October 04, 2014 (Source: http://www.ecclesiagoc.gr)

Among the issues discussed were furthering discussion with the Matthewites, the proclamation of the 5 new saints, attempts to bring Bp. Photius of Triaditza into the communion, and other issues of a local nature.

Bp. Photius of Triaditz, the hierarch of the Bulgarian Old Calendar Church that was once in communion with the former SiR, Romanian TOC under Met. Vlasie, and the ROCOR-A, has not yet entered into communion with Abp. Kallinikos of Athens and his Synod of Bishop (GOC-K). Presumably, communion has been suspended between the Romanians and ROCOR-A and Bp. Photius until the issue can be clarified. The main obstacles seems to be the vigorous objections of GOC-K monastics in Bulgaria to having anything to do with Bp. Photius unless, according to them, he undergoes baptism, chrismation, tonsure, and ordination by Hierarchs they recognize.  Undoubtedly, Bp. Photius and his clergy, monastics, and laity have found such conditions set by the Bulgarian GOC-K members unacceptable.

Discussion with the Matthewites has been a long term project of the GOC-K; at this point it is too early to tell what will be the outcome of any discussion.

The proclamation of the new saints, the most well-known of which is St. Ieronymous of Aegina, has demonstrated to naysayers that the True Orthodox, contrary to the accusations of World ‘Orthodox’, do produce saints; they produce saints because they are the Orthodox Church in all its fulness.

For the original Greek, go here.

October 04, 2014 (Source: http://www.ecclesiagoc.gr)

Originally reported on September 20

His Beatitude Archbishop of the Church, Mr.. Callinicos celebrated the inaugural Liturgy in the new  chapel belonging  the convent of the Dormition  in the village Lopare, Bosnia, the day before he left to go back to Greece.

Continue reading… (Original Greek)

NFTU Editor’s Note: The expansion of True Orthodox once again into the lands in the Balkan is something to be welcomed.  With the fall of the Serbian Patriarchate to the forces of ecumenism and modernism, there is a vacuum left in the Balkans, and True Orthodox must be ready to fill this vacuum.  We can only pray and hope and work for the establishment of thriving True Orthodox missions in these areas; one of the important aspect of such missions to focus on the fact that Orthodoxy is meant for all ethnic groups, and not just Serbs, Greek, Russians.  Croatians, Bosnians, and others are also included in the Christ’s command to preach the Gospel to all nations, baptizing them and making disciples.

October 09, 2014 (Source: http://www.hotca.org)

In an English language announcement on the GOC-K American website, the first mention is made of the upcoming  celebration in honour of Our Holy Father, St. Ieronymous of Aegina.  St. Iernomyous, who reposed in 1966, was a full member of the True Orthodox Church of Greece (‘Old Calendarists’). As noted by Bp. Photios of Marathon, the heretical New Calendarists find it difficult to deny sanctity of this True Orthodox priest and elder:

“Today, our society needs examples of virtue for us to follow. Our youth are especially deprived of models of virtue. The Saints of our Church constitute models of virtue and examples to follow par excellence. Righteous Ieronymos of Aegina is a new-found, wonder-working Saint († 1966) whom even the innovators of the “Official” Church honour, in deference to the righteousness of his life.

Nevertheless, St. Ieronymos was an authentic figure of the Church of the Genuine Orthodox Christians until his last breath. Among other things, his funeral was served by the senior most hierarch of our Church, His Eminence, Metropolitan Akakios of Attica and Diauleia.”

There are indeed saints of the True Orthodox Church; perhaps the Orthodox have been less than willing to ‘expedite’ their ‘official’ glorification (as happens in the ecumenist Patriarchates), but, the saints are still present.  Unfortunately, the True Orthodox did not have a Patriarchal media machine, like the Phanar for Fr. Paisios (Enezepidis), or the Sergianists Bishop, Luke of Semferepol, to ceaselessly promote these figures (interestingly, both figures are being promoted by the World ‘Orthodox’ because both were endlessly loyal to the agendas of their respective bodies; Fr. Paisios viciously attacked the True Orthodox and proclaimed the heresiarch Bartholomew to be the ‘greatest Patriarch ever’ and Luke of Semferepol was an ever obedient servant of the Sergianist forces; thus, both validate the evils and heresies and schisms of their false bodies).

However, St. Ieronymous of Aegina is one of 5 new saints glorified. One of the others is St. Joseph of Desfina who was martyred by the Atheist-Communist forces in 1944.  The other is the well-known St. Catherine Routis of Mandara, who was martyred by New Calendarists when they beat her to death as she was protecting a priest that observed the Orthodox Tradition. The two other glorified saints are St. Parthenios of Chios and St. Pachomios of Chios; two holy elders and great monastic teachers who reposed in 1905 and 1880 respectively.

To read the full text of the announcement, go here.

October 13, 2014 (Source: http://www.ecclesiagoc.gr/)

On this past October 8th NS, which is September 25th on the Church Calendar, Hierarchs of the Synod of Genuine Orthodox Christians under Archbishop Kallinikos held services for the welfare of Greece. The Supplicatory Canon to Our Lord Jesus Christ was sung.  Abp. Kallinikos also gave a sermon on the state of society and the Greek nation. He stated that the hope of the people is in Christ and that Orthodoxy is the key to the Greek culture. He identified the Orthodox Christian Faith and the Greek language as the two key features of modern Greek society.  Abp. Kallinikos in his speech further pointed out 6 points that he identified as timeless values; briefly they are summarized below:

1. Reason and not the sword being the means for propagating Orthodoxy.
2. That we should love our  enemies, not simply have a ‘benevolent mood’ toward them. Orthodoxy never accepted the principle of the persecution of  heretics ( see Saint Theodore the Studite).
3. The Equality of all peoples and races before God, and by extension before the law.
4. The result being the improvement of the condition of women and the sanctity of marriage and the family.
5. Freedom and not slavery. God respects man’s freedom, because man is made in God’s Image.
6 Patriotism. The only time war is tolerable is to repel invasion and repel invaders.

Abp. Kallinikos also made the statement that Islamic, Hindu, etc, non-Christian countries see no problem with the incorporation of their religious values into how they view society. However, with Europe it is different:

“In contrast, in Europe I see every day those who wish to think and behave according to the values ​​of Christianity in political and social life, but they are considered “problematic”. ”

In Greece, the Genuine Orthodox Christians are considered obscurantists and fanatics, but, it was never the ‘Old Calendarists’ disturbing Litanies in a New Calendar church; breaking up marriage services, disrupting funerals, trampling and knocking down Chalices, beating up clergy and forcibly shaving them, etc. On the contrary, this has been the activity of the New Calendarists; and yet, Abp. Kallinkos says, we are called the ‘fanatics’ and the ‘fundamentlists’!

Abp. Kallinikos also touched on a subject that is extremely important; that is, that abortion, or infanticide, is funded by the Geek state via the state insurance funds. Greeks have even surpassed other European nations in this greatest of evils. Abp. Kallinikos’ states that ‘gay marriage’, polygamy and ‘marriage’ with even animals is becoming acceptable in society.

Also targeted was the mass immigration into Greece of heathen (i.e. Muslim) foreigners whose goal is the eventual subjugation of the Greeks to Islamic rule. This combined with low Geek birthrates (due to abortion, etc) is proving catastrophic for the Greek nation. So, why does the Greek state continue to fund the building of mosques!?

Abp. Kallinikos concludes by stating it is our duty to love all peoples, and behave as the doctor does toward patients with disease. Yet, we should also learn from medicine that precautions against disease should be taken (such as Ebola in Africa). We must learn the warnings from sacred history, especially the evil that befell Sodom and Gomorrah. However, we can take courage from the reprieve granted to Nineveh:

“And the men of Nineve believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloths, from the greatest of them to the least of them.  And the word reached the king of Nineve, and he arose from off his throne, and took off his raiment from him, and put on sackcloth, and sat on ashes. And proclamation was made, and it was commanded in Nineve by the king and by his great men, saying, Let not men, or cattle, or oxen, or sheep, taste any thing, nor feed, nor drink water.  So men and cattle were clothed with sackcloths, and cried earnestly to God; and they turned every one from their evil way, and from the iniquity that was in their hands, saying, Who knows if God will repent, and turn from his fierce anger, and so we shall not perish?” (Jonah  3: 5-9)

October 29, 2014 (Source: http://www.ecclesiagoc.gr)

On this past Monday, October 14 (OS) / 27 (NS), the GOC-K  in accordance with the September conciliar decree of the Synod, held the official Glorification of St. Pachomios of Chios.  St. Pachomios reposed in 1905, was a friend of St. Nektarios of Pentapolis, and was founder of many monasteries and sketes.  He was 65 years of age at his repose, and since his repose has been the subject of popular veneration and devotion. Archbishop Kallinikos, along with Met. Chrysostomos of Attica, and other bishops and clergy  celebrated the services; Vespers was celebrated on Sunday evening, at which took place the installation of the icon and relics of St. Pachomios.  On Monday Matins and Liturgy were celebrated as well, commemorating St. Pachomius as a saint.

The Glorification of St. Pachomios follows in short order the recent Glorification of the Holy Elder Ieronymous of Aegina.  St. Ieronymous was a famous God-bearing elder who reposed in the late 1960s and was a firm members and defender of the True Orthodox Church of Greece (i.e., ‘Old Calendarist’ Church), and rejected the claims of the Ecumenist-Modernist State New Calender Church.  Attempts to co-opt the memory of St. Ieronymous by New Calendarist have proven futile due to the well-known history surrounding him.

November 05, 2014 (Source:

NFTU: Metropolitan Gerontios of Pireaus, the spokesman for the GOC-K Synod, has commented on the recent seizures of Esphigmenou properties in Thessalonika.  The Ecumenical Patriarchate and his police force have mostly been limited to persecutorial measures being implemented on Mt. Athos; traditionally the Ecumenical Patriarchate has been accorded legal capacities on Mt. Athos (it all assumes the Ecumenical Patriarchate is Orthodox, as opposed to the current heretics who have seated themselves on the Throne of Constantinople falsely). However, recent measures have been to extend the Ecumenical Patriarchates power into Greece (both his ecclesiastical claims and now legal claims).  It was several decades before the True Orthodox could achieve some level of legal religious independence (with the 1920s and 1930s being the worst period, during which it was a free for all persecution spree by New Calendarists against True Orthodox in Greece, with even many clergy and laity being subject to death; in Romania, during the 1930s it was far worse).  Met. Gerontios points out that the precedent by the Greek courts and police is something one more expects from Islamic countries.

The True, or Genuine, Orthodox Christians of Greece, commonly called “Old Calendarists” are bishops, priests, clergy, monastics, and laity who separated from the “Official” State Church of Greece in the 1920s and 1930s over the adoption of the New (Gregorian) Calendar (which had previously been anathematized by Pan-Orthodox Synods and declared to be a schismatic calendar by even the State Church of Greece in 1919).  The True Orthodox became increasingly vocal about issues of modernism and ecumenism (of which the New Calendar was seen to be a symptom; it’s major proponent being the well-known Freemason “Patriarch” of Constantionple, Meletios Metaxakis), denouncing them as heretical.  As a result, they were subject to violent and repressive measures by liberal “Official Church” authorities, who sought measures (and still do) to repress them for their refusal to accept ecumenism, modernism, and its expressions of joint-prayer and joint-services with non-Orthodox (the True Orthodox maintaining that the non-Orthodox should instead be converted).

Series of NFTU news stories about Ecumenical Patriarchate persecution of Esphigmenou for their rejection of his ecumenist and modernist agenda.

Below is a portion of the press release with a link to the Greek original:

PRESS RELEASE

The GOC Metropolitan of Pireaus and Salamina, Kyr. Gerontios II, spokesman of the Holy Synod of the GOC of Greece, made the following statement:
“Who would have expected that in 2014 Greece Mount Athos Orthodox would be persecuted for their faith, on the pretext of” legality “! Current events in the Holy konaki Esphigmenou are sad. It amply demonstrates that the interests of the so called “canonical” [Church] are nothing more than the seizure of the remaining assets of Esphigmenou.
The Holy Synod of the Church of GOC Greece expresses its sorrow at these events and at the same time draws attention to all those inside and outside of Mount Athos who attend events as mere spectators.

Continue reading…. (Original Greek)

November 07, 2014 (Soruce: http://www.hsir.org)

The Venerable Pachomios of Chios (+1905) is already familiar to our flock and is already honored on the island of Chios through holy services and Icons that have been painted of him, and also more widely. He was, inter alia, the spiritual guide of St. Nectarios of Pentapolis, the Wonderworker. What is unknown to the broader public is that the Venerable Elder in question was a formidable adversary of the contemporary pan-heresy of ecumenism at the time when ecumenism had begun to make its initial appearance. He wrote some telling comments thereon in a text entitled “Concerning the Heretical Lutherans and Calvinists”:

“If ever they realize their error, they ought to return without a murmur to the Church from which they fell away. Synods, so-called union, and discussions are not needed in this case, since there is no question of uniting entities that are at variance in polity, the mores and customs of which are mutually conflicting and need to be coalesced and brought into concord. …

Continue reading….

November 10, 2014 (Source:

NFTU: Below is a rough translation.  The original Russian text can be found here. Because some of the letters used are not commonly encountered in Russian anymore (for example, the ‘Yat, ѣ), google (or translate.ru) translate was not much help. When an official English version is made available in the future, it will replace that below. The letter was written by Bp. Photios of Marathon, Chief Secretary of the GOC-K Synod of Bishop; it was addressed directly to Metropolitan Agafangel (ROCOR-A) and three main issues were brought up. 1) Advice is given on how to be careful in administration of a Church; it is given mainly from the experience of True Orthodox Christians in Greece, and warning to avoid similar issues in the ROCOR-A Synod. Issues like the reception of clergy are brought up (the issue of triple immersion being mentioned, since it was an issue of discussion with Met. Agafangel in Greece over the practice of receiving MP clerics who had not be baptized by triple immersion).  2) The GOC-K pleads for Met. Agafangel to sever communion with Patriarch Irenaeus of Jerusalem unless he formally renounces World Orthodoxy and embraces a True Orthodox Confession of Faith (interestingly, a 2013 petition by Pat. Irenaeus to the hierarchs of World Orthodox was mentioned, in which he requests them hear his case).  3) The issues of Georgia and Ukraine.  There are some complaints about the ROCOR-A bishop assigned to Georgia; there are also admonitions to not let nationalist divisions (whether Ukrainian or Russian) create discord in the Church.

Your Eminence, beloved brother in Christ, bless!
At the meeting of our Sacred Synod on 8th / 21th October 2014, adopted a resolution to address this letter to Your Eminence, and at the same time send a copy to the Most Reverend members of Your Sacred Synod for acquaintance with two important issues.
At the same time, learn through an electronic network of the differences between which the bishops of Your Sacred Synod, please discharge sew us succumb brotherly request for preservation made miraculously your unity. Please take our word not as instruction but as a bright ray of sincere love in Christ and as a result of the bitter experience of previous decades, unto during which the Church of the True Orthodox Christians suffered  from many dissensions and divisions.  So, let us briefly describe the story, in order to avoid the example of the Greek Church.

From the mid-1960s to mid-1980s our Church makes mistakes starring difficulties which came later. The main causes of these errors were the following:

a)      The adoption unto our Church without proper attention of  clerics from the Official (new-stylish) Church, under the pretext of the need to get clergy for our parishes. Most of them did not come over for the love of Tradition and True Orthodoxy, but for other reasons. These persons then created discord and caused separation. Today they head schismatic groups in Greece. For many years, our Church does accept a cleric of the Official Church without careful study of their morals and beliefs. Only when we see the move is made from sincere devotion do we accept him. When he was baptized in the Orthodox manner, i.e., Triple Immersion he is received through Chrismation  and Cheirothesia. If he was not baptized correctly, he is received through Baptism and full Cheirothonia.

b)      During this time, the conciliar principle of governance of the Church in Greece was not working properly. This principle is set out unto the 34th Canons of the Apostles, which reads: “It behoves the Bishops of every nation to know the one among them who is the premier or chief, and to recognise him as their head, and to refrain from doing anything superfluous without his advice and approval: but, instead, each of them should do only whatever is necessitated by his own parish and by the territories under him. But let not even such a one do anything without the advice and consent and approval of all. For thus will there be concord, and God will be glorified through the Lord in Holy Spirit, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.”

Unfortunately, in Greece, within the specified time, the Archbishop acted without the Synod, but also members of the Synod without the Archbishop. As a result, there was no agreement, and peace according to the Apostolic Canon.  On the other hand, when the control was conducted on the principle of Catholicity, with the ever-memorable Archbishop Chrysostom († 2010), consent has been restored in our local church. Continued management of the peace on the principle of catholicity has brought even more fruit recently, as you well know. Therefore, we ask you and your Synod of Bishop, met with an example of suffering affliction, to act to prevent discrepancies and attract even more grace and mercy of God.  Whatever differences there were may, gather into a Sobor and solve them in the spirit of love and devotion of the Holy Fathers. We offer this as a preface before to present two main questions for which we write and about which we ask you to have the judgment of the synod, because of their special importance. and we must not allow it to be equaled or FM Immediately after our union last March, we have, on its own initsiativ, handed in your jurisdiction clerics in the Russian Federation in Ukraine, which until we obeyed However, as you know, two of these priests have expressed hesitation about the transition in your jurisdiction.  They refer firstly to the questions of pastoral practices that could live in a spirit of love and reconciliation. Similar issues were and our church and we have found ways to rshenya them.   But this is not something that takes us unto this letter.

Another question that these priests raise concerns remembrance of Jerusalem Patriarch Irinej. In this we IMLI detailed conversation with you during the Inter Orthodox monastery Sovschanya unto Virgin Mary unto Megara, Friday 8th / 21st March 2014  As you recall, our Pan-Orthodox Conference we agreed writing to you to convey to your priest in the Holy Land  o. Roman, that he remembered or another name, or – if the law does not allow this, as on Aѳon – to publicly commemorated as Zealots Holy Mountain, just “Our Archbishop” without a name.  Now, however, we learned that not only. Roman, but you yourself, like other clerics Arhierei and your, name commemorated Patriarch Irenaeus. despite the fact that on not renounced ecumenism and announced his transition unto True Orthodoxy.  Your Eminence, how much we do not respect the Jerusalem Patriarch Irinej personally, and how much he suffered unjustly, being deposed by his opponents, on never ceases to be a part – albeit under strong restrictions – The so-called World Orthodoxy, in communion with the ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople.

No need to lose sight of that while Patriarch Irinej was friendly mood and to the true Orthodox Christian in Greece and the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia,  It was during his patriarchate Jerusalem Patriarchate again been accepted as a member of the organic “Vsemirnago ETDF Churches”,  after many years of absence from him when Patriarch Diodorus.  Your Eminence, if you understand the Patriarch Irinej, then you have a spiritual communion with him, in the same way as we, who remember your name.

Because the commemoration, as you know, is an expression of ecclesial communion.

We repeat, despite the fact that we treat personally with compassion to Patriarch Irene we do not wish to have a church fellowship with them through you. We wonder: what is the point to have a remembrance of you,  when it leads to the temptation and doubt among many.  As we emphasized during said Sovѣschaniya-Orthodox, in your presence It is possible that Patriarch Ireneus suffered unfairly from their counterparts arhierev, but he was not convicted of a question of faith.  He does not appeal to you that you have reviewed his case. Quite to the contrary, to reconsider his case, he requested the Primates World Orthodoxy in his letter of February 19 / March 4, 2013, which was published.  Since it is possible that you do not know it, the text accompanying it.     In view of all this, we can not understand the meaning of Remembrance you one byvshago Patriarha that – In spite of everything else – can not be regarded as confessors of Orthodoxy.

Practically, there is no liturgical communion with Patriarch Irinej, and can not exist, because it keeps unto the gate. So once again, at a loss, raising the question: what is the point of having such a commemoration? We urge you to reconsider this issue in order to remove the cause of division and discord.

B. The second question concerns the situation in Georgia. During your visit to Greece (and then there was talk about this problem),   You yourself have admitted that the consecration of Bishop Nicholas was a mistake, that you have been deceived on the need hirotonii bishop for Georgia. Although they do not live in Georgia,  he rarely visits his Diocese causes severe embarrassment among our flock unto Georgia (four priests, three parishes and several thousand believers), as Bishop of sister Churches, governs the diocese in Georgia, is a person totally unacceptable to all of them, for many reasons, that we put you in detail during your visit.  That is, let not that we interfere in the internal affairs of Russian Church Abroad, and then the temptation of our flock, that is a problem in our pastoral work.  Therefore, we ask you to reconsider this issue in the Synod.

Since this is essentially the bishop had not committed any case unto Georgia  and lives almost constantly unto Moscow if he considered worthy of the episcopal dignity could put it in a different diocese to remove the cause of temptation, causing new worries and strife. Beloved brother in Christ and Lord, we ask for forgiveness from you for our honesty, who asked not to take erroneously as teaching or comments,  but just as sincere brotherly request.  Between brothers must always reign complete sincerity. Therefore, we ask you that you are not difficult to point us as to what can be create any temptations (unwittingly, of course, because we never would have done it on purpose).

In conclusion, since we note,  that arise nationalist divisions in Your Holy Synod, about the military situation in eastern Ukraine , Allowing us to apply a hot request to you and to all the members of the Most Reverend and venerable Synod vozglavlyaemago you, to overcome any national addiction, you keep the unity and love for each other. The Church of Christ must be above such differences, for “there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Gal. 3:28) and “For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come.” (Heb. 13:14) We are a new people, the people of Orthodox Christians and citizens of heaven Ierusalima.  Political leaders of the parties entangled in an armed conflict with the half-brothers, tomorrow will come to an agreement on peace, and during this time thousands of people have been killed and destroyed towns and villages.

Pray heartily, that the Divine Church Domostroitel not allow your Holy Synod has fallen victim to this conflict. The Church should be above such differences and pray for a speedy end to the war in the Ukraine.  This wish and we sincerely praying for reconciliation in the Ukraine, and also about the preservation of the unity Svyaschennago Synod of the Russian Church Abroad, This historic church, which gave birth to the Saints and today especially summoned to give testimony of Faith and Unity in communion with the true Orthodox everywhere, “The world may believe.”

Salute you in the Holy Spirit, remain with the love of the Lord, By order of the Holy Synod, chief Secretary, [Signature and seal of the Greek script], +Photius, Bishop of Marathon

November 11, 2014 (Source: http://internetsobor.org)

Originally reported on November 09

October 27 / November 9, 2014, №154 (226)

Martyr Nestor of Thessalonica

Members of the Synod of the Church True Orthodox Christians of Greece.

Your Eminence, Your Grace,

I’m really glad for your letter and thank you for your concern for the unity of our sister Churches, as well as the integrity of the Russian Church. You are quite right that we, wanting to multiplying the Russian Orthodox Church, were not always sufficiently careful and exacting to those who have contacted us with a request for admission, and now we have to reap the fruits of strife perpetrated by such people.

At the end of this month here in Odessa, will be held the Extraordinary Council of Bishops, which we will consider this issue, as well as some other issues about which you mention in your letter.

Regarding Jerusalem Patriarch Irinej, I can say that even in recent decades  the Russian Orthodox Church had no eucharistic communion with the Church of Jerusalem because of her stay in the ecumenical community, but the name of the Patriarch of Jerusalem is commemorated during divine services in the territory of his diocese, i.e., in the Holy Land, according to the traditions and local regulations. Of course, there can be no question of the commemoration of our current actions of the Patriarch Theophilus, convinced ecumenist. As for Patriarch Irinej, he was a longtime friend of the Church Abroad, and it is even possible that his elimination is also associated with the process of separation of the Russian Orthodox Church, the Patriarch as this was against joining the ROCOR to the ecumenical community. Nevertheless, his name we have not mentioned during church services outside of the Holy Land (which can be easily seen, because during the services we do a live broadcast), and this practice has not been adopted before in ROCA . As for the Holy Land, I passed on to Fr. Roman  that wish that we talked about in Athens. I’m sure you can come to a mutually acceptable final result, but in this matter there is confidential information that I can say only in person. That is, for the joint and the final decision of this question I would have to personally meet with representatives of your Synod.

I assume that you have received information regarding Patriarch Irinej that is somewhat distorted, since neither I, as is easily seen, nor our other bishops who do not have the rights to do that (unless, by mistake), do not commemorate his name for the service.

Continue reading… (Original Russian)

November 11, 2014 (Source: http://www.esphigmenou.com/)

Originally reported on November 01

NFTU: All thanks to the ‘loving’ Ecumenical Patriarchate and the ‘tolerant’ New Calendar Church of Greece.  The price for opposing ecumenism in many places.

ARMED GREEK RIOT POLICE RAID AND SEIZE ESPHIGMENOU INFIRMARY AND
ARREST CANCER-STRICKEN MONK 

Latest Step in Greek Government’s Campaign of Official Harassment and Intimidation of Monks

THESSALONIKI, GREECE – Yesterday, over 50 armed Greek riot police raided an infirmary in Thessaloniki owned by Esphigmenou Monastery and arrested one peaceful and defenseless monk who is seriously ill, battling cancer.

“We call upon the Greek government and all parties involved to refrain from violent actions and to let the Esphigmenou monks pray in peace as we have for over 1,500 years,” said Abbot Methodios of Esphigmenou Monastery. “We also ask all people of goodwill to support us in our struggle for religious liberty, and to allow our over 100 brothers to live our lives in peace and in prayerful contemplation, rather than under constant persecution by the government.”

“Over 25 monks have already died from lack of medical care due to the blockade, and now police are dragging cancer-stricken monks out of their infirmary. I call upon the Greek government to stop this assault on the Esphigmenou monks and drop the trumped-up charges against them,” said John Rigas of Friends of Esphigmenou. “At a time when the Greek government is struggling to be able to provide for it’s people, it is unconscionable that they continue to deploy riot police and involve themselves in this dispute. We appreciate everyone’s support and prayers for the Esphigmenou monks during this difficult time, especially with winter approaching.”

Continue reading….

November 15, 2014   (Source: http://esfigmenou.blogspot.com)

Originally reported on November 05

NFTU: The reason Holy Ascension Monastery (commonly called “Esphigmenou”) is persecuted is not because they follow the “Old Calender” (i.e., traditional Church Calendar), because other Monasteries on Mt. Athos do that (except for the one with the most moral problems). It is not because they send letters of protest and condemnation of ecumenism; after all, all the other monasteries, sketes, on Mt. Athos have numerous times done this (with absolutely zero effect on the Phanar and the wider World ‘Orthodox’ attitude). No; the reason is that Esphigmenou is serious about what they are doing, and as a result will not commemorate the Ecumenical Patriarch (seeing him as an heretic), and have instead sought to commemorate True Orthodox hierarchs.  You see, Patriarch Bartholomew doesn’t care if you want to be against ecumenism, condemn his actions, use the traditional Church Calendar, AS LONG AS YOU DON’T DO ANYTHING that puts these beliefs in real action.  After all, he has not persecuted the other monasteries on Athos though they have claimed and professed their anti-ecumenism constantly. And as regards anything done by his allies in the State Church of Greece, he will merely send a pro-forma  letter of protest over the actions of the crazed hypocrite, Seraphim of Piraeus (who is in reality a strange version of conservative new calendarism mixed with Romanidean Modernism).  It is if you actually do what all other Orthodox Christians have done throughout history and sever communion with heretical bishops, namely him and his, that you then find yourself in the worst of trouble.

So, to all you World Orthodox who claim to be ‘fighting from within’, Patriarchate Bartholomew doesn’t care what you say or think. You pose no threat to him; you are exactly where he wants you to be.  You can effectively do nothing; and if you do do anything, it will have little or no lasting effect.  However, there is one thing you can do that he would absolutely hate, and he would hate it because it would be contrary to the plan of his father, the Father of Lies, the Devil, and that is to become True Orthodox. It will save your soul.

WARNING: Machine Translate. When an English translation is made it will replace that below.

Synellines, everyone in Christ brothers and beloved children in the Lord,

November 17, 2014  (Source: http://www.ecclesiagoc.gr)

The first Metropolitan of Piraeus and Salamis Gerontios I of  blessed memory, was today honoured in our local Church, twenty years after his death on 13 November 1994. At the initiative and responsibility of our Reverend Prelate, GOC Metropolitan of  Piraeus and Salamis Kyr.  Gerontios II, our local Church honored this with special ecclesiastical form him who was sacrificed in favor of our holy struggle.

At the Holy Cathedral Church of the Dormition of the Theotokos Liturgy was concelebrated with His Eminence the Metropolitan of Attica and Boeotia, Kyr. Chrysostom, His Grace, the Bishop of Christianopolis, Kyr. Gregory, and also present praying in the Bema was the Chief Secretary of the Holy Synod, the Bishop of Marathon, Kyr. Photios.

Immediately after the Divine Liturgy, in which almost all the clergy of the Holy Metropolis participate, an holy memorial service was celebrated.

November 21,  2014  (Source:  http://www.ecclesiagoc.gr)

Thursday 24-10 / 06.11.2014

On Thursday 24th October / 6th November, 2014, the Archbishop of Athens and All Greece, Kallinikos, accompanied by His Grace, Kyr. Photius, Bishop of Marathon, and Kyr. Ambrose, Bishop of Methoni, went to Italy to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the founding of the Diocese of Luna.

Abp. Kallinikos  on the 25th of October (7 Novermber), 2014 went from Greece to the Holy Monastery of the Archangel Michael in Loazzolo, northwest of Genoa. The 7 member Russian Brotherhood, chief priests, welcomed him warmly.

After the Divine Liturgy, Bishop Silvanus of Luna gave as a gift to His Beatitude  a piece of the Sacred Relics of St. Alexandra of Kentoukellais.  But the most touching was his offering to His Beatitude  from the children a scroll containing the first chapter of Luke’s Gospel written by the and of the children.

Archbishop Kallinikos returned to Athens on Monday October 28 / November 10, 2014, after having shortly toured different sites at Rome.

For a somewhat fuller reporting of the events in the Greek language.

November 21, 2014  (Source: http://www.hsir.org)

NFTU: For a brief account of the Martyrdom of Catherine go here.

Protocol No. g-2054

Athens, November 1/14, 2014

Announcement to the Entirety of the Clergy and People of Our Church

Beloved Children in the Lord:

A hallmark of the true Church of Christ is that She at times undergoes persecutions at the hands of the powerful of this world. Our sacred struggle for the Orthodox Faith suffered bloody persecutions already from the outset of the apostasy from the Festal Calendar, a prelude to the tempest of ecumenism.

The first victim of these persecutions, the Protomartyr of the sacred struggle, was the New Martyr Catherine (Routtes). This valiant servant of God, seeing law enforcement agents attack an Orthodox Priest, risked her own life, and received a mortal blow herself, in lieu of the Priest, from the rifle butt of a pursuing policeman. As the historian of our sacred struggle, the late Metropolitan Kalliopios of Pentapolis, tellingly recounts, her funeral service was not a simple burial, “but a sacred procession with the Relics of a Martyr. Thousands of faithful accompanied the funeral cortege, some holding flowers, others candles, and others palm branches.”

Wherefore, the Holy Synod of the Hierarchy of our Church, during its session on September 5/18, this year, undertook to confirm the holiness, already acknowledge among the faithful of our Church, of the Holy New Martyr Catherine.

Continue reading….

November 22, 2014  (Source: http://www.ecclesiagoc.gr)

Dear Children in the Lord,

Ninety years have been completed since an arbitrary innovation in the festal calendar of the Orthodox Church of Greece in the year 1924. This fact was the opening of the “backdoors” for the introduction of of the innovation of the heresy of ecumenism into the Church of Greece. At the same time,  there was the inauguration of the beginning of the sacred struggle for the preservation of our native Traditions, by those pious clergy and laity, namely the Genuine Orthodox Christians who stood against the destruction of Orthodoxy.

Continue reading…. (Original Greek)

NFTU: The GOC-K has also announced the planned formal synodal solemnization of the Fest of St. Catherine the New Martyr. St. Catherine was murdered by Greek New Calendarist forces in the 1920s for protecting a True Orthodox priest from being beat to death.  It is important in only 10 more years it will have been 100 years since the introduction of the Papal New Calendar into ecclesiastical life in Greece.  The past 90 years have certainly seen dramatic changes, with the New Calenadar establishing complete unity with the Roman Catholics and Protestants in the major fixed feasts.  This served, as noted above by Bp. Photios, as a precursor for the introduction of Masonic inspired ecumenism into the Orthodox world, led by the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the the other Eastern Patriarchates.  Russia fell, and after the Soviet government and Metropolitan Sergius had the vast majority of Orthodox bishops, priests, clergy, and confessing laity executed for refusing to declare Soviet Atheism to be a ‘joyful’ thing, any open and public church life in Russia was controlled by the heretical and schismatic Sergius after the 1930s and 1940.  With the upcoming “Great Council” being set for certain next year the circle of Masonic ecumenism will be nearing total completion.

November 24, 2014 (Source: http://www.ecclesiagoc.gr/)

On this past November 8 / 21, in Corinth, a celebration of the Feast of the Synaxis of St. Michael and the Bodiless Powers was celebrated in the GOC-K monastery in Corinth so named.  Leading the celebration was the GOC-K Archbishop of Athens and All Greece, Kallinikos. Also present was the Metropolitan Gerontios II of Piraeus and Salamis.  Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Attica and Boeotia, as well as Bishop Gregory of Christianopolis were present. Sixteen priests and four deacons were also present, as well as two Bishops from the Romanian True Orthodox Church.

After Divine Liturgy, a procession was held around the Catholicon of the Monastery, which was followed by a festal banquet.

For more information and for additional photographs of the celebration and events, go here for the original Greek.  For a (somewhat awkward) google translate version go here.

For more information concerning the  Synaxis feast in honour of St. Michael and the other Bodiless powers, go here for a description by St. Dmitry of Rostov.

November 27, 2014  (Source: http://www.hsir.org)

Third Clergy Synaxis

Phyle, Athens, Tuesday, November 5/18, 2014

Resolution: Genuine Orthodoxy in View of the Challenge of 2016

1. We, the clergy of the Holy Metropolis of Oropos and Phyle, belonging to the Church of the True Orthodox Christians of Greece, by the Grace of our Lord and under the protection of the All-Holy Theotokos, have assembled on this day, Tuesday, November 5/18, 2014, at the headquarters of the Holy Metropolis of Oropos and Phyle, the Holy Monastery of Sts. Cyprian and Justina, for our third regular monthly Clergy Synaxis,a t the invitation of, and in the presence of, our ruling Hierarch, His Eminence, Metropolitan Cyprian.

2. We have been informed about various ecclesiastical and pastoral matters, had discussions, made decisions, and been mutually edified. Our special concern, however, has been the so-called Pan-Orthodox Synod of 2016, which is being prepared by the Orthodox ecumenists.

3. Our sensitivities as Orthodox pastors arouse distress and disquiet in us, since the so-called Synod of 2016 is certain, if and insofar as it is finally convened, to cause, on the one hand, grave turmoil for the People of God and, on the other hand, to render the chasm between the Genuine Orthodox and the syncretistic ecumenists henceforth unbridgeable.

Continue reading….

November 29, 2014  (Source: http://www.imab.gr)

On November 15th on the Church (“Julian”) Calendar, which is November 28 on the Civil Calendar, the GOC-K held the first official celebration of the St. Catherine the New Martyr. On the website of the GOC-K Metropolis of Attica and Boetia (whose ruling hierarch is Metropolitan Chrysostomos), St. Catherine is called “a shining diamond” for not only the local Orthodox of Attica, but “throughout the world”. Her testimony in martyrdom is a “witness in times of confusion and spiritual indifference, bottomless moral mitigation and intellectual distance, that ‘the Lord God liveth’ and against the Church ‘the gates of Hell do not prevail’.”

An icon was made of St. Catherine the Martyr and an akolouthia composed and sung.  Present at the celebrations were many of the GOC-K bishops; among them were Archbishop Kallinikos (who led the celebrations), with Metropolitan Chrysostomos, Metropolitan Cyprian, Metropoliton Gerontios, Bp. Clement of Gardikon, Bp. Photios, and Bp. Gregory.

St. Catherine was martyred in the 1920s by Greek New Calendarist police forces, who, on the orders of the wicked heretic New Calendarist Archbishop of Athens, Chrysostomos Papadopolous, had ordered several True Orthodox priests to be beaten (and even killed) for refusing to go along with the Masonic-inspired ecumenist-modernist agenda.  As New Calendarist police were attempting to beat to death a True Orthodox (“Old Calendarist”) priest, St. Catherine used her body to shield the priest, saving his life, and was instead beat to death herself by the New Calendarist heretics.  St. Catherine was thus to become one of many witnesses to the True Orthodox Christian Faith in the 20th century, joining the other Martyrs of True Orthodox in earlier ages (more persecution would follow against the True Orthodox in Greece in the 20s and 30s, and continue for their refusal to accept the new calendar, joint prayers with non-Orthodox, ecumenism; persecution still viciously continues on Mt. Athos against Esphigmenou).

The “Official Patriarchates” of World Orthodoxy, which are mired in the heresy and schism of ecuemnism, modernism and new calendarism, refuse to recognize her martyrdom since it would testify against their cold indifference to the Orthodox Faith and rejection of it.  They still maintain the rightness of the actions of the New Calendar Archbishop of Athen, Chrysostomos Papadopolous, praising him for his persecution of the True Orthodox for their refusal to accept the New Calendar and Ecumenism.

For more information, and pictures go here.

December 02, 2014  (Source: http://www.ecclesiagoc.gr)

(warning: Machine Translation)

Ninety years have been completed this year from that dreadful time, in 1924, when there was made the waves of change of ecclesiastical tradition  from Church Calendar and the introduction of the new Gregorian calendar in the life of worship of the Church of Greece. This was the first step, which included the  heretical Encyclical of 1920 that opened the back door to ecumenism for the Church of Greece. On the occasion of this anniversary, the Holy Synod of the Church of the Genuine Orthodox Christian Greece organized the anniversary of the events in the hall events OLP, honoring the persons, the sacrifices and struggles of all those pure Genuine Orthodox clergy and laity that kept the Orthodox confession and from heterodox defilement in the innovation and heresy of ecumenism.

The keynote speaker was our Archbishop Kyr. Kallinikos, who through the inspiring speech, he made ​​a flashback of events before and after 1924. He described the struggles and suffering of genuine Orthodoxy our forefathers and castigated ecumenists and their treacherous work, drawing examples and arguments from patristic literature and proper delivery of our Orthodox Church. The Archbishop stressed particularly the size of the fall of the Ecumenists, sequences whose consciousness is so deep erosion, and mitigate the Orthodox sensors and such criteria, making them apathetic onlookers of events, unable to reaction forces and substantially even in those hateful, anti-Orthodox and treacherous events happening these days in slaked Phanar by ecumenical Patriarch and minded it.

Continue reading….

December 12, 2014  (Source: http://ripc.info)

The Synod of Bishops of the Russian True Orthodox Church has reached a judgment about the merger of the Synod of the True Orthodox Church of Greece and the Greek Synod in Resistance that took place in March 2014. After discussing the circumstances of this association, the Synod came to the following definitions:

1. The Synod of Bishops of the Russian True Orthodox Church maintains the position of the decision of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia in 1983 and pays special attention to its stated anathema to the heresy of ecumenism. The Synod considers the teaching of the Greek Synod in Resistance “Ecclesiological Position Paper for Orthodox Opposed to the Pan-Heresy of Ecumenism” (in short: the “sick Mother Church” is the New Calendarist Greek Orthodox Church and other churches like her in  World Orthodoxy) to be a disguised form of ecumenism or crypto-ecumenism, hence falling under the anathema of 1983.

2. The Synod of Bishops of the Russian True Orthodox Church considers the decision the Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of June 28 / July 11, 1994 (Minutes №7) to join the communion, and the agreement with the ecclesiology of the Synod in Resistance erroneous, as was evidenced in the consecration of the Sobor of the Russian True Orthodox Church in 2008: “We deny the existing adverse opinions that heretics and schismatics are not cut off, and so-called  ‘sick members of the Church’ …. “ Obviously, the Council of Bishops of the ROCOR in 1994 made such a decision, since it does not have sufficient familiarity with this ecclesiology and because of the influence of some ecumenical minded ROCOR, who went later to unite with the Moscow Patriarchate in 2007.

3. The Synod of Bishops of the Russian True Orthodox Church maintains the position of the recognition of previous decisions of the Synod of Greece CPI chaired by Archbishop Auxentius and later Archbishop Chrysostomos, who did not recognize the canonicity of the Synod in Resistance and condemned its ecclesiolog, as heresy.

4. After reviewing the published documents drawn up in the preparation for the Association of Greek Synod, the  Synod of Bishops of the Russian True Orthodox Church does not find in them any mention of repentance for Synod in Resistance, nor the correction of them on their former ecclesiology, nor the requirement of the Synod of the Greek TOC from this Synod in Resistance for repentance or corrections. To resolve disputes requires cancellation of previous decisions of the Synod of Greece TOC, or the repentance of the Synod in Resistance. Such silence on the question of heretical teaching says that the reasons for this association were far from the Holy Fathers doctrine of the unity in the truth. We must be guided by the doctrine of the Lord: “But let your communication be, yes, yes, no, no; anything more than this comes from the Evil One” (Matt. 5: 33-37).

5. Taking into account the absence of any statements on the revision of the TOC Synod of Greece in  its earlier decisions, or the repentance of the Synod in Resistance, despite the numerous other Orthodox-sounding decisions in their joint document, the Synod of the Russian True Orthodox Church considers the union of these Synods as an unfortunate event in the history of the Greek Church. False doctrine and split by the Synod in Resistance, caused serious damage to the Greek Church, and not less harm Russian Church as contributing to the union of ROCOR with the Moscow Patriarchate and the subsequent schism Bishop Agafangel.

With great regret the Synod of Bishops of the Russian True Orthodox Church claims that the union of the Synod of the True Orthodox Church of Greece and the Greek Synod in Resistance does not give cause for celebration, but rather, it is a sad historical event – the fall of the TOC of Greece into union with schismatics and crypto-ecumenists .

False doctrine and schism can not be left to the True Orthodox Christians to ignore or to be disregarded. On the contrary, to correct false doctrine should have a place of its realization, research and repentance.

From the Office of the Synod of the Russian True Orthodox Church