Greek Archbishop: America wanted recognition of OCU, I did it to stand with Patriarch Bartholomew

Athens, October 25, 2022

Photo: kathimerini.gr Photo: kathimerini.gr     

Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens, the President of the Holy Synod of the Orthodox Church of Greece, spoke in a recent interview about why he decided to recognize and enter into communion with the “Orthodox Church of Ukraine,” which is recognized as schismatic by the majority of the Orthodox world.

Just a few months shy of the 15th anniversary of his election to the archepiscopal throne, the Greek primate sat down with the Greek outlet Kathimerini to discuss Greek Church-state relations and a number of issues facing the Church today.

Concerning the recognition of the OCU as canonical and autocephalous, the Archbishop argues that because Ukraine accepted Christianity before Russia and is now an independent state, it’s natural for its Church to desire independence as well.

Recall that at the time of the creation of the OCU in 2018, the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church led by His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry of Kiev and All Ukraine, which represents the majority of Orthodox Christians in the country, had no desire to seek autocephaly.

The independent state of Greece is in an interesting situation, where the ecclesiastical territory is divided between two Local Churches—the Church of Greece, and the Patriarchate of Constantinople, which has about 50 dioceses on the territory of the Greek state.

Abp. Ieronymos also notes that the question of the OCU is of geopolitical importance: “I’ll confess to you that I was visited by the American ambassador and three times by the Russian ambassador on this issue. And I told the American ambassador that I will join the Patriarch and therefore your will will be done.”

A number of hierarchs from various Local Churches and politicians from various countries have spoken about the political influence in the Ukrainian ecclesiastical sphere. In fact, the U.S. considers the creation of the OCU as its own achievement, acknowledges one former Ukrainian Ambassador to the U.S.

However, the Greek primate continued with the American ambassador: “But it’s not a political decision. I’m not doing it because it’s what America wants. I’m doing it because I respect what the Patriarch supports.”

And he told the Russian ambassador: “I’m sorry, but we’re of the same family with the Patriarch. How can I leave the family to go somewhere else? I agree with the Patriarch.”

The Archbishop’s reasoning mirrors what other Greek hierarchs have said in the past.

In September 2019, Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Dodoni told visiting Russian and Belarusian hierarchs that the Church of Greece is of the same ethnicity and race as the Patriarchate of Constantinople, and thus it’s inconceivable for it not to align itself with Constantinople on the Ukrainian ecclesiastical issue.

The next month, Metropolitan Ignatius of Dimitriados, the chairman of the Synodal Commission on Orthodox and Inter-Christian Relations, read a report, “Ukrainian Autocephaly and the Responsibility of the Spirit,” to the Greek Bishops’ Council, arguing in favor of the recognizing the schismatic OCU.

Referring to the issue of Greek Church unity with the Patriarchate of Constantinople, he states: “We should never engage in conflict with the Ecumenical Patriarchate on the Ukrainian issue, because that would result in our own division, our own post-problematic relationship with the Ecumenical Patriarchate. Why would we do that?”

Patriarch Theodoros of Alexandria has also said he chose to recognize the schismatic OCU “out of respect for the Ecumenical Patriarchate and its history.”

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10/25/2022

See also
Greek faithful again protest schismatic Dumenko’s trip to Greece Greek faithful again protest schismatic Dumenko’s trip to Greece Greek faithful again protest schismatic Dumenko’s trip to Greece Greek faithful again protest schismatic Dumenko’s trip to Greece
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. Don’t concelebrate with schismatic Dumenko!—Greek faithful plead with their hierarch Don’t concelebrate with schismatic Dumenko!—Greek faithful plead with their hierarch Don’t concelebrate with schismatic Dumenko!—Greek faithful plead with their hierarch Don’t concelebrate with schismatic Dumenko!—Greek faithful plead with their hierarch
The majority of Orthodox Churches don’t recognize and don’t have communion with Epiphany or his “church,” the faithful write. “You made us very sad with your choices,” by inviting Epiphany, they tell Met. Stephanos. Archbishop of Greece officially recognizes Ukrainian schismatics Archbishop of Greece officially recognizes Ukrainian schismatics Archbishop of Greece officially recognizes Ukrainian schismatics Archbishop of Greece officially recognizes Ukrainian schismatics
In responding to the letter of Epiphany Dumenko sent at the beginning of the year, Abp. Ieronymos has officially recognized the OCU and Epiphany Dumenko as its primate.
Comments
Alexander10/27/2022 2:47 pm
@Eugenie: Yes, there is no doubt, the greeks are in schism. I only wonder why the other local churches are waiting so long. All orthodox christians are in danger. Not even martyrdom can wash aways this horrible sin. Bartholomew should have been deposed long ago. For his scandals and his heretic and noncanonical deeds and views.
Andrew10/27/2022 2:56 am
‘You can not serve two masters.’
Eugénie W.10/27/2022 1:50 am
To Alexander: No,"the Greeks" are not schismatics as such ! They don't all reason that way. For example, the Patriarch of Jerusalem or Archbishop Anastasios of Albania didn't approuve. And even Archbishop Ieronymos, I think, spoke in terms of geopolitics mainly to be undertood by the readers of that paper... In fact, there was a canonical commission of the Synod who examined the theoretical question if the Patriarch had the rignt of according autocephaly in general and in this particular case, and concluded positively. But they did NOT examine to whom the tomos was to be given and if the candidates met the canonical requirements : they left it to the responsability of the Patriarch !
Alexander 10/26/2022 12:51 pm
Bartholomew is a heretic, schismatic and apostate! So is Ieronymos of Athens. The Grerks are schismatics
Panagiotis10/26/2022 4:06 am
Did he remind the American ambassador about the tragedy in Cyprus? The Turks savagely invaded and took over a large portion of Orthodox Cyprus, killing and injuring many. Western Powers did nothing to help the Greek people of Cyprus, I.E. they stuck a knife in the back of the Greek people, after the Greeks were allies of the Western Powers in World War II. I have read elsewhere that Henry Kissinger allegedly gave the green light to the Turks to invade Cyprus. On another article on this website, an Orthodox Brother poster provided interesting comments attributed allegedly to Kissinger about the Greek People. The Western Power Liberal Elite does not care about the Ukrainian Orthodox People, in fact they do not like any Orthodox People, including the Greeks. The future of our Orthodox People is Unity among ourselves, and this is something that the internationalists do not want. Our future is not with the decadent West and the no good liberals. Greek People and Russian People have always loved each other and are Orthodox Brothers forever. The devious sinister internationalists are using divide and conquer tactics in the Ukraine and elsewhere against our Orthodox People. United we will stand, but divided we will fall. God Almighty, when are our Orthodox People going to wake up? ... Oh by the way, I researched the ethnicity of the Archbishop, and the Archbishop is apparently of Arvinite (Albanian) ethnicity, I.E. he is apparently NOT of Greek ethnicity. The area where he was born is largely (or was largely) Arvanite area. The Arvanites have been in Greece now for centuries, and they consider themselves Greek, I.E. they have assimilated into Greek culture, and self identify as Greeks. Do the research yourself and you will see. Glory be to Our God! Just my humble opinion.
Helen10/26/2022 2:10 am
Holy Fathers of the Ecumenical Councils and martyrs who split your blood for our Orthodox Faith, pray to God for us!
Mikhail10/25/2022 8:48 pm
Let me get this straight. He did not do it because it was what America wants. He did it for the EP. But the EP did it because it was what America wants. So in the end, the Archbishop did it because of America. A child can see the demonic scheme here...but not the Archbishop?
Alexei10/25/2022 7:09 pm
With all due respect to Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens, The Canons were designed so that "Family" would NOT be taken into consideration for what Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens is talking about. The Canons are for the church of Christ. An example could be; a member of the "family" steals, robs and murders his neighbor. and 1 more point-denies Christ. So will everyone in the "Family" keep that person in the "Family" and not cast out that person into darkness? Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens could have told the Patriarchate of Constantinople, "Brother, with all love and respect, I do not agree with you, the canons do not support your position and decisions, and when I accepted the position of Archbishop, My vow is to follow the Canons of the Orthodox Church". It appears, I could be mistaken, that Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens (by the words in this article) is choosing "family" before the Canons of the Church.
Yaya10/25/2022 3:37 pm
"I did it to kowtow to Bart." Cute? Super bad look.
Antiochene Son10/25/2022 3:20 pm
So we are clear: to these Greek hierarchs, it is more important to be Greek than anything else.
Alex10/25/2022 3:09 pm
Ieronymos will have to answer for his duplicity and wrong actions before the Throne of God someday.
Rdr Daniel10/25/2022 2:45 pm
Referring to the issue of Greek Church unity with the Patriarchate of Constantinople, he states: “We should never engage in conflict with the Ecumenical Patriarchate on the Ukrainian issue, because that would result in our own division, our own post-problematic relationship with the Ecumenical Patriarchate. Why would we do that?” Because he is a heretic, and you are meant to rightly divide the word of Truth, not cling to your own ethnicity as though it were saving you rather than Christ.
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