Greek Archbishop Elpidophoros visits Russian cathedral, venerates relics of St. John (Maximovitch)

San Francisco, January 28, 2020

Photo: Facebook Photo: Facebook     

Archbishop Elpidophoros, the primate of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, visited the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia’s Holy Virgin-Joy of All Who Sorrow Cathedral in San Francisco recently.

During his visit, he venerated the relics of St. John (Maximovitch) of Shanghai and San Francisco that are preserved there.

“God is wondrous in His Saints! My visit to the tomb of St. John Maximovitch at the Holy Virgin Cathedral was another enriching experience showing the depth and breadth of the Orthodox experience in America,” Abp. Elpidophoros wrote on his Facebook and Twitter pages yesterday.

“I am grateful to Archbishop Kyrill for the hospitality of the Cathedral,” Abp. Elpidophoros added, referring to ROCOR’s hierarch for the Western American Diocese.

Photo: Facebook Photo: Facebook     

The Greek hierarch’s visit to the ROCOR Cathedral is notable given that the Patriarchate of Constantinople, to which the Greek Archdiocese of America belongs, and the Moscow Patriarchate, to which ROCOR belongs, are currently out of communion due to the ongoing Ukrainian Church crisis.

Abp. Elpidophoros also met with Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, the Chairman of the Russian Church’s Department for External Church Relations in New Jersey in October, at the invitation of Metropolitan Joseph of the Antiochian Archdiocese of North America.

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1/28/2020

Comments
Ioan1/28/2020 11:07 pm
Elpidophoros certainly showed chutzpah by putting his lips on Vladika St. John’s head. I don’t know if this counts as an act of veneration or just accounts as a photo-op. May God forgive me if I am wrong, but I too believe he is an enemy of the Church. And so I fear for him if he thinks he can USE St. John to burnish his own image. Elpiodophoros is shown grinning in most of his PR photos. I wouldn’t be surprised if his teeth start falling out after this encounter (cf. Psalm 3). I do not type this lightly since the last time I wrongly accused someone in my thoughts with these words I literally had my two front teeth knocked out. Lord, have mercy!
Gary Cox1/28/2020 10:02 pm
This is bewildering at the moment. I don't trust this man but hopefully he will repent and lead Constantinople and their followers back to the fold of Orthodoxy.
Ephraim 1/28/2020 8:59 pm
As a lay person watching all of this from my lowly seat, and not knowing what happens on the hierarchal level, there are many possible interpretations, but my first reaction to seeing this was to think that the suffering of our brothers in Ukraine is really not a “big deal” in the minds of the people, even amongst ROCOR, and then I thought maybe this is ROCOR’s way of trying to “politically” and lovingly wake up the Greek hierarchs to their sin and potential schism? I then thought, “how will this be politicized by the Greeks and how will they attempt to spin it?” Then I said to myself “oh maybe Vladika Kyrill (whom I respect greatly) is hoping and praying that by venerating the saints of such a great defender and lover of Orthodoxy- St. John Maximovitch- Elpidophoros will be the first amongst the Greeks to repent of their heretical ideas and worldly ambitions?” I simply don’t know, but I just can’t help looking at this man and the Patriarchete he represents as enemies of genuine Christianity. May God deliver us from their hands and their plans!
Ioan1/28/2020 7:02 pm
“ The Ecumenical Patriarchate, in theory embracing almost the whole universe and in fact extending its authority only over several dioceses, and in other places having only a higher superficial supervision and receiving certain revenues for this, persecuted by the government at home and not supported by any governmental authority abroad: having lost its significance as a pillar of truth and having itself become a source of division, and at the same time being possessed by an exorbitant love of power—represents a pitiful spectacle which recalls the worst periods in the history of the See of Constantinople.” - St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco
Basil1/28/2020 4:26 pm
Someone should point this out to "Archon Elias," the GOARCH troll that has blasphemed by attacking Saint John recently.
Alexander Leitner1/28/2020 3:33 pm
Throw this schismatic out from our Holy Church.
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