Metropolitan of New Smyrna: "It cannot be considered a pan-Orthodox council in which not every bishop participates"

March 3, 2016

    

The message of the metropolitan, addressed to the Holy Synod of the Church of Greece, was published by the Greek news agency Romfea. In it His Eminence offers remarks on a variety of questions and expresses resolute protest against the fact that not every bishop will have the right to vote at the pan-Orthodox council.

“It cannot be considered a pan-Orthodox council in which not every bishop, but only the primates of the Local Churches participate, even if they have a sizable delegation,” writes Metropolitan Symeon.

“Reducing the number of participating bishops diminishes the authority of the council, and it cannot be considered a Holy and Great Council,” he continues.

His Eminence also pointed out that as not every bishop has the right to vote, but only Churches, the event proceeds contrary to Orthodoxy, which is characterized by democracy.

The Metropolitan of New Smyrna expresses regret that truly pressing questions which disturb Orthodoxy, such as that of the diptychs, autocephaly and the means of proclaiming it, and also the calendar question, are not included in the agenda.

He notes that for personal reasons he does not wish to take part in the delegation of twenty-four bishops which will accompany the primate of the Greek Church, Archbishop Ieronymos, to the council. In his opinion it should be chosen by secret ballot at a hierarchical meeting.

Recall that similar questions were posed by Metropolitan Athanasios of Limassol in his letter to the Holy Synod of the Church of Cyprus:

“I humbly express my disagreement with the fact that the practice of all Sacred Synods until the present, of allowing each bishop a vote, is abolished. There was never before a system of ‘one Church, one vote,’ which renders the members of the Holy and Great Synod, with the exception of the primates, mere decoration by refusing them the right to vote.”

Translated by Jesse Dominick

Pravoslavie.ru

3/4/2016

See also
Letter to the Holy Synod of Greece Concerning Preparations for the Upcoming Great and Holy Council Letter to the Holy Synod of Greece Concerning Preparations for the Upcoming Great and Holy Council
Met. Hierotheos Vlachos
Letter to the Holy Synod of Greece Concerning Preparations for the Upcoming Great and Holy Council Letter to the Holy Synod of Greece Concerning Preparations for the Upcoming Great and Holy Council
Met. Hierotheos Vlachos
Metropolitan Hierotheos (Vlachos) of Nafpaktou has written the Archbishop of Athens and the Holy Synod of the Church of Greece concerning the process by which the texts for consideration at the Great and Holy Synod (planned for June of 2016) are to be approved.The Metropolitan brings to light serious violations and disregard for the synodical system of the Church with regard to the acceptance of the pre-synodical texts. He requests that answers be given as to why the hierarchy of the Church never discussed, let alone approved, the documents which will be considered at the Holy and Great Council.
A Second Intervention-Confession of Faith: On the Document A Second Intervention-Confession of Faith: On the Document "Organization and Working Procedure of the Holy and Great Council"
Dr. Demetrios Tselengidis
A Second Intervention-Confession of Faith: On the Document A Second Intervention-Confession of Faith: On the Document "Organization and Working Procedure of the Holy and Great Council"
Dr. Demetrios Tselengidis
With a new letter addressed to the Hierarchs of the Church of Greece, Dr. Demetrios Tselengides, Professor of the School of Theology at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, stresses and highlights the problematic parts of the "Organization and Working Procedure of the Holy and Great Council," as well as other documents.
Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens Abstained from Pan-Orthodox Council Due to Actions that Undermine the Church of Greece Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens Abstained from Pan-Orthodox Council Due to Actions that Undermine the Church of Greece Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens Abstained from Pan-Orthodox Council Due to Actions that Undermine the Church of Greece Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens Abstained from Pan-Orthodox Council Due to Actions that Undermine the Church of Greece
His Beatitude Archbishop Ieronymos submitted a letter to the Holy Synod which demonstrates that his reasons for not attending the Pan-Orthodox Council were not "personal" but rather stem from actions that undermine the authority and reputation of the Church of Greece.
Comments
Here you can leave your comment on the present article, not exceeding 4000 characters. All comments will be read by the editors of OrthoChristian.Com.
Enter through FaceBook
Your name:
Your e-mail:
Enter the digits, seen on picture:

Characters remaining: 4000

Subscribe
to our mailing list

* indicates required
×