Met. Nikita Leads Investigation: Fox Guarding the Henhouse?

What assurance do we have that the Ecumenical Patriarch will investigate the St. Irene scandal with any impartiality, especially when appointing “investigators” with checkered pasts?

Source: Orthodox Christian Laity

By Theodore Kalmoukas

Met. Nikitas


BOSTON – The Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate has decided to send to the United States a three member Patriarchal Exarchy team of official representatives headed by Metropolitan Nikitas of Dardanelia, Archimandrite Petros Abbot of the Monastery of St. Dionysios of Mt. Athos and Archimandrite Kyrillos of the Monastery of St. John the Forerunner (Podromos) of Essex England to investigate the matters at the St. Irene Chrysovalantou Patriarchal Monastery in Astoria, New York and its dependencies. The Exarchy is expected to arrive in New York on Nov. 6. The National Herald reported in last week’s edition that the Abbot of the Chrysovalantou Monastery, Metropolitan Paisios of Tyana submitted his resignation to Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew on Oct. 1 and also Oct. 5 for “health” reasons, but The National Herald has learned it really involves alleged improper relations with young adult male and female parishioners at St. Irene’s Church.

The Greek language sister publication of TNH, Ethnikos Kirix, revealed on Oct. 30, also posted on the website of the English edition of TNH, that Federal and local authorities in New York have received public complaints against Metropolitan Paisios. TNH has learned that these allegations, made to the FBI’s central New York office in Manhattan and the local 114th Police precinct in Astoria, involve serious charges, which if proven true may subject Paisios to criminal prosecution. At least one of the accusers who testified to the authorities has lived for years at the St. Irene Chrysovalantou Patriarchal and Stravropegial Monastery, where Metropolitan Paisios was the Abbot, and claims to hold great knowledge of the events in question. TNH contacted one of the persons who filed claims with the FBI and the police in Astoria, N.Y. who said, “I gave an account of everything,” after claiming to be an eyewitnesses to several events and situations. This individual did not want to go into details to ensure that “the investigation would not be compromised,” and spoke to TNH under the condition of anonymity, for the time being.

This latest turn of events came to the attention of Metropolitan Paisios, and according to observations made by people who are aware of the events this appears to be one of the primary reasons that led him to submit his resignation.

Both hierarchs Paisios and Vikentios were summoned to the Ecumenical Patriarchate to provide explanations. On Nov. 1 Metropolitan Paisios and Bishop Vikentios of Apameia appeared before the Committee for the Patriarchal Institutions in Constantinople, chaired by Metropolitan Athanasios of Chalcedon and including Metropolitan Iakovos of the Pringiponisos, Metropolitan Demetrios of Sevasteia, and Metropolitan Meliton of Philadelphia as members.

The Patriarchal Committee on Institutions heard them separately. TNH has learned that Paisios and Vikentios accused each other regarding issues related to the administration of the Monastery and its Dependencies. The Committee requested that they put their positions ands statements in writing, which they did, and their reports were presented to the Holy Synod on Nov. 3. The Synod went into session on the Chrysovalantou Monastery issue at 2 p.m. and met for five hours but no decision was reached. The Holy Synod, which is chaired by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, includes the following hierarchs as members: Athanasios of Chalcedon, Germanos of Theodoroupoulis, Germanos of Tranoupolis, Kyrillos of Imvros and Tenedos, Theoleptos of Iconium, Apostolos of Moschonision, Panteleimon of Tyroloi and Serention, Nicholas of Detroit, Tarasios of Buenos Aires, Andreas of Arkalochorion, Kastellion, and Viannon, Polycarpos of Spain and Portugal, and Nathanael of Kos and Nisyros.

The complaints with the FBI were filed over the summer, while the complaint to the 114th precinct in Astoria was made recently, when news broke of Metropolitan Paisios’ resignation and his ensuing decision to leave permanently for Greece. Metropolitan Paisios had cited “health reasons” and his “protest” over the fact that his associate Bishop Vikentios of Apameia criticized him in an interview with TNH and distanced himself from the Metropolitan’s handling of administrative matters in the Monastery’s Dependency in Florida, where a split occurred. The same source alleges that the cases being investigated by the FBI and the Police involve young adult males and females who have been parishioners at St. Irene’s since childhood, had Metropolitan Paisios as their confessor, and enjoyed close relations with the Monastery. Members of the St. Irene’s Monastic Community who joined Paisios’ order ever since they were children are also said to be involved.

TNH contacted the Office of St. Irene Chrysovalantou in Astoria, and spoke with the Monastery’s Chief Secretary Dr. John Kotsaridis, who stated that “Metropolitan Paisios is in Greece,” and agreed to pass along TNH’s message to him. Metropolitan Paisios did not return TNH’s phone call. In a statement to TNH, Deputy Abbot Bishop Vikentios said that, “The matter is personal and it concerns the Abbot. I have no comment.”

TNH has also learned that the individuals who filed claims with the authorities have also informed the Ecumenical Patriarchate in great detail. There are intense discussions in the Phanar and reports that a major scandal is about to break. There are also reports that Sister Christonymphi, one of the younger nuns in the Monastery, is planning to resign as director of the Kindergarten, and will proceed to leave the Monastery altogether soon.

Comments

  1. Papandrew and Karloutsos used Paisios to torment Iakovos, merging him when Iakovos was gone. NCC prevented Clinton bombing Serbia while Iakovos was Archbishop so Karloutsos arranged the Ligonier bait-and-switch. Meliton of Halkidon was a classmate of Iakovos at Halki and so when Athenagoras wanted Iakovos to succeed Michael in America, the synod chose Meliton but the retired former patriarch Maximos advised Athenagoras “You Arvaniti, listen, just dissolve the Synod and form a new seven member one”. By the time Athenagoras died, Meliton had so poisoned the younger bishops at the Fanar against anything going on in America. When Pope Paul died, Carter sent Iakovos as his personal envoy, only to have the Patriarch veto this as an affront to his authority. From then on, the Fanar Synod decided that Iakovos’ successor would not be from America. In the NY Archdiocese Alex Karloutsos, trained in the political machinery of Richard Dailey’s Chicago rose to prominence as a political fixer. He was well known for going to places like the Aspen Colorado ski resort to become acquainted with the rich and famous. There was much noise about how he invested a large amount of archdiocese funds in the Pelham Esplanade development via Chris Dimitriadis in the 1980s only to have that investment vaporize a decade later. It was also rumored that the archdiocese was the silent investment partner in Gristides Red Apple. Together with Karloutsos was the former political columnist of the Long Island Press, George Douris, who formed HANAC as a welfare subcontractor under mayor Lindsey. They encouraged the formation of the large cult sect of Paisios old calendarites in Astoria with which they could leverage against the political exclusivity of the archdiocese and in this they received much support from Papandreou’s socialist and anti-American regime. When, in 1982, Iakovos sought permission to absorb the now fully new-calendarized Russian Metropolia (after the passing of its leader, Irineos) Iakovos wrote the patriarch that the newcomers were socialist and old calendarites, the letter was leaked to the Greek press by Karloutsos lest his leverage be diluted. When Dimitrios died, Iakovos expected to become Patriarch and sent Karloutsos to Washington to agitate on his behalf. Schemingly, Karloutsos arranged instead that the Turks would not veto any candidate, leading to the election of Bartholomew (Archandonis). Then Bartholomew asked Karloutsos to get his London nephew a Washington job, so Karloutsos used the Archdiocese travel agency and when the agency mistakenly sent the bill directly to Iakovos, for this mysterious “Archandonis”, Karloutsos got fired, being able to falsely claim, “I got fired because of the Patriarch”. Karloutsos went on to set up a bait-switch rouse at Ligonier that led to the fall of Iakovos. The various Orthodox ethnicities, under patriarchal suggestion (the patriarch had already encouraged the formation of SCOBA’s IOCC) had decided to meet to discuss way to bring themselves closer together. But before they even unpacked their luggage, they received telephone calls from Athens Journalists asking why they were planning to declare an American autocephaly and Iakovos patriarch of America. Reading the final decision of this meeting, one gets only a rather bland sentiment of eventual long-term unity. But Karloutsos had set his play into motion and talked the Ukrainian Vsevolod (the only one who didn’t sign) to raise objections with the patriarch in Constantinople. But Vsevolod said nothing at Ligonier other than mildly refusing to sign. Somehow, Karloutsos had connived to get the tempestuous Masonic ecumenist Methodios (Tournas) to wage war against Vsevolod, only enlarging a rather small difference. With this, Bartholomew had the excuse to demand Iakovos retire.

    • John Ekonomou says

      I happened across your website by accident; I have never visited before. I first want to state that I fully appreciate the freedom of people to speak their mind. However, I must respond to the scurrilous post by Lakis Velotris above. Is it TOO much to ask that people who post keep to the truth AT LEAST A LITTLE BIT? So Fr. Alex Karloutsos was “trained in the political machinery of Richard Daley’s Chicago”? Where is your evidence of that, sir? In fact, where is your evidence for anything that you wrote? It is all rank conjecture, hearsay, and drivel. It appears that you do not have much respect for the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese or the Patriarchate. That is your choice. But whether you want to belong to the Church or not, wherever you go God will ask you one little thing to do always, which appears that in your case seems quite a task: to tell the truth. Why don’t you try it next time you want to post something. Your life will improve and maybe, just maybe, God may just send a little glimmer of love to your stone cold prevaricating heart.

  2. Lakis,

    So many questions and so little time.

    You start off by saying “NCC prevented Clinton bombing Serbia while Iakovos was Archbishop so Karloutsos arranged the Ligonier”

    Q: I don’t understand the connection between the two. Was Iakovos upset that Clinton stopped the bombing?

    Then, you go on to say “Meliton of Halkidon was a classmate of Iakovos at Halki and so when Athenagoras wanted Iakovos to succeed Michael in America, the synod chose Meliton but the retired former patriarch Maximos advised Athenagoras “You Arvaniti, listen, just dissolve the Synod and form a new seven member one”. By the time Athenagoras died, Meliton had so poisoned the younger bishops at the Fanar against anything going on in America.”

    Q: So Meliton was supposed to have become the archbishop of America (instead of Iakovos?). And his jealousy of Iakovos is what poisoned the younger bishops against America?

    Then, you state, “When, in 1982, Iakovos sought permission to absorb the now fully new-calendarized Russian Metropolia (after the passing of its leader, Irineos) Iakovos wrote the patriarch that the newcomers were socialist and old calendarites, the letter was leaked to the Greek press by Karloutsos lest his leverage be diluted.”

    Q: I’m confused about what “Russian Metropolia” are you referring to here? The Russian Metropolia I am familiar with (now the OCA) was granted autocephaly in 1970. Which group is this?

    In the balance of the piece, you basically portray +Iakovos as a stooge of Karloutsos, being outmanuevered by Karloutsos at every turn, and giving him credit for the Ligonier conference (as Machiavellian as you seem to imply it’s purpose was on Karloutsos’ part). This one is the biggest stretch of all…in my mind. Please elaborate.

    Best Regards,
    Dean Calvert