Removal of Bruxellois antimension causes uproar

(AROC-WE) - As we enter Holy and Great Lent, Metropolitan Jean calls all the members of the Archdiocese to join in prayer the parish of Brussels, his parishioners and its rector, the hieromonk Prokhor (Spasky).

This parish has been the subject of multiple attempts at destabilization initiated in several ways over the past week by the priest Christophe D’Aloisio who had been relieved of his charge of "acting temporarily as rector" long before leaving our Archbishopric for the Romanian Orthodox metropolis of Western and Southern Europe.

On February 24, 2020, the priest Christophe D’Aloisio entered the premises of the Saint-Panteleimon-et-Saint-Nicolas parish without the knowledge of the parishioners and the rector. He entered the sanctuary of the church, and took possession of the antimension arranged on the altar. He mentioned this in correspondence.

Without antimension, which is the sacramental link between the priest and his bishop, there is no possibility of a Eucharistic celebration. This is therefore a question of materially preventing Father Prokhor from being able to celebrate services when he entered Holy and Great Lent. In addition, a website has been created which aims to be a competitor to the official parish website, the obvious objective of which is to sow doubt and confusion among the faithful.

These acts are extremely serious. Metropolitan Jean of Dubna, the Council of the Archdiocese and the diocesan administration are on the side of this parish in difficulty and its rector.

The solidarity of the Belgian clergy is exemplary. Metropolitan Jean immediately sent the rector an antimension which enabled Father Prokhor to normally celebrate the Sunday liturgy. Threats against the parish nevertheless led to the cancellation of certain offices in the first week of Great Lent.

These facts were brought to the attention of his Eminence - Mgr Joseph (Pop) who heads the Romanian Orthodox Metropolis of Western and Southern Europe. Legal and judicial consequences are also being studied, as a last resort. It is recalled that the only site of the Orthodox parish of Saint Panteleimon and Saint Nicolas in Brussels which mentions the Hieromoine Prokhor (Spasky) as rector ist : www.stpanteleimon.eu

During this period of Holy and Great Lent, Metropolitan Jean addresses his full support and his prayers to Father Prokhor and to the parishioners of Saint-Panteleimon-et-Saint-Nicolas, and calls for the pursuit of liturgical life in calm and prayer in all the parishes of the Archdiocese.