Kiev, December 20, 2021
Photo: cerkva.info
Last week, the Holy Synod of the schismatic “Kiev Patriarchate” (KP), under “Patriarch” Philaret Denisenko, received a “Metropolitan” Chrysostomos Kallis into its jurisdiction.
It has since become known that Kallis was a priest of the Church of Greece with canonical charges brought against him.
He is the second Greek Old Calendarist “hierarch” to be received into the KP together with his clergy and churches in recent months. In October, “Metropolitan” Auxentios (Marines) of Aegina of the so-called “Church of True Orthodox Christians of Greece” was also received.
On December 15, two days after he was received, Kallis was consecrated as the KP’s Bishop of Mariupol and Dervenochoria. It is unclear why the KP “consecrated” him, as he was already considered a metropolitan when he was received. For comparison, “Metropolitan” Auxentios wasn’t re-consecrated by KP bishops after he was received.
Since the KP announced the reception of Kallis, it has become known that he was a priest of the Greek Orthodox Church until just last year, when he left after canonical charges were brought against him.
Recall that although Philaret Denisenko was anathematized by the Russian Orthodox Church, Constantinople unilaterally declared this anathema null and void and declared Philaret a true hierarch, with the sacramental grace to celebrate ordinations and consecrations. Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens is among the few bishops in the Orthodox world who recognize this decision of Constantinople.
According to the blog of the so-called Metropolis Mariuopol and Dervenochoria, Kallis was tonsured a reader by then-Metropolitan Ieronymos of Thebes, who is now the aforementioned primate of the Church of Greece. He was ordained to the priesthood in 2013 by the newly-reposed Metropolitan Jeremiah of Gortynia.
He continued his relationship with Abp. Ieronymos and often accompanied him on church visits.
According to the Union of Orthodox Journalists, canonical accusations were made against him last year, which he refused to recognize. Last summer, Kallis sent letters to the Metropolitan of Thebes declaring his resignation from his parish. According to Kallis’ site, his letters were never answered, so he left the Church of Greece. The Union of Orthodox Journalists notes that his petition to be dismissed wasn’t granted because he failed to appear before the ecclesiastical court examining his case.
He joined a schismatic Old Calendarist jurisdiction, where he was elected Metropolitan of Dervenochoria in March.
Neither Pat. Bartholomew nor Abp. Ieronymos have as yet commented on Denisenko’s reception of Greek schismatics.
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