(ROMFEA) - “We remain on the side of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and we will not tolerate its humiliation,” the members of the Holy Community of Mount Athos said on Monday on the occasion of the recent developments in Ukraine and the granting of Autocephaly to the local Church.
At the meeting held behind closed doors and without any publicity, much was said about the issue that has sparked controversy among the leaders of the Orthodox Churches.
The Athonites emphasized that this particular issue should make them feel proud. “It has been clear in this case too,” they noted, “that Hellenism and the Ecumenical Patriarchate have the Primacy in Orthodoxy,” while they agreed that everyone should stand by the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
They even agreed that it is preferable for the Holy Community to be silenced at this time so as not to create misinterpretations.
They suggested waiting for the conditions to mature more. “Besides,” they said, “we are not a Church, and we are not called upon to make a decision on recognition.”
“What is important is to maintain the unity of the Holy Monasteries and to send in every direction a clear message that no one will be allowed ‘to instrumentalize’ Mount Athos. Because Mount Athos concerns everyone,” all those present argued unanimously.
“We want to preserve the peace and unity of the Church,” they noted at the meeting. “However, as Athonites, we do not accept Hellenism and the Ecumenical Patriarchate to be humiliated by anyone.”
They also added that “The Holy Community has wisdom and experience so that Mount Athos will not be turned into a tool and a lever of pressure for purposes other than in the general interest.”
“In all national struggles,” they concluded, “monks preceded to protect Mount Athos, not to put it in the front. Friars martyred protecting the Garden of the Virgin Mary! So, are we going to do the opposite today?”
Tuesday, February 12, 2019
Holy Community of Mount Athos speaks on Ukraine
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These statements were not made by the Holy Kiot of Mount Athos, it was made by a single member, voicing his opinions on Ukraine. To the best of my knowledge, no official statement has been made by the holy Kiot of Mount Athos.
ReplyDelete“However, Romfea News, the English edition of the Greek news agency Romfea, published an article today entitled, “Mount Athos is strongly in favor of the Patriarchate on the Ukrainian issue,” which is a translation of their Greek article. Despite the strong headline, the content of the article itself cannot substantiate the claim, conveying only vague statements on supporting Constantinople and “Hellenism,” while noting that the Sacred Community, in fact, did not make a decision specifically about Ukraine.
Moreover, the English article presents its information as coming from “the members of the Holy Community of Mount Athos.” It is only in the Greek article that it is clear that all the statements contained in the article come not from the official statement, but from the commentary of one monk.”
" It is only in the Greek article that it is clear that all the statements contained in the article come not from the official statement, but from the commentary of one monk.”
DeleteWho should be expelled.
"What is important is to maintain the unity of the Holy Monasteries and to send in every direction a clear message that no one will be allowed ‘to instrumentalize’ Mount Athos. Because Mount Athos concerns everyone..."
ReplyDeleteWhoever said this, it is important. Clearly, both the EP and the MP are willing and able to "instrumentize" these monasteries in their ongoing propaganda and "canonical" struggle. The monks won't be able to avoid a certain amount of this as they are an important symbol in the Orthodox world.
Was this article cut & pasted from "The Onion"?
ReplyDeleteI don't think I can be part of a religion where Hellenism has primacy.
ReplyDeleteIndeed. A breathtaking statement. As the scholars say, the right faith to the wrong people.
DeleteI translate from Russian to English, but I can see that there was some trouble with translation in this article.
ReplyDelete“We want to preserve the peace and unity of the Church,” they noted at the meeting. “However, as Athonites, we do not *accept* Hellenism and the Ecumenical Patriarchate to be humiliated by anyone.”
When it says "we do not accept Hellenism..to be humiliated," I am pretty sure they mean, "we will not allow Hellenism...to be humiliated."
It's a shame they didn't just say "we do not accept Hellenism" — I think that would have been a more canonically sound stance.
This begs the question when Mount Athos or even a portion of the monks living there began viewing the defence of Hellenism as part of their work?
Moreover, it seems quite odd that any Orthodox Christian would be so against humiliation! If we are meant to imitate Christ, how can we attempt to avoid humiliation?! And what are we to say of all the Fools-for-Christ, even those on Mount Athos like Elder Herodion and the humiliation they willingly experienced to come closer to Christ? I am baffled.
About Elder Herodion: http://orthochristian.com/118199.html
“It has been clear in this case too, that Hellenism and the Ecumenical Patriarchate have the Primacy in Orthodoxy,”
ReplyDeleteThis is dancing perilously close to heresy. Someone needs to send these monks a copy of the 1872 decree condemning ethno-phyletism.
Ah, but it was only ethno-phyletism when Constantinople proclaimed it against the Bulgarians. When it concerns Ukraine, the rules get changed around.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteIf you want a church truly free of politics, you might try the Greek Old Calendar church. Or the OCA. The OCA is free of politics simply because there aren't enough Orthodox in this land to make them a political force. One has to have some type of government, no? Unless, you would have anarchy.
ReplyDelete