Ukrainian schismatic bishop celebrated Liturgy at Xenophontos Monastery on Mt. Athos

Mt. Athos, April 17, 2019

Photo: pravoslaviavolyni.org.ua Photo: pravoslaviavolyni.org.ua     

Another hierarch of the schismatic Ukrainian church has visited Mt. Athos. As OrthoChristian previously reported, the trip was undertaken in secrecy, with news about it coming out only now, over a week later.

As Romfea reports, the trip was made by “Metropolitan” Michael of Lutsk and Volyn, along with 10 pilgrims. Michael was the favorite for the primacy of the new schismatic church until “Patriarch” Philaret Denisenko forced him to withdraw his candidacy.

According to the report, Michael visited several monasteries and met several Athonites who support the creation and autocephaly of the Ukrainian schismatic church and believe it is only a matter of time before the other autocephalous Local Churches begin to recognize it.

To date, no Church other than Constantinople has recognized the new Ukrainian structure, although the primate “Metropolitan” Epiphany Dumenko recently lied to reporters saying they had the recognition of other Churches.

“Met.” Michael also reportedly celebrated the Liturgy at Xenophontos Monastery and thanked the abbot Fr. Alexios who had been present at the enthronement of Dumenko as part of the delegation of the Patriarchate of Constantinople.

The previous delegation that visited Mt. Athos celebrated the Liturgy at two monasteries and communed at a third.

The schismatic hierarch and pilgrims also made sure to chant the Ukrainian national anthem while holding Ukrainian flags. And according to the Volyn Diocese of the schismatic church, the “bishop” and pilgrims also said a prayer for victory of the great aggressor Russia at all their stops on the Holy Mountain.

The pilgrims also visitеd Meteora and the Church of St. Demetrios in Thessaloniki.

The Sacred Community of Mt. Athos, consisting of one representative of each of the 20 ruling monasteries, has discussed the Ukrainian issue several times but has not made any strong decisions. In early March, the representatives decided that each monastery would decide for itself whether or not to accept visitors from the schismatic-nationalist church.

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4/17/2019

See also
Patriarch Bartholomew, Epiphany Dumenko planning trip to Athos after Pascha Patriarch Bartholomew, Epiphany Dumenko planning trip to Athos after Pascha Patriarch Bartholomew, Epiphany Dumenko planning trip to Athos after Pascha Patriarch Bartholomew, Epiphany Dumenko planning trip to Athos after Pascha
The trip will be preceded by a visit from another delegation of the schismatic church from April 5 to 9 “to prepare the ground for the visit of its primate and possibly Patriarch Bartholomew.” A Simple “Reading” of the Tomos of Autocephaly A Simple “Reading” of the Tomos of Autocephaly
An Athonite Monk A Simple “Reading” of the Tomos of Autocephaly A Simple “Reading” of the Tomos of Autocephaly
Does anyone wonder what canonical crime these people committed that the Patriarch of Constantinople treated them this way? Maybe they’re guilty of not wanting to become autocephalous and enter into communion with unrepentant schismatics? Each Athonite monastery will decide for itself whether to accept Ukrainian schismatics, 4 Greek monasteries condemn Russian Church’s stance Each Athonite monastery will decide for itself whether to accept Ukrainian schismatics, 4 Greek monasteries condemn Russian Church’s stance Each Athonite monastery will decide for itself whether to accept Ukrainian schismatics, 4 Greek monasteries condemn Russian Church’s stance Each Athonite monastery will decide for itself whether to accept Ukrainian schismatics, 4 Greek monasteries condemn Russian Church’s stance
A regular meeting of the Sacred Community of Mt. Athos was held on February 28, during which the Ukrainian issue and the possibility of the Ukrainian schismatics visiting and serving in Athonite monasteries was raised again. Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk: A choice facing Athos Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk: A choice facing Athos Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk: A choice facing Athos Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk: A choice facing Athos
Evidently, the legalization of the Ukrainian schism by Patriarch Bartholomew has caused new divisions: one of them is being formed before our eyes in the very heart of the Patriarchate of Constantinople – on Holy Mount Athos. St. Panteleimon’s Monastery on Mt. Athos closes its gates to schismatic bishop St. Panteleimon’s Monastery on Mt. Athos closes its gates to schismatic bishop St. Panteleimon’s Monastery on Mt. Athos closes its gates to schismatic bishop St. Panteleimon’s Monastery on Mt. Athos closes its gates to schismatic bishop
Abbot Evlogy closed the monastery gates to the schismatic representatives and did not bless them to enter the church or venerate the relics, explaining that St. Panteleimon’s Monastery does recognize them as clergy now, nor will they in the future. Ukrainian metropolitan to Abbot Alexios of Xenophontos: “Whoever serves with schismatics also becomes a schismatic” Ukrainian metropolitan to Abbot Alexios of Xenophontos: “Whoever serves with schismatics also becomes a schismatic” Ukrainian metropolitan to Abbot Alexios of Xenophontos: “Whoever serves with schismatics also becomes a schismatic” Ukrainian metropolitan to Abbot Alexios of Xenophontos: “Whoever serves with schismatics also becomes a schismatic”
His Eminence Metropolitan Agafangel of Odessa and Izmail, the longest-serving hierarch of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church, sent a letter to Archimandrite Alexios, the abbot of the Athonite monastery of Xenophontos, entreating him not to participate in the enthronement of “Metropolitan” Epiphany Dumenko, the primate of the Ukrainian schismatic church.

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