστηκε Μέγας Διοικητής της Μασωνικής Στοάς Φοίνιξ, όπως γράφει η τελευταία γραμμή της βιογραφίας του που βρίσκεται στην Ελληνορθόδοξη Αρχιεπισκοπή του Καναδά. Ο Μέγας Διοικητής φοράει το έμβλημα της στοάς στο γιακά και το αστέρι της στοάς στο στήθος δεξιά.

The Order of the Phoenix in Greece was established on May 13, 1926 to replace the defunct Royal Order of King George the 1st. The order was retained after the restoration of the monarchy in 1935, and has its roots in Freemasonry as evidenced by its symbols which are borrowed from the Knights Templar (full name: The United Religious, military and Masonic Orders of the Temple and of St John of Jerusalem, Palestine, Rhodes and Malta).

Η Στοά Φοίνιξ πρωτοδημιουργήθηκε στην Ελλάδα στις 13 Μαΐου το 1926 για να αντικαταστήσει την ανενέργητη Βασιλική Στοά του Bασιλέως Γεωργίου του Πρώτου. Η Στοά επικράτησε μετά από την αναστήλωση της Μοναρχίας το 1935 και είναι ριζωμένη στην Mασωνία. Στοιχεία είναι τα σύμβολα τα οποία η Μοναρχία δανείζεται από την Στοά των Knights Templar (full name: The United Religious, military and Masonic Orders of the Temple and of St John of Jerusalem, Palestine, Rhodes and Malta).

Some sources suggest that the origins of Freemasonry are traced back to the builders of Solomon’s Temple in Jerusalem (with the purpose to someday rebuild it) but the time or place or reasons of its origin are not really known. What is known is that “organised” Freemasonry began in northwestern Europe on June 24, 1717 when four London lodges came together at the Goose and Gridiron Ale House in St Paul’s Churchyard. On that day, these pre-existing lodges formed themselves into a Grand Lodge and elected a Grand Master (Anthony Sayer) and Grand Wardens. Today, Freemasonry is the largest worldwide secret society, spread by the advance of the British Empire.

Μερικές πηγές υποθέτουν πως η Μασωνία ξεκίνησε από την εποχή που οικοδομείτο ο Ναός του Σολομώντος της Ιερουσαλήμ (με το στόχο να ξανάοικοδομηθεί κάποτε) αλλά ο χρόνος, ο τόπος, ή οι αιτίες που ξεκίνησε δεν είναι γνωστές. Αυτό που γνωρίζουμε είναι ότι η Μασωνία πρώτοοργανώθηκε στην βορειοδυτική Ευρώπη στις 24 Ιουνίου το 1717, όταν τέσσερα Μασωνικά τμήματα στο Λονδίνο ενώθηκαν σε μία μπιραρία στο προαύλιο της εκκλησίας του Αγίου Παύλου. Εκείνη την ημέρα τα τμήματα αυτά οργανώθηκαν σε μία Μέγιστη Στοά και ψήφισαν ένα Μέγα Αρχηγό (τον Anthony Sayer) καθώς και Μεγάλοι Φύλακες. Σήμερα η Μασωνία είναι η μεγαλύτερη παγκόσμια μυστική κοινωνία η οποία ξαπλώθηκε διαμέσου της Αγγλικής Αυτοκρατορίας.

Freemasonry has its roots in the “Guild” system, which was an association formed for mutual aid and protection and for the furtherance of professional interests. They were a type of modern day ‘Union’ that controlled sectors of commerce, trade (wealth) and power. Guilds flourished in Europe between the 11^th and 16^th centuries and formed an important part of the economic and social fabric in that era.

Η Μασωνία έχει τις ρίζες της στο σύστημα της <<Συντεχνίας>>, σωματείο που δημιουργήθηκε για αλληλοβοήθεια, προστασία και για να προωθήσει επαγγελματικά συμφέροντα. Ηταν ένα είδος μοντέρνας <<ένωσης>> η οποία ήλεγχε πολλές εμπορικές συναλλαγές και πολιτικές εξουσίες. Τα σωματεία αυτά προόδευσαν στην Ευρώπη μεταξύ του 11ου και 16ου αιώνος και σχημάτισαν ένα σπουδαίο μέρος της οικονομικής και κοινωνικής ζωής.

To maintain power and wealth, Royalty also created a type of Guild by way of intermarriage. By keeping their power and wealth in the family, the Royal Guild became a type of “Order” in the same spirit as the Freemason movement. This explains why the freedom fighters of the Greek revolution who gave their lives to free the country from the Ottoman yoke, were persecuted by the European powers (Germans, French and British), who feared losing control of the imperial and colonizing system they had in place. A key figure was Klemens von Metternich (1773 – 1859 AD), an Austrian Diplomat of Royal lineage, who strongly opposed liberalism, nationalism and electoral reform. Instead of allowing Greece to form her own democracy, something she, herself, had invented, he and others like him, came to ‘help govern’ Greece by imposing a Monarchy, which was essentially an extension of the European “Guild” of Royal Families.

Για να διατηρήσουν τα πλούτη και την εξουσία τους, οι Βασιλείς δημιούργησαν και αυτoi ένα είδος σωματείου δια μέσου του γάμου, μεταξύ των οικογενειών των. Έτσι κρατώντας την εξουσία και τον πλούτο μεταξύ των οικογενειών των, το βασιλικό σωματείο έγινε κι αυτό ένα είδος βασιλικής στοάς με το ίδιο πνεύμα της Μασωνίας. Ετσι εξηγείται πως οι ήρωες της επαναστάσεως του 1821 οι οποίοι έδωσαν τη ζωή τους να ελευθερώσουν την Ελλάδα από την Ωθωμανική σκλαβιά, καταδιώχτηκαν από τις Ευρωπαϊκές Δυνάμεις (Γερμανία, Αγγλία, Γαλλία) οι οποίες φοβήθηκαν να μη χάσουν τον έλεγχο του αυτοκρατορικού και αποικιουρατικού συστήματος, το οποίο είχαν ιδρύσει. Πρωταγωνιστής του συστήματος αυτού ήταν ο Klemens von Metternich (1773 – 1859), ένας Αυστριακός δίπλωματης βασιλικής γενεάς, ο οποίος αντιδρούσε δυναμικά την φιλελευθερία, την εθνικότητα και την προεκλογική μεταρρύθμιση. Αντί να αφήσει την Ελλάδα να δημιουργήσει δική της Δημοκρατία η οποία εφευρέθηκε από τους Ελληνες, ο Metternich και άλλοι σαν κι αυτόν, ήλθαν στην Ελλάδα να <<βοηθήσουν (τάχα) την κυβέρνηση της>> επιβάλλοντας μία Μοναρχία η οποία ήταν μία επέκταση του Ευρωπαϊκου Βασιλικών Οικογενειών (Συντεχνιών).

With Metternich’s influence, Bavarian prince, Otto Friedrich Ludwig became first King of Greece in 1832 under the Convention of London. Popular heroes and leaders of the Greek Revolution, such as generals Theodoros Kolokotronis and Yiannis Makriyiannis, who opposed the Bavarian-dominated regency, were charged with treason, imprisoned and sentenced to death. They were later pardoned under popular pressure, while Greek judges who resisted Bavarian pressure and refused to sign the death warrants (Anastasios Polyzoidis and Georgios Tertsetis, for instance), were saluted as heroes.

Με την επιρροή του Metternich, ο Βαυαρικός Πρίγκιπας, ο Otto Friedrich Ludwig, έγινε ο πρώτος βασιλιάς της Ελλάδος το 1832 με τη Σύμβαση του Λονδίνου. Tότε δημοφιλείς ήρωες και ηγέτες της Eλληνικής Eπανάστασης, όπως οι στρατηγοί Θεόδωρος Κολοκοτρώνης και ο Ιωάννης Μακρυγιάννης, οι οποίοι αντέδρασαν στην Βαυαρική κυριαρχία, καταδικάστηκαν ως προδότες, εφυλακίστηκαν και καταδικάστηκαν εις θάνατον. Αργότερα ελευθερώθηκαν εξ αιτίας της πιέσεως του λαού και των δικαστών οι οποίοι αντιστάθηκαν στην Βαυαρική πίεση, αρνούμενοι να υπογράψουν την ποινή του θανάτου (όπως ο Αναστάσιος Πολυζωίδης και ο Γεώργιος Τερτσέτης ). Αργότερα, ο λαός τους ανακήρυξε ήρωες.

Britain and the Rothschild bank, who were underwriting the Greek loans, insisted on financial stringency. The Greeks were soon more heavily taxed than under Ottoman rule. According to the people, they had exchanged a hated Ottoman rule for government by a foreign bureaucracy, the “Bavarocracy” (Βαυαροκρατία). In addition, the regency showed little respect for local customs. As a Roman Catholic, Otto himself was viewed as a heretic by many pious Greeks; however, his heirs would have to be Orthodox, according to the terms of the 1843 Constitution. After several attempts, the Greek people finally succeeded in deposing Otto in 1862; but in 1863, Europe’s Great Powers elected George 1^st, Prince Wilhelm of Denmark, as King of the Hellenes. Greece transitioned from slavery to the Ottomans to pseudo-freedom under even the more powerful “Royal Guild.”

Η Αγγλία και η τράπεζα του Rothschild, που έδιναν τα δάνεια στην Ελλάδα, επέμεναν στην χρηματοοικονομική αυστηρότητα. Σύντομα οι Ελληνες πλήρωναν φόρους πιο αβάσταχτούς από τότε που ήταν σκλαβωμένοι. Ο λαός φώναζε ότι αντάλλαξαν τους μισιτούς Ωθωμανούς με Βαυαρους, για μια κυβέρνηση γραφειοκρατίας <<Βαυαροκρατίας>>. Επιπλέον ο βασιλιάς δεν σέβονταν τα Ελληνικά ήθη και έθημα ως Ρωμαιοκαθολικός, και πολλοί Ελληνες Ορθόδοξοι τον θεωρούσαν αιρετικό. Ωστόσο οι κληρονόμοι του βασιλιά έπρεπε να είναι Ορθόδοξοι σύμφωνα με το Σύνταγμα του 1843. Αργότερα, ύστερα από πολλούς αγώνες, οι Ελληνες πέτυχαν την εκθρόνιση του βασιλέως Otto το 1862. Oμως, το 1863 οι Μεγάλες Δυνάμεις της Ευρώπης επανέφεραν τον Πρίγκιπα Wilhelm of Denmark, τον Γεώργιο τον Πρώτο, ως επόμενο Βασιλέα των Eλλήνων. Η Ελλάδα μετεβλήθη από σκλαβιά των Ωθωμανών σε ψευτοελευθερία κάτω από το πιο δυνατό <<Βασιλικό Σωματείο>>.

The Monarchy was officially eliminated and exiled in 1974, but since then, Greece has seen the same handful of family names involved in Greek government, one generation after the next. Many of these politicians have been routinely photographed openly attending Rotary events and delivering the non-standard handshake to one another, eerily reminiscent of the “secret handshakes” frequently described and associated with Freemasonry. Having infiltrated many levels of Greek government and even the Greek Orthodox Church, the Freemasons also continue to run the Order of King George the 1st, which they, themselves, admit, on their official website.

Η Μοναρχία επίσημα εξαλείφθηκε και εξορίστηκε το 1974, αλλά από τότε οι ίδιες οικογένειες κυβερνούν την Ελλάδα από τη μία γενναία στην άλλη. Πολλοί από αυτούς τους πολιτικούς έχουν φωτογραφηθεί να παραβρίσκονται στις Μασωνικές εκδηλώσεις, π.χ. Rotary, και να δίνουν ένα διαφορετικό χαιρετισμό ο ένας στον άλλον, ο οποίος δυστυχώς, θυμίζει τις μυστικές χειραψίες οι οποίες σχετίζονται με την Μασωνία. Οι Μασωνοι εισχώρησαν μέσα σε πολλά τμήματα της Ελληνικής Κυβέρνησης, ακόμη και στην Ελληνορθόδοξη Εκκλησία. Επίσης οι Μασωνοι συνεχίζουν να διαχειρίζονται την Στοά του Βασιλέως Γεωργίου του Πρώτου οι οποίοι οι ίδιοι το ομολογούν στο δικτυακό τόπο τους <<Μεγάλη Στοά Ελλάδος Φοίνιξ>>.

Therefore, Greece has never been truly independent since the fall of Constantinople. It is small wonder that this small, yet prodigious country is still struggling since the devastating fourth crusade which left her dangerously vulnerable to the Ottomans followed by greater evils.

Επομένως η Ελλάδα ποτέ δεν ήταν ελεύθερη μετά από την άλωση της Κωνσταντινουπόλεως. Γι’ αυτό, το μικρό αλλά καταπληκτικό κράτος ακόμη αγωνίζεται από την καταστροφική Τέταρτη Σταυροφορία, η οποία την άφησε ευάλωτη επικίνδυνα στους Ωθωμανούς, και έπειτα σε μεγαλύτερα κακά.

There are many clues that someone is affiliated with Freemasonry. Words such as “grand master’, ’lodge’, ‘order’, ‘sash’ and so on, are usually associated with Freemasonry and have nothing to do with Orthodoxy. Freemasonry has incorporated the symbols and rituals of several medieval military orders in a number of Masonic bodies since the 18^th century at least. This can be seen in the “Red Cross of Constantine,” the “Order of Malta,” (received by Pope Francis in 2019) and the “Order of the Temple.”

Υπάρχουν πολλές ενδείξεις πως κάποιοι συνεργάζονται με την Μασωνία. Λέξεις όπως <<Μέγας Διοικητής>>, <<Τάγμα>>, <<Στοά>>, <<Ζώνη>> κ.τ.λ.π., συνδέονται συνήθως με την Μασωνία και δεν έχουν να κάνουν τίποτε με την Ορθοδοξία. Η Μασωνία έχει ενσωματώσει τα σύμβολα και τις τελετές πολλών Μασωνικών στρατιωτικών στοών σε πολλά Μασωνικά σωματεία, τουλάχιστον από το 18ον αιώνα. Αυτό μπορεί να το δει κανείς στον <<Κόκκινο Σταυρό του Κωσταντίνου>> στην <<Στοά της Μάλτας>> που έλαβε ο Παππάς Φράνσις το 2019, και στην <<Στοά του Τέμπλου>>.

Notice the similarity in the 8-pointed silver stars of the Order of Phoenix, the Royal Order of George Ist, and the Red Cross of Constantine. On the surface, a cross looks proper, but it is a common masonic practice to mix occult symbols with Christian ones. The phrase “ΙΣΧΥΣ ΜΟΥ Η ΑΓΑΠΗ ΤΟΥ ΛΑΟΥ” which means, “my strength is the love of the people,” in the middle of the cross on the Royal Order of King George 1st, gives away the underlying spirit which Holy Scripture calls us to examine. According to Holy Scripture, “The Lord is my strength and my shield” (Psalms 28:7) and “The Lord is the strength of my life” (Psalm 27:1). It is problematic when a Church leader, regards his strength as coming from the love of the people rather than from God.

Παρατηρήστε την ομοιότητα στις οχτώ μύτες των ασημένιων αστέρων της Στοάς Φοίνιξ, της Βασιλικής Στοάς του Γεωργίου Πρώτου, και του Κόκκινου Σταύρου του Κωσταντίνου. Στην επιφάνεια, ένας σταύρος φαίνεται σωστός, αλλά είναι μία κοινή Μασωνική πρακτική για να συνδυάζη απόκρυφα με Χριστιανικά σύμβολα. Η φράσις <<Ισχύς μου η αγάπη του λαού>> στο κέντρο του Σταύρου της Βασιλικής Στοάς του Γεωργίου Πρώτου, δείχνει το υποκείμενο πνεύμα το οποίο η Αγία γραφή μας καλεί να ερευνήσουμε. Σύμφωνα με την Αγία γραφή που λέγει <<Ο Κύριος μου είναι η ελπίδα μου και η δυναμις μού>> (Ψαλμός 28,7) και <<Ο Κύριος είναι η δυνάμις της ζωής μου>> (Ψαλμός 27,1), είναι πολύ προβληματικό όταν ένας Ιεράρχης ηγέτης της Εκκλησίας θεωρεί πως η δύναμη του προέρχεται από την αγάπη του λαού, παρά από τον Θεό.

Another symbol of Freemasonry is the 5-pointed star, which is found on the upper arm of the cross on the necklet of the Grand Commander’s Order of the Pheonix. As mentioned above, Archbishop Sotirios has been named Grand Commander of the Order of the Phoenix in Greece, which means he has been noted for furthering Masonic principles and ideals. However, according to the Church of Greece’s Official Statement in 1933, “Orthodox Christians must disavow the masonic movement and resign from it if they have joined in ignorance of its goals.” According to this website, Patriarch Athenagoras and Archbishop Iakovos whom Archbishop Sotirios regards as his mentors and heroes, were also Freemasons. “One needs only to read the Christmas 1967 statement of patriarch Athenagoras, or Archbishop Iakovos’ January 19, 1969 sermon at St. Patrick’s Cathedral to realize that they continually expounded Masonic doctrine which is opposed to sound Orthodox teachin g.” Is it by coincidence, therefore, that at the ordinations of the Canadian Auxiliary Bishops, Archbishop Sotirios named two of them, Athenagoras and Iakovos? The third, he named Bartholomew after our current Patriarch. It would appear, therefore, that the Greek Orthodox Patriarch, may also be affiliated with the Freemason society, by extrapolation, since Archbishop Sotirios also credited him with the selection of the three new Canadian Auxiliary Bishops.

Αλλο ένα σύμβολο της Μασωνίας είναι το αστέρι με πέντε μύτες το οποίο βρίσκεται στο επάνω μέρος του σταύρου του περιδέραιου του Μέγα Διοικητού της Στοάς Φοίνιξ. Οπως αναφέραμε, ο Αρχιεπίσκοπος Σωτήριος ονομάστηκε Μέγας Διοικητής της Στοάς Φοίνιξ στην Ελλάδα και έλαβε το περιδέραιο αυτό με το έμβλημά του. Αυτό σημαίνει ότι έχει αναγνωριστεί για την προώθηση των Μασωνικών αρχών και ιδανικών. Σύμφωνα με την επίσημη δήλωση (απόφαση Συνόδου) της Εκκλησίας της Ελλάδος το 1933, <<οι Ορθόδοξοι χριστιανοί πρέπει να απορρίψουν το Μασωνικό κίνημα και να παραιτηθούν από αυτό εάν έχουν ενταχθεί σε αυτό αγνοώντας τους στόχους των>>. Σύμφωνα με αυτόν τον ιστότoπο, ο Πατριάρχης Αθηναγόρας και ο Αρχιεπίσκοπος Ιάκωβος, τους οποίους ο Αρχιεπίσκοπος Σωτήριος θεωρεί ως μέντορες και ήρωες του, ήταν επίσης Μασωνοι. <<Χρειάζεται κάποιος να διαβάσει την Χριστουγεννιάτικη δήλωση του Πατριάρχου Αθηναγόρα, ή το κήρυγμά του Αρχιεπισκόπου Ιακώβου του 19/1/1969 στον καθεδρικό ναό του Αγίου Πατρικίου, για να συνειδητοποιήσει ότι ανέπτυσσαν συνεχώς την Μασωνική διδασκαλία που>> Είναι λοιπόν τυχαίο πως στις χειροτονίες των νέων Καναδών Επισκόπων, ο Αρχιεπίσκοπος Σωτήριος ονόμασε δύο από αυτούς Αθηναγόρα και Ιάκωβο; Τον τρίτο Καναδό Επίσκοπο τον ονόμασε Βαρθολομαίο για να τιμήσει τον Πατριάρχη μας. Μήπως και ο Πατριάρχης είναι συνδεδεμένος με την Μασωνία αφού ο Αρχιεπίσκοπος Σωτήριος τον αναγνώρισε με την επιλογή των τριών Καναδών επισκόπων;

Freemasonry and “Royalty Guilds” have not only negatively impacted the country of Greece, but also, it would appear, the Greek Orthodox Church. It is small wonder, then, that the Greek Orthodox Church is in crisis.

H Mασωνία και τα <<Βασιλικά Τμήματα>> έχουν επηρεάσει αρνητικά όχι μόνο το κράτος της Ελλάδος αλλά, ως φαίνεται, και την Ελληνορθόδοξη Εκκλησία. Δεν είναι, λοιπόν, καθόλου τυχαίο ότι η Ελληνορθόδοξη Εκκλησία βρίσκεται σήμερα σε μεγάλη κρίση.

Pretending to be loyal to Christ, Freemasons refer to each other as “brethren.” An Orthodox Hierarch who is a Mason, addresses as “brethren” a congregation that believes in the Orthodox Holy Trinity. He also addresses as “brethren” the members of his Masonic Lodge, which dogmatizes the heretical notion that the “Master Architect of the Universe” is someone other than the Orthodox Holy Trinity. Therefore, when an Orthodox Hierarch who is a Mason says “brethren,” which of his two families is he addressing? To have “brothers” in two families implies two “fathers” – God and Satan.

Οι Μασωνοι προσποιούνται ότι είναι πιστοί στο Χριστό και ονομάζει ο ένας τον άλλον <<αδελφό>>. Ενας λοιπόν, Ορθόδοξος Ιεράρχης που είναι και Μασωνος ονομάζει <<αδελφούς>> τους εκκλησιαζόμενος Ορθόδοξους Χριστιανούς οι οποίοι πιστεύουν στην Αγία Τριάδα. Επίσης ονομάζει <<αδελφούς>> τα μέλη της Μασωνικής Στοάς η οποία δογματίζει ότι ο <<Μέγας Αρχιτέκτον του Σύμπαντος>> είναι κάποιος άλλος θεός. Επομένως όταν ένας Ιεράρχης Ορθόδοξος που είναι και Μασωνος λέγει <<αδελφοί>>, σε ποιά κατηγορία από τις δύο οικογένειες απευθύνεται; Το να έχει κανείς αδέλφια σε δύο οικογένειες συνεπάγεται ότι έχει και δύο πατέρες – τον Θεό και τον Σατανά.

The Biblical Barabbas, a thief and a murderer, was the embodiment of sin and the devil. It is prophetic that his name, “Bar” – “Abba” means “son” – “of the father.” Pilate presented the mob with a clear choice between Christ, the Son of the Heavenly Father, and Barabbas, whose sins and crimes had turned him into the proud son of Satan, “the ruler of this world.” (John 14:30) This is why Christ taught, “no man can serve two masters,” (Matthew 6:24) and why the official Orthodox Church has forbidden its members to join “secret” societies, deeming it an abomination. Nowadays, we see hierarchs openly advertising their affiliation with Freemason societies without shame, in violation of this regulation.

Ο Βαραββάς που ήταν ληστής και φονιάς, ήταν ενσωματωμένος με την αμαρτία και τον Σατανά. Το όνομα του ήταν προφητικό. <<Βαρ>> – <<αββάς>> σημαίνει <<ιός>> του <<πατέρα>>. Ο Πιλάτος παρουσίασε στον όχλο μία σαφή επιλογή – τον Χρήστο και τον Βαραββά, τον υιό του θεού και τον γιο του Σατανά, τον <<άρχοντα του κόσμου τούτου>>. (Ιωάννης 14,30) Δυστυχώς ο όχλος προτίμησε τον άρχοντα του κόσμου τούτου. Ο Ιησούς Χριστός όμως, μας εδίδαξε ότι <<κανείς δεν μπορεί να υπηρετεί δύο κυρίους>> (Ματθαίος 6,24), και γι’ αυτό η επίσημη Ορθόδοξη Εκκλησία απαγορεύει τα μέλη της να συμμετέχουν σε μυστικές λέσχες όπου απεχθάνεται ο Θεός. Σήμερα, όμως, βλέπουμε Ελληνορθόδοξους Ιεράρχες να δημοσιεύουν ανοιχτά τις σχέσεις τους με Μασωνικές λέσχες, παραβιάζοντας τους κανονισμούς της Εκκλησίας, χωρίς ντροπή καμία.

Despite these warnings and admonitions, many find the promises of “belonging” to a “guild” that will provide worldly wealth and power very enticing. Judas’ betrayal of Christ for 30 pieces of silver (the cost of a slave back then) demonstrates that betrayal of faith and nation for personal gain is not something new. The notion that Masonic societies focus on “charity” is also highly questionable from a Biblical perspective. When Judas returned the 30 pieces of silver, even the murderous High Priests of the Temple considered it improper to put “blood money” back in the treasury and used it to buy a field for burying foreigners instead. Charity, therefore, cannot be used as a “mask” for betrayal and does not nullify sin. In addition, there is a scriptural warning about showing off one’s charitable contributions for the purpose of garnering rewards from people rather than God. Advertising one’s charity to others is contrary to Christ’s teachings and falls in line with “my strength is the love of the people,” rather than in the all-powerful God in Heaven.

Παρά αυτές τις προειδοποιήσεις, πολλοί βρίσκουν δελεαστικές τις Μασωνικές υποσχέσεις να <<ανήκουν>> σε ένα <<σωματείο>> που θα τους προσφέρει κοσμικό πλούτο και δύναμη. Η προδοσία του Ιούδα για 30 αργύρια (η τιμή ενός σκλάβου τότε) δείχνει πως η προδοσία της Πίστεως και Πατρίδος δεν είναι κάτι το καινούργιο. Το ότι τα Μασωνικά σωματεία προωθούν <<φιλανθρωπικά>> έργα είναι αμφισβητήσιμα από απόψεως της Αγία γραφής. Οταν ο Ιούδας επέστρεψε τα 30 αργύρια, ακόμη και οι δολοφόνοι Αρχιερείς του Τέμπλου θεώρησαν ακατάλληλο να επιστραφούν <<χρήματα αίματος>> στο ταμείο, και τα μεταχειρίστηκαν για την αγορά ενός κτήματος για να θάβονται οι ξένοι. Επομένως η φιλανθρωπία δεν είναι σωστό να χρησιμοποιείται ως <<μάσκα>> προδοσίας, και δεν ακυρώνει την αμαρτία. Επιπλέον η Αγία γραφή διδάσκει να μη επιδεικνύουμε τις προσωπικές μας δωρεές για να μας τιμούν και επαινούν οι άνθρωποι, αλλά ο Θεός.

Many a time, we have listened to Archbishop Sotirios’ sermons about the Orthodox Faith, in which he strongly supported national Greek pride and Hellenism. He spoke of these things with apparent conviction, but also with the full knowledge of the Masonic shackles on Greece and her present-day Orthodox Church, since he, himself, is a link in these chains. This is a clear conflict of interest and a violation of the Byzantine tradition of the ‘double-headed eagle,’ which symbolizes the Church and State looking in two different and independent directions, while united in one body.

Πολλές φορές ακούσαμε τα κηρύγματα του Αρχιεπισκόπου Σωτηρίου περί Ορθοδόξου Πίστεως, στα οποία υποστήριζε έντονα την Ελληνική εθνική υπερηφάνια. Μιλούσε με προφανή πεποίθηση, αλλά και με πλήρη γνώση των Μασωνικών δεσμών στην Ελλάδα και στην σημερινή Ορθόδοξη Εκκλησία της, καθώς αυτός ο ίδιος είναι ένας κρίκος σ’ αυτές τις αλυσίδες. Αυτό είναι σαφής σύγκρουση συμφερόντων και παραβίασης της Βυζαντινής Παράδοσης του <<Δικέφαλου Αετού>> που συμβολίζει την Εκκλησία και το Κράτος να κοιτάζουν σε δύο διαφορετικές κατευθύνσεις ενώ ενώνονται σε ένα σώμα.

How can an Orthodox Hierarch accept a Masonic medal and the rank of Grand Commander without crossing a line? How can he maintain his dignity and freedom by serving two masters? It is clear which master such persons favour and which they despise, for they have compromised the Orthodox faith to favour those to whom they owe favours, in exchange for power, wealth and recognition – ‘medals of honour’ and ‘membership’ in modern-day guilds.

Πως μπορεί λοιπόν ένας Ορθόδοξος Ιεράρχης να δεχθεί ένα Μασωνικό μετάλλιο και τον βαθμό του Μεγάλου Διοικητή χωρίς να ξεπερνά τα όρια; Πως μπορεί να διατηρεί την αξιοπρέπεια και την ελευθερία του υπηρετώντας δύο κύριους; Eίναι ξεκάθαρο ποιόν κύριο προτιμά και ποιόν περιφρονεί εφόσον συμβιβάζει την Ορθόδοξη Πίστη για να κάνει χατίρια σ’ αυτούς που του χάρισαν σαν αντάλλαγμα δύναμη, πλούτο και αναγνώριση – μεταλλεία τιμής και συμμετοχή στα σύγχρονα σωματεία.

Greece, the cradle of Democracy and Orthodoxy, is a threat to the principles and goals of Freemasonry, which seems determined to destroy and replace her from within, with its attacks on her government and economy and its demonic ecumenist innovations – something which began many years ago and is now culminating in North America and Europe. If allowed to continue, Freemasonry will have the same ultimate effect on Greece and Orthodoxy as it has already had on Archbishop Sotirios and his Freemason predecessors and colleagues – ultimate heresy and corruption, which is already systemic in the Hierarchy of the Greek Orthodox Church.

Η Ελλάδα, το λύχνο της Δημοκρατίας και της Ορθοδοξίας, αποτελεί απειλή για τις αρχές και τους στόχους της Μασωνίας, η οποία φαίνεται να είναι αποφασισμένη να την καταστρέψει και να την αντικαταστήσει από μέσα, με τις επιθέσεις της στην κυβέρνησή της, στην οικονομία της, και με τις δαιμονικές Οικουμενιστικές καινοτομίες, κάτι το οποίο ξεκίνησε πριν πολλά χρόνια. Εάν επιτρέψουμε στην Μασωνία να συνεχίσει, θα έχει το ίδιο τελικό αποτέλεσμα στην Ελλάδα και στην Ορθοδοξία με αυτό που ήδη είχε στον Αρχιεπίσκοπο Σωτήριο και στους Μασωνικους προκατόχους του και συναδέλφους του – δηλαδή, απόλυτη αίρεση και διαφθορά, η οποία είναι ήδη ενσωματωμένη με την Ιεραρχία της Ελληνορθόδοξης Εκκλησίας.

Tags: Archbishop Elpidophoros, Canada, ecumenism, fanatics, freemasonry, freemasons, Greek Archdiocese, greek orthodox bishop, heresy, Leftist Infiltration, martyrs, modernity, Orthodox Bishops, Orthodox martyrs, secret societies, Sotirios

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