English Wall

(Peter Anderson)  The last few days have witnessed strong words between Archbishop Chrysostomos, primate of the Orthodox Church of Cyprus, and the four metropolitans who signed a joint appeal condemning the actions of the Archbishop in commemorating Metropolitan Epifany, the primate of the new Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU).  On November 1, the newspaper Kathimerini published an interview with the Archbishop.  The entire interview in Greek can be read here.  An extensive English summary is found  here.   With respect to the four metropolitans, the Archbishop stated:  “What they did, that the four of them met without me, is called a parasynagogue and is severely punished by defrocking, but I did not say anything.  I am silent because I want to see how far their wrongdoing will go.”  He later added: “My door is open.  Why they did not come to protest and I would offer my explanation.  Their selfishness and irresponsible stance did not let them do so.”   The Archbishop acknowledged that he did not discuss the commemoration with the four metropolitan before the commemoration because he knew they would say no.  From this there is a possible implication that the Archbishop did discuss the matter with other Synod members who may have said yes.  However, the Archbishop indicates that he had the unilateral right to make the commemoration:  “I apologize, but it is my right and I did it.”  He states that since the commemoration, no one has requested a meeting of the synod.

One of the four metropolitans, Isaias of Tamassos, has now posted an open letter explaining his position in the dispute.  (link)  He states that disagreements within the church must be expressed politely and without insults such as the reference to “selfishness and irresponsible stance.”  In the open letter, the Metropolitan explains why he believes that he must speak out against “the blatant violation of the Holy Canons and the violation of the relevant decisions of the Holy Synod and the Statutory Charter of the Church of Cyprus.”  He asserts that there is no superior-subordinate relationship between the primate of the Local Church and its bishops, but that the relationship is instead “the primate among equals.”  (link)   Another member of the four, Metropolitan Nikiforos of Kykkos, has stated on Cypriot television:  “We are not conspirators.  We are both responsible and humble.  But when the Holy Rules and the Charter are violated, we are obliged to react.”   (link) (includes video of interview);  (link) (summary in English).  Nikiforos states that the Holy Synod had decided in September that the letter from Chysostomos to Bartholomew should not be sent and yet it was sent.  It can be seen that the assertions of Chrysostomos and the dissenting metropolitans raise the critical question of whether the primate of the Local Church has the unilateral authority to commemorate Epifany or whether it also requires prior formal approval by the Holy Synod of the Local Church.  As you recall, Patriarch Theodoros of Alexandria also commemorated Epifany without a prior formal vote by the Synod of his Patriarchate.

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew on the 29^th anniversary of his enthronement has delivered a message on state television in Cyprus.  (link) (video and text)  Quotations in English are found at  (link)  The Ecumenical Patriarch’s remarks included praise for Archbishop Chrysostomos.  With respect to the decision of the Archbishop to recognize the OCU, the Ecumenical Patriarch remarked that “the disputes over his decision officially to recognize the Autocephaly of the Ukrainian Church by brothers hierarchs of the Church of Cyprus, reveal not their sensitivity, the normal order and unity of Orthodoxy, but rather their indifference to them for the sake of other expediencies.”

On November 2, the Press Service of the OCU posted a summary of a very recent telephone conversation between Archbishop Chrysostomos and Metropolitan Epifany.  (link) (includes an English press release)  The release includes the following statement by the Archbishop:  “All countries are now in a difficult situation due to the pandemic, but I ask Your Beatitude to remember this invitation, we will be glad to see you in Cyprus, to offer prayers with you.”   Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew has sent an English-language letter to the Ukrainian website Cerkarium.org (which supports the OCU) relating to the canonical status of the UOC-MP under the leadership of Metropolitan Onufry.  Both the English-language letter of inquiry and a photocopy of the Ecumenical Patriarch’s response in English can be read at (link).  According to the Ecumenical Patriarch, Metropolitan Onufry is no longer considered as the Metropolitan of Kyiv, but rather as an hierarch residing in Kyiv. 

In Belarus, Metropolitan Veniamin had a meeting with President Lukashenko on November 2.  (link)  The English­-language service of government’s news agency has reported the meeting in four separate articles.  Interestingly, the meeting with the Metropolitan not only related to the Belarusian Orthodox Church but also to the Catholic Church in Belarus.  In (link), the President refers to the Orthodox Church as “the pillar of this [interreligious] peace.”    With respect to the pandemic, Lukashenko states that we will never close the churches and that the government needs “to support the church in difficult times.”  In referring to his obligation to protect the state, the President stated that Catholic Archbishop Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz “went to Poland and was instructed on how to destroy the country.”  In (link), President Lukashenko discussed the training of priests.  He supports the proposal to have the Orthodox Theological Academy move from Minsk to Zhirovichi where the Orthodox Seminary is already located.  If the proposal is accepted, the President stated that “we are ready to lend a helping hand.”  The Metropolitan brought up the problem of small villages not being able to support a priest, and the President responded that “we should help.”  The President asserted, “We should resolve the problem of the shortage of the clergy in the five-year period.”  With respect to the shortage of Catholic priests in Belarus, the President signaled that the past practice of bringing priests from Poland will not continue.  He asked the question: “How can we now receive the clergy from Poland, when the purely Catholic Polish state has taken such a stance towards Belarus?”  He stated that “we will insist” that Catholic clergy be more intensively trained in Belarus.  In contrast, President states that the Orthodox Church does not bring clergy “from unfriendly countries.”    There is a separate article about Lukashenko’s remarks relating to a possible visit by Pope Francis to Belarus.  (link)  In this regard, the President stated: “the invitation, if there is such, should come from the head of state and the head of the Orthodox church which has lots of issues with Catholics.”  Finally, the President stated that he supports pluralism, but not breaches of the law.  (link)  He informed the Metropolitan that the protesters are engaged in illegal demonstrations and are now attacking the police.  The President claims to be aware from whom the protesters are getting their ideas and who are paying the protesters for their activities.

In connection with the meeting, Metropolitan Veniamin answered questions from journalists.  (link)  In one answer he stated:  “Every person, citizen of our Fatherland has the right to his position, and this is provided for by the relevant norms of law and church laws.  But at the same time, we must understand when and how to express our position.  And we, clergymen, will remember that the Church is a meeting place for people of different convictions and political views.  It is important that in the Church a person should feel at home in the house of his Heavenly Father and that some words or actions of a clergyman do not have a dividing effect on our society.”

Yesterday, November 3, Bishop Yuri  Kosobudsky, the vicar general for Catholic Minsk diocese, responded to the November 2 remarks of Lukashenko with respect to the Catholic Church in Belarus.  (link)  He refers to the remarks by the President with respect to Kondrusiewisz as “a completely unfounded lie.”  In addition to other remarks, Kosobudsky states: “The Catholic Church today opposes violence, oppression, bullying and torture, especially prays for political prisoners, opposes repression and persecution, against human rights violations, humiliation of human dignity, against dismissal or expulsion from an educational institution for views that are inconsistent with the official ideology.  The Church also prays for those who give and carry out criminal orders against the people.  The Church calls for unity, solidarity, support for each other, for being one people, one nation.  And all this in our country today is considered something bad.”

Also yesterday, President Lukashenko received the credentials of six diplomats, including Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Ante Jozić.  (link)  The President stated:  “We count on the consolidating and constructive role of the Catholic Church in Belarusian society.”

In other news, Metropolitan Maximos (Aghiorgoussis) of Pittsburgh has died at the age of 85.  (link)  The foregoing article includes a very interesting description of his significant work in Orthodox – Catholic relations.  The following 3-minute video has scenes from the massive funeral for Metropolitan Amfilohije of Montenegro.  (link)  Those in the video include Patriarch Irinej of Serbia and the President of Serbia.  The excellent website Orthodoxie.com has translated into French the full text of the October 20 letter of Archbishop Chrysostomos to the Ecumenical Patriarch concerning recognition of the OCU.  (link)   A translation of the letter into Ukrainian is found at (link) .  Lastly, Pope Francis has given to the major Serbian newspaper Politika  a long exclusive interview with the title, “Conflicts are not resolved by forgetting but by dialogue.”   (link) 

©    https://ilsismografo.blogspot.com/2020/11/mondo-strong-disagreements-in-cyprus.html