Bishop of Cameroon to Russian Exarch: you’re the “dumbest wolf,” sent out to be devoured

Yaounde, Cameroon; Moscow, January 31, 2022

Met. Leonid (left), Met. Gregory (right)     

Besides the official Synodal statements coming from the Patriarchates of Alexandria and Russia, hierarchs of the respective Churches have been exchanging open statements in the media.

On Friday, January 28, Metropolitan Gregory of Cameroon issued an open letter to the leaders of the Russian Exarchate in Africa, published on Orthodoxia.info.

It was Met. Gregory who presented a report to the Alexandrian Synod earlier this month about the Russian Church’s move into Africa. As OrthoChristian reported last week, in addition to condemning the Russian Exarchate, he also took aim at Archbishop Anastasios of Albania, accusing him of “blasphemy” in his own statement about the Exarchate.

Addressing Metropolitan Leonid of Klin and Fr. George Maximov in particular in his open letter, Met. Gregory begins: “The way in which you appeared in the canonical territory of the ancient Patriarchate of Alexandria, Africa, as well as your completely anti-canonical actions in your contacts with the African clergy of every rank, astounds every thinking person and faithful member of the Orthodox Church.”

He criticizes Fr. George’s posts about African clergy being mistreated by “bad Greek bishops” and emphasizes that Russian clergy considered Patriarch Theodoros good until just recently, when he recognized the “Orthodox Church of Ukraine” (which is considered schismatic by the Orthodox world). He also accuses Fr. George of racism and hellenophobia.

“Personally, I sympathize with you and feel for your situation,” the Metropolitan sarcastically writes to Met. Leonid, whom he says was “forgotten,” “exiled,” and considered “unnecessary” during his years of service at the Russian representation church in Cairo. In Met. Gregory’s opinion, Met. Leonid is stuck between a rock and hard place. In the eyes of the Alexandrian Church, Met. Leonid is the “dumbest wolf,” sent out as a scout to be devoured while the rest sit and watch from a safe distance.

As for Patriarch Kirill and Metropolitan Hilarion (Alfeyev), they are wolves destroying themselves with their own lust for blood, according to Met. Gregory.

And everything that the Russian clergy tell the African clergy today, they once told the Churches of Bulgaria, Antioch, Jerusalem, Mt. Sinai, Mt. Athos, the Alexandrian hierarch writes.

He then lists a number of historical grievances that Greeks hold against Russians—and if Fr. George Maximov is somehow ignorant of all the events he recalls, then what could he possibly know about Africa, the hierarch of Cameroon wonders. According to him, Fr. George sounds like a Marxist, accusing the Greek hierarchs of getting rich as capitalists on the backs of the poor African clergy.

“Thus, he comes to incite the oppressed African clergy to form trade unions to gain their rights and to close the industries of the Greek employers and to change bosses, to go to Russian bosses,” he writes. But Fr. George only perverts the truth, Met. Gregory believes.

There are discussions online about the financial benefits that the Russian Church will give to African clergy, who previously were willing to serve as volunteers for the glory of God, he continues. Claims that the Greek state finances Greek clergy and that money sent for African clergy winds up in the pockets of Greek bishops are mere “myths,” he argues.

Before the state took over clergy payroll, Greek priests all lived off of tithes and donations from the faithful, “just as all the bishops and clergy of the Church of Russia live today,” which, according to Met. Gregory is a fact hidden from the African clergy. But those who became clergy for the sake of money will never be satisfied, he warns.

Talk of donors who are willing to help with the Russian Exarchate to change the standard of living in Africa sounds like a lot of empty words, the Metropolitan writes. After all, dozens of international organizations are involved in Africa, and seemingly with no change.

Met. Gregory also warns Met. Leonid about African clergy who are willing to change jurisdictions, because there are many examples of people leaving the Church and declaring themselves bishops and making their own clergy, including one priest who wanted to be seen as a bishop when the Russian Church arrived.

The Alexandrian hierarch suggests that Met. Leonid and Fr. George meet some Catholic missionaries who trained for years before arriving in Africa and who have been serving there for many years.

“Because if we were to tell you about it, you wouldn’t believe us just because we’re Greeks,” Met. Gregory concludes.

Met. Leonid offered a much briefer response on his Telegram channel:

I got acquainted [with Met. Gregory’s open letter—OC]. All lies from start to finish.

Indeed, I lived and studied in Greece for 5 years, and I met some people like you—every nation has them. We have a saying about “the black sheep that spoils the whole flock.” From these 5 years, I have the warmest memories of the country, people, and friends who I still speak with to this day.

You call the ministry of the representative of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia to the Patriarchate of Alexandria and All Africa “exile?!” For 9 years I carried out the most difficult obedience for my Mother Church, helping your Patriarch in all areas related to our compatriots and supporting bilateral relations, and I have two high awards from the Alexandrian Church. Be more when attentive when you’re reading someone’s biography. And what have you achieved?

I won’t waste time responding to your boorishness.

I suggest you learn Russian. My antimens are already on their way to Cameroon.

24 African priests concelebrated the first Divine Liturgy of the Russian Exarchate in western Kenya yesterday.

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Vkontakte, Telegram, WhatsApp, MeWe, and Gab!