Church of Greece sends letter of protest to EP

A letter of protest to both the Greek Archdiocese and the Phanar is a middle path between ignoring the issue and something much more severe. Still, it will require a response that will be made public in short order.

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(Newsbreak) [machine translated] - The Holy Synod sent a letter of protest to the Archbishop of America Elpidophoros after the complaints of the Metropolitan of Glyfada, Hellinikon, Voula, Vouliagmeni and Varis Antonios regarding the baptism of the children of Evangelos Bousis and his husband Peter Doudas in Vouliagmeni.

As the Metropolitan of Glyfada, Hellinikon, Voula, Vouliagmeni and Varis Antonios complained, the Archbishop of America never informed him that the children 's parents  are homosexual and he himself acted voluntarily and irregularly within his Metropolis.

The Holy Synod states that it also sent a relevant letter to the Ecumenical Patriarchate.

Read the announcement of the Holy Synod in detail.

"Today, Monday, July 18, 2022, the Permanent Holy Synod of the Church of Greece of the 165th Synodical Period was convened, under the Presidency of His Beatitude Archbishop of Athens and All Greece, Mr. Ieronymos.

During today's Session, the Permanent Holy Synod, after validating the Minutes of Authorization, examined the issues of the Agenda.

The Permanent Holy Synod, after extensive discussion, unanimously decided the following:

1. Publicly expresses her thanks to the honorable Greek Government and in particular the Prime Minister Mr. Kyriakos Mitsotakis, the Minister of Education and Religious Affairs Mr. Niki Kerameos, who had the political and legislative initiative to add specific articles to the recent law on HEIs for the settlement on behalf of the Greek State of the serious arrears at the expense of the Clergy - Priests of the Church of Greece.

He also thanks the competent officials, as well as the parliamentary parties (New Democracy, PASOK-KINAL, Hellenic Solution) and individual MPs, who voted in favor of the specific articles, recognizing the need to settle the issue, without any burden whatsoever on the State Budget.

The D.I.S. decided to send relevant letters of thanks to all the aforementioned, while reminding again that credits for the salary of the Clergy do not constitute an unjustified privilege in favor of ministers of the "dominant religion" (article 3 par. 1 of the Constitution) or a "gratuitous" arrangement in favor of the Holy Metropolises because they are N.P.D.D., but it is a periodic exchange for the ecclesiastical property, which the State acquired since the 19th century without full or even no compensation of the Church of Greece , as well as recognition of the offer of the Sanctuary Lottery in Greek society.

2. To send a letter of protest to the Most Reverend Archbishop of America Mr. Elpidophoros for what the Most Reverend Metropolitan of Glyfada, Hellinikon, Voula, Vouliagmeni and Vari Mr. Antonios reported in writing, in relation to the celebration of the Holy Sacrament of the Baptism of two infants in Vouliagmeni , as well as relevant letter to the Ecumenical Patriarchate, under whose canonical jurisdiction the Archbishop of America falls.

At the same time, the Holy Synod discussed at length the issues related to the pastoral treatment of such issues, remaining firm in what was determined by the Lord , the Holy Apostles and the Holy Fathers".