GOARCH, OCA hierarchs celebrate Patriarch Bartholomew’s name’s day at pro-LGBTQ Episcopal church

New York, June 16, 2021

Photo: stbarts.org Photo: stbarts.org     

Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople celebrated his name’s day on Friday, June 11, on the feast of the Holy Apostle Bartholomew.

In honor of the occasion, Archbishop Elpidophoros of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America presided over a Divine Liturgy at St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church in Manhattan. He was joined by several other GOARCH hierarchs and Archbishop Michael of New York and New Jersey of the Orthodox Church in America.

“Bishop Dean Wolfe, Rector of Saint Bartholomew’s Church, joyfully has extended his blessing to His Eminence for this joyous occasion to take place,” reported the press service of the Greek Archdiocese.

In his homily, Abp. Elpidophoros declared the service “an ecumenical gesture worthy of the occasion.”

The service has proven quite scandalous among the Orthodox faithful, not only because the hierarchs decided to serve in a non-Orthodox church, but also because St. Bartholomew’s is well-known for promoting sinful LGBTQ lifestyles.

The church offers a Lesbian and Gay Fellowship that “is fully integrated into the leadership of our large church.”   

And just five days before the Orthodox hierarchs served there, a ceremony of the blessing of the pride flag was held at the church. The flag was flying over the entrance to the church when the hierarchs entered, and will remain there throughout June, known as “Pride Month” amongst LGBTQ propagandists.

Conversely, St. Tikhon’s Seminary in South Canaan, Pennsylvania, where Abp. Michael is both rector and a professor, held a conference in late 2019 dedicated to upholding the Church’s traditional teachings on anthropology and sexuality, including a talk by Abp. Michael entitled, “Trusting our Tradition in Facing Modern Challenges.”

YouTube screenshot YouTube screenshot     

Following the service, Abp. Elpidophoros offered a homily focused on the person of Pat. Bartholomew, whom he terms the “Spiritual Father of Orthodox Christianity.”

And explaining why they decided to celebrate in a heterodox church, the Archbishop said: “It is precisely because of the ecumenicity of the First Throne of Orthodoxy, and the faithful and inspiring ecumenical ministry of our Patriarch. His All-Holiness has now served longer on the Throne of the First-Called Apostle than any other Hierarch. For this alone, this day is most fitting indeed, especially in a church that shares his heavenly patron, the Apostle Bartholomew!”

The “ecumenical commitment” of “building bridges” rather than “acknowledging walls … stands at the very heart of what it means to be a Christian,” Abp. Elpidophoros preached.

The beauty of soul, heart, and mind are “nowhere more manifest than in the sacred and most revered person of His All-Holiness our Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew,” the GOARCH hierarch continued. “He is a living Apostle of love.”

Pat. Bartholomew is always open to dialogue with all, even those outside the Christian faith, the Archbishop extolled. He also praised the Patriarch for his ecological work, which has earned him the nickname, “The Green Patriarch.”

At the end of his homily, Abp. Elpidophoros announced that the Archons of the Ecumenical Throne-the Order of St. Andrew had established the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew Foundation—“a worldwide effort to ensure that the ministry of the Mother Church of Constantinople will be set upon a firm footing for generations to come.”

Following Abp. Elpidophoros, the head of the Archons, Anthony Limberakis spoke, also offering great praise for Pat. Bartholomew and “abundant thanks and praise” to God for him.

“He is the embodiment and very incarnation of the ministry of reconciliation,” Limberakis declared.

The head of the Archons also lauded the Patriarch of Constantinople for offering “religious freedom to 43 million worthy faithful of Ukraine” by issuing the tomos of autocephaly to the “Orthodox Church of Ukraine.”

Note that 43 million represents the total population of Ukraine, not the number who identify as Orthodox, or the number who identify as members of the OCU that received the tomos.

Limberakis also praised the Patriarch as a man who promotes Orthodox unity, and particularly noted that he has met and worked with three Popes of Rome.

He also praised Archbishop Elpidophoros for his fervent dedication to the Patriarchate of Constantinople.

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6/16/2021

See also
Greek Archdiocese to begin drafting new charter to replace the one suspended by Constantinople Greek Archdiocese to begin drafting new charter to replace the one suspended by Constantinople Greek Archdiocese to begin drafting new charter to replace the one suspended by Constantinople Greek Archdiocese to begin drafting new charter to replace the one suspended by Constantinople
Six months after the charter was suspended, the Archdiocese is ready to begin drawing up its new guiding document, aiming to draft a charter that “meets the visions and expectations of the clergy and laity in view of the 100th anniversary since its founding next year.” Fr. Karloutsos, one of most influential men in Patriarchate of Constantinople, announces retirement from parish ministry Fr. Karloutsos, one of most influential men in Patriarchate of Constantinople, announces retirement from parish ministry Fr. Karloutsos, one of most influential men in Patriarchate of Constantinople, announces retirement from parish ministry Fr. Karloutsos, one of most influential men in Patriarchate of Constantinople, announces retirement from parish ministry
After 51 years as a priest, he has announced his retirement from parish ministry. However, he will continue to be active in many other ways. Greek Archbishop of America declares open Communion for non-Orthodox spouses Greek Archbishop of America declares open Communion for non-Orthodox spouses Greek Archbishop of America declares open Communion for non-Orthodox spouses Greek Archbishop of America declares open Communion for non-Orthodox spouses
In front of dozens of participants, Abp. Elpidophoros declared that anyone who was married in the Orthodox Church can receive Communion in the Orthodox Church, regardless of whether they are Orthodox or not.
Comments
Joshua 6/13/2023 5:59 pm
Where are all of the other Bishops!!!! This type of behavior should be loudly condemned by all Bishops! The Canons are clear. He should be excommunicated. Canon XLV of the Holy Apostles "Let any Bishop, or Presbyter, or deacon that merely joins in prayer with heretics be suspended, but if he had permitted them to perform any service as Clergymen, let him be deposed." Canon LXV of the Holy Apostles: "If any clergymen, or laymen, enter a synagogue of Jews, or of heretics, to pray, let him be both deposed and excommunicated."
zorica petrovic7/6/2021 11:33 am
Let us remember and do not forget, each of us is going to give an answer for our deeds,God save us sinners.
Steven Donnelly6/30/2021 1:07 pm
How sad. Let everyone that names the name of Christ depart from this nonsense.
Mark Eugene Millich6/29/2021 5:55 pm
"...your appointed feasts my soul hateth..." "...how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years."
Lawrence Wheeler6/29/2021 7:13 am
I appreciate your efforts. I’m a cradle Episcopalian and a former Anglican priest who is a late-in-life convert to Orthodoxy. This abominable action by our archbishop got my back up, so I decided to write an essay on it and then created a weblog to post the essay. If you’re so inclined, please take a look: https://wordpress.com/post/weborthodox.com/42 I’m new to blogging, so if that doesn’t look right, try this: https://weborthodox.com/2021/06/26/elpidophoros/?preview_id=42&preview_nonce=ef8632dba9&preview=true Thanks, Lawrence B. Wheeler
Naavin6/28/2021 9:19 pm
You should be ashamed of yourself, you heretics!!! Pelase orthochristian, i need the email adress of "patriarch" Bartholomew, or an adress of the Isambul "patriarchate", or the email adress of the "church" where these things happend. We can't accept such a heresy! "Do not have sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman; that is detestable." (Leviticus 18:22) If we wouldn't accept the ecumenist heresy, we would not have to deal with such a thing. But no more! Let's think about something, and do something! We won't let Christ's True Church be asociated with this disgusting heretics!
Johnathan6/20/2021 5:21 am
Sherlock, with all due respect to you, appealing to emotion and feeling is not orthodox at all, and is typically associated with the protestant Pentecostals. What you said doesn't really make sense. We have the teachings of the church and her holy fathers to guide us. Many times the devil uses our feelings and emotions against us, and we have to be watchful. Secondly, I didn't bring up the Ukraine issue, you did! But since you brought it up, I have to say that I seriously doubt the validity of this vision, since it is not consistent with Elder Ephraim's teachings while he was with us, and many many Greeks and non-Greeks have also doubted this "vision", so it basically does nothing to sway your argument (?) one way or another. When a saint like Elder Ephraim has a message, it will not be only to one person, but to many people throughout the world, so that it can never be doubted. This is not the case here! This is a "vision" told to us by a bishop who heard it from another person! Thirdly, you didn't address my question about why the monasteries remain under heretical and anti-christian men dressed in bishops clothing who do everything in their power to undermine and get rid of the teachings of the Holy Fathers? Even if Ukraine is a non-issue (which it is a crime against the church) what about all of the other heresies and ecumenism the EP promotes?What about one of the EP's bishops praying in a church that promotes SODOMY as this article demonstrates? Why does any "traditionalist" -especially the monasteries- remain with such people? This is something you completely evaded and it seems you do not want to address! Is this the Orthodox way, just bury our heads in the sand and don't ask the hard questions? It makes no sense to me, and really disturbs me! May God help us all.
Richard Gilchrist6/20/2021 1:44 am
Idolatry and pride destroyed TEC in less than a decade. Does the Ancient Church somehow believe it is immune to the same acts of blasphemy? “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’ ~ Matthew 7:21-23
sherlock_holmes6/19/2021 5:35 am
@ Johnathan : The answer to a question nobody wants to ask( except you ) ...A Vision of Geronda Ephraim addressing the Ukrainian situation :https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUHBTHtXPpQ.And the question must not be asked from a rational point of view ( a huge waste of time and energy,a trap ). Some time ago, when Cleopa and Luke were walking on the road to Emmaus:They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?” (Luke 24:32)
Johnathan 6/17/2021 8:50 pm
I agree with Michael. They truly do you have any concern about the orthodox Christian flock, and in fact seem determined on destroying anyone who tries to take on some sort of serious spiritual struggle, while simultaneously bending over backwards to win the favor of all the worldly demonic entities, and false religions but this is their spirit, and we should expect it from them. What disturbs me the most, and more than anything that the bishops from the Greek orthodox archdiocese can do is the fact that you have silence coming from the so-called “traditional“ groups under Bartholomew, such as all of Elder Ephraim’s monasteries here in the United States as well as Mount Athos! This same archbishop will be celebrating in a homosexual church one week and then be treated like royalty (literally like an emperor) a few weeks later when he goes to the monasteries to tonsure monks and ordain priests! It’s impossible for me to reconcile this sort of behavior and the mixed -some will call it confused- message this sends to the orthodox world from the monasteries that tell us to obey the holy fathers, cling to tradition, fast, repent, be obedient to the Patristic teachings etc.etc etc... yet, they allow such a man to enter their alters, serve Divine Liturgy and they rejoice when he visits them and tonsures their novices into monks and nuns! What are they waiting for? I heard that elder Ephraim said “we will break from the EP when they co-celebrate with The latins”. Have the elders and abbots at his monasteries taken this to mean that no matter what other evils the EP commit, even evils far more terrible that liturgizing with latins they will not break communion with them? It seems to me that Bartholomew and his bishops understand this because they are committing every possible crime against the church and her dogmas that they can without actually co-liturgizing with the latins! They will pray with them, eat with them, “play“ with them and “work” with them, but no liturgising together yet! Hmmm very odd. This attitude in the church is a reflection of all that is happening in the world. Evil prospers, and the righteous do nothing! In fact the righteous work with them and “cooperate” with them! How sad that this is happening in the Holy church of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Would it be wrong of me to ask...is this STILL the church of Christ, or have we been severed from Him for our apathy towards and tolerance of evil? This is a question nobody wants to ask!
Michael6/17/2021 2:40 pm
"Pat. Bartholomew is always open to dialogue with all, even those outside the Christian faith..." ...but not with those INSIDE of the Orthodox Christian faith, unfortunately, such as the persecuted canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Pat. Bartholomew only ever seems to "dialogue" with the non-Orthodox. To the Orthodox, he gives orders and commands and expects us to fall in line.
Alex6/17/2021 5:19 am
I think that I'm going to be sick.
Tito TWUNGUBUMWE6/16/2021 11:01 pm
Lord have mercy on the Church and save it!
Mikhail6/16/2021 10:35 pm
They continue to offer one scandal after another. When will it end? Archbishop Michael of the OCA should be ashamed of himself for participating in this blasphemy!
fr. john Downie6/16/2021 6:36 pm
As Orthodox we should be very careful in our attitude to our Hierarchs, they are God's anointed. We have the hierarchs we deserve. That right there is enough to make us weep in repentance. Christ even respected the Hierarch that was plotting to kill Him. On the one hand the Orthodox Church is like Christ, reaching out to sinners - like the Samaritan woman. The Samaritan woman, however, was very open to Christ! She repented! She acknowledged her sin! On the other hand, a demonic neo-communist cultural marxism has been foisted on the entire globe - and many people just use their language and act as if nothing is happening. All I can say is that praying for our enemies, even enemies of the Church, is getting harder each day. May the Lord have mercy on us all. "In the world you will have trouble, but be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world!"
Antiochene Son6/16/2021 2:32 pm
The only ecumenism is the conversion of all people to Orthodoxy.
Nomiki6/16/2021 2:09 pm
Lord have mercy on us all!!!!
Alexander Leitner6/16/2021 12:55 pm
I know I repeat myself but: forget the Greek New Calendar State Church. They are in apostasy! There is no doubt.
sherlock_holmes6/16/2021 9:46 am
Motto : "May the Lord destroy all deceptive lips And the tongue that speaks boastful things Saying "We will make our tongue powerful;Our lips are our own; Who is lord over us ?" Psalm 11...The “ecumenical commitment” of “building bridges” rather than “acknowledging walls … stands at the very heart of what it means to be a Christian,” Abp. Elpidophoros preached... This is the Newspeak of ecumenism where they build bridges between truth and lies rather than acknowledging any differences ( walls ). According to the Holy Tradition and Canons of the Church,these bishops were not supposed to wear those vestments anymore.
ACatharina6/16/2021 9:42 am
Years ago they would be excommunicated. Nowadays, nobody cares.
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