Thassos, Greece, August 29, 2022
unian.info
For the second time now, the Greek faithful have raised their voice in protest of the upcoming visit of “Metropolitan” Epiphany Dumenko, the head of the schismatic “Orthodox Church of Ukraine.”
On Friday morning, August 26, the faithful of the city of Kavala gathered near the administration of the Metropolis of Philippi, Neapolis, and Thassos to deliver a letter to Metropolitan Stephanos, signed by 60 people, reports Aktines.
The faithful would like to “once again express their holy indignation against anti-canonical actions and the initiative to invite the schismatic, pseudo-Metropolitan Epiphany Dumenko of Ukraine to our sacred land,” the letter reads.
The head of the so-called “Orthodox Church of Ukraine” is invited to participate in events dedicated to the holy Apostle Paul on the island of Thassos, September 3-6, together with the Greek primate Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens and Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople.
Earlier this month, more than 400 faithful from the diocese delivered a letter of protest to Met. Stephanos, calling on him to rescind the invitation to Dumenko. A group of 17 Athonite monks, led by Elder Gabriel a disciple of the great St. Paisios the Athonite, have also formally expressed their outrage and protest.
“You know perfectly well that communion with heretics and schismatics is prohibited by the sacred canons. Anyone who communes with the excommunicated becomes excommunicated himself. If you want to commune with a schismatic, you will become a schismatic yourself. Do you want to become one of these deniers of our faith? It would be a shame and a pity if you committed this spiritual crime,” the faithful write.
The faithful plead with their hierarch to “come to his senses” at the last moment and not “accept the unholy path of the false union of the Orthodox Church with various heresies.”
Concelebration with Dumenko “will overflow the cup of sacred indignation and force us to turn away from all these illegal, anti-canonical, treacherous actions against our Orthodoxy,” the faithful state, adding that they won’t participate in any Liturgies with those who participate in this “unholy ritual.”
“Don’t leave us at the mercy of the enemies of our faith any longer. Once again, we ask you to cancel the visit of the schismatic Epiphany to our country for the good of all of us,” the letter concludes.
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