Another Picture, Another Thousand Words

As you all may know by now, I’m not the biggest fan of the new GOA primate. And yes, save me the criticisms that because I’m not in the GOA I’ve got no skin in the game. All true.

Leaving aside all the problems with the GOA and the Patriarchate of Constantinople, I must say something about this photo and how put off I was by it. Now I don’t know the exact context here between Fr Alex Karloutsos and His Eminence but (if my fears are correct) no priest should poke his finger in such a manner to any hierarchy. It’s just unseemly.

You see, whether I like Arb Elpidophoros or not is immaterial. It’s not the man, it’s the stole. If I ever have the chance to meet him, I’ll give him the proper respect that his office deserves.

The back story is that Fr Alex flew to Greece rather hurriedly to meet with the Archbishop. For what reason I can only guess. My sources tell me that Karloutsos wanted Metropolitan Emmanuel of France to be the next primate but as we already know, Emmanuel handed a preemptive “no thank you” letter to Patriarch Bartholomew.

It’s been long known that Fr Alex has always been the power behind the throne as far as the GOA is concerned. And he usually got his way. Lambrianides, on the other hand, has been the fair-haired golden boy of the Phanar for several years now and because he has a fascination with America, has wanted the former Archbishop to retire.

Clearly, there is a power struggle. On the one hand, Karloutsos has done yeoman-like work for Bartholomew and he feels he’s owed big-time. Maybe he felt that he could “handle” Emmanuel and thus, his power would continue. Lambrianides, however, is one of the brighter lights of the Phanar and it’s his star that has been rising.

How this is going to play out is going to be interesting. My hunch is to keep on eye on Karloutsos: if he recedes into retirement or away from the limelight, then I’d bet that the new Archbishop will have carried the day. I wouldn’t be surprised to find out that this photo was leaked by somebody in Karloutsos’ entourage in order to send a message to the rest of the GOA. Perhaps this was intended for the Archons/L100 types, to tell them to not open their wallets just yet.

Regardless, as a primate, he should be treated with respect, especially by a priest serving under him.

Comments

  1. GL Farmer says

    He’s just giving a pep talk. “You da man! You got this! Go over there and be the best archbishop they’ve ever seen!”

  2. Antiochene Son says

    Personally, it irks me when clergy carry on conversations of any kind in the Sanctuary, whether there is a service going on or not.

    Anyway, Christ is risen!

  3. Anonymous priest says

    Our new Archbishop is intelligent. He also has a daunting agenda to correct and fulfill. May he listen to the senior presbyters and bishops who have no choice but to try and help him succeed in America. I am going to remain hopeful as I have no other option as a GOA Christian at this moment.

  4. Marcus Carmitchel says

    You got it wrong.
    Elps wants to be patriarch.
    Bart is afraid of him and wanted to send him away.
    The original Culprit was Soti Haci, aka Meliton,
    who prevent Iakovos wice from becoming patriarch 
    And got the synod to decide they will never allow us an Americanist

    • Gail Sheppard says

      If Bartholomew were afraid of him, he would send him to some place that no longer exists.  The LAST place he’d send him to is the United States.

  5. Look closely at the photo, note the position of the priest’s cross chain. It is falling away from his chest. Note the position of the archbishop’s hand. Whatcha think?

    • Lon Calefas says

      Right on! Elps ain’t dumb. Lex Lutsos may be fingering him, but Elps got insurance, he got Lex by the chain. Like a dog. I think I am suddenly liking Elps.

      • George Michalopulos says

        I was recently taken to task by someone I truly respect for coming to LP’s defense at the expense of Karloutsos. The dereliction of GOA spirituality is such that it might very well be someone such as Fr A who can restrain the worst impulses of the Phanar.

        But that’s the problem in a nutshell, isn’t it Lon?

        Let me offer a secular comparson: conservatives, mainstream Republicans, etc, are always caught on the horns of a dilemma every 4 years. Should we be loyal to the GOP and go ahead and vote for a corrupt dynast and/or flaming incompetent or vote for the Democrat? At best, all the GOP candidate will do (if he wins) is delay the further degradation of the country by maybe 2 years –4 if we’re lucky.

        I’ve wracked my brains trying to come up with five positive conservative accomplishments of Bush Sr & Jr between them. Bush Sr only has Clarence Thomas to his credit. He unwittingly gave us David Souter, a horrible, very left-wing Justice. Bush Jr gave us Sam Alito but then he also gave us John Roberts, a man who is not nearly as horrible as Souter but when we needed him to defeat Obamacare, he immorally wrote the law and caved. On the cultural front Bush Jr did repeal the assault weapons ban and stopped stem cell research but otherwise –what?

        Both men were led by the nose by the evil neocons and got us involved in overseas misadventures. What’s my point? Maybe better to just take the black pill and hurry along the inevitable dystopia.

        It is in such a sense that I view the grudge match between Karloutsos and the new archbishop. The black pill scenario as far as the Church is concerned to hurry up and give the Phanar their precious papalist victory since they’re not going to stop until they get it. This will then precipitate a genuine council which will set the Orthodox world aright (and which is also inevitable). Or it will inevitably collapse in America just as did the Phanar’s shenanigans in Ukraine.

        • John Sakelaris says

          George, the speculations in your last paragraph are too much like a Rube Goldberg cartoon. 
          If you do achieve the church crisis that you apparently seek, you really cannot be sure where things will go after that.     
          Again I quote the old space program saying, “There is no problem so bad that it cannot be made worse.”
           

          • Gail Sheppard says

            No one is “seeking” a crisis, least of all George. It’s already occurred! You’ve got to face your problems and put measures in place to solve them if you want a better outcome. Us bringing our hands together to show how much we want Tinkerbell to live will not bring about the happy ending you’re hoping for, John. That’s magical thinking.

            • ??

            • John Sakelaris says

              All wars and religious breaks seem to have this one thing in common: Propagandists for each side maintain that the other side started it.   And there seems to be no arguing with them.  
              So, fine, the other side started it.   Now the question is whether this church schism is to be quietly patched up with forbearance or whether we will see it harden to reveal two non-communing entities, each claiming to represent Orthodox Christianity.   The latter result would be a tragedy, but the attitudes that you and others on here have seems to point in that direction. 
               

              • George Michalopulos says

                John, to the extent that I have exacerbated any hard feelings towards Cpole, I beg forgiveness.  However, the fact that every other Orthodox Church has choked on what Pat Bartholomew unilaterally and uncanonically perpetrated in Ukraine, it is not hard-hearted to point it out. 

                Given that every primate begged him to not go down this route should give us Greeks some pause, at the very least.  Although I understand that the Church of Greece looks like it’s going to cave to Cpole on this matter, it’s clear that they are doing it most reluctantly.  Regret and recriminations will follow.

                • John Sakelaris says

                  I do not know whether regret and recriminations will occur in the Church of Greece, we will have to see.   Hopefully there can be some quiet communication and it may be best if we do not hear it all.
                  In the meantime, I will share this much: Over the years I have come to cringe when I would see “Istanbul” in print instead of “Constantinople.”   Your use of the “Cpole” term produces the same cringe.  
                   

                  • George Michalopulos says

                    I too, cringe, John. However we should live in reality. Istanbul is that city, it is not a “new Rome” by any stretch of the imagination. I’ve been there once and yes, it’s beautiful, but it’s Islamic and it has been for half a millennium.

                    We Greeks would be wise to realize that it is so and to stop living in a fantasy.

                    When the Jews said for two millennia, “next year in Jerusalem”, they at least acknowledged two things: first, they were not in Jerusalem (having been driven out by the Romans), and two, Jerusalem had been taken over and inhabited by non-Jews in the interim. As such, their plaintive cry was a call to arms, an implicit understanding that they would have to reconquer it, that is to say by force –preferably under the leadership of the king-messiah.

                    When educated Greek academics and successful lay-businessmen still look at Istanbul as “the new Rome”, it’s just not the same thing.

                    • Constantinos says

                      Dear George,
                      To keep things light today, I would like to honor a deceased Greek American. By the way, I learn quite a bit from reading obituaries.
                      As a young boy, I developed an interest in professional wrestling strictly as a spectator. There was a legendary Greek American referee by the name of Connie Marker. Every broadcast the announcer would say “the dean of referees, Connie Marker , the golden Greek; he’s very proud of his Greek heritage.” He was also the successful owner of Connie’s Restaurant and Pipe Shop. As a referee, he was a fan favorite. He was also very committed to his Greek Orthodox faith and his Hellenic heritage. In my humble opinion, an extremely cool guy. In fact, he was my kind of guy. He passed away at the age of eighty seven.
                      John, I hope that in some small way, this brightens your day. If it does, you may want to check out some youtube clips of the wonderful job he did in the ring. By the way, there is no one who loves Greek people than do I. The Greeks are the most glorious race in all of  history- bar none, and every American owes the Greeks a debt of gratitude. Without the Greeks, there never would have been a United States of America.
                       

                    • So so true. Fantasy land but what is truly corroding is that this FANTASY land is at the heart od the Church. It is frightening and the GOA will just go on playing this game. 
                      Thank God the punters are voting with their feet 

                  • I really got shock hearing the Church of Greece will cave in. 
                    If does I cannot attend their churches,  which is sad as where am i going to hear a greek liturgy.?  The old calandarist church? 
                    The Church of bul will go with Russia and I live here. So I cannot close my eyes and pretend.  
                    Today we had hierarchical liturgy in the restored Cathedral in Tsaravets fortress. Quite a  treck I can tell you. 
                    Profoundly beautiful liturgy with superb choir, quality of an organ, singing both byzantine and russian music.

                  • I wonder if any wistfully nostalgic Dutch continue to refer to New York City as New Amsterdam, in a proud, ideological defiance of the reality of the situation?

                    New York hasn’t been Dutch for centuries. Likewise, Istanbul hasn’t been Greek for a really long time. And it certainly hasn’t been the “New Rome” since the eastern Roman Empire fell in the 15th century.

                    It’s not a betrayal of faith to acknowledge this reality. On the contrary, Christ commands us to live in reality, not in fantasy land.

                    This, the more appropriately Christian response, in my opinion, is to refer to the city as Istanbul, not to insist on wistful nostalgia and to ignore reality.

                    Blessed Feast of the Ascension to all!!

                    • George Michalopulos says

                      There is a very hoity-doity men’s society in NYC called the New Amsterdam Society. To belong, one has to have an actual Dutch ancestor who actually lived in New Amsterdam. If memory serves, Henry Fonda and Humphrey Bogart were both members.

                    • Anon2, your post has two parts:

                      1) the correct current nationality of a place, city, country,
                      2) the correct name of a place, city, country

                      I totally agree with you on part 1.:
                      Cple (your Istanbul) is now Turkish, not Greek.
                      I totally disagree with you on part 2.:
                      Geographical names are written/pronounced differently in different (European) languages, e.g.:
                      London: Londres, Londen, Londinon etc.
                      Germany: Germania, Γερμανία, Alemania, Allemagne, Alemanha,Þýskaland , Duitsland, but the Germans call it Deutschland!
                      Greece: Grecia, Grece, Griechenland etc but the Greeks call it Ἑλλάς/”Ελλάδα i.e. Hellas/Hellada. Can you imagine me suggesting that the all Westerners MUST say Hellas only?
                      Constantinople is actually called in Greek:
                      “KonstantinouPolis”, which means “Constantine’s City”.
                      Some illiterate invaders heard the Greek people say that the were going “Eis tin Poli” i.e. “To-the City”.
                      So “Eis tin Poli”  became in Turkish “Is-tan-pul” or Istanbul.
                      Now then, why is it (in English)
                      wrong to say Constantinople, but it is
                      correct to say Germany, Greece?
                       
                       
                       
                       

                    • Billy Teribas says

                      Have your NYC friends check out https://newcanaansociety.org/
                      Many RC and half a dozen fellow EOC attend.

                    • Harry Matiras says

                      BION there is a French-language Huguenot church continuously operating in NYC for four hundred years. Note the icons https://stesprit.org

                    • Ioannis,

                      I understand what you’re saying, though I disagree with your point. As far as I know, in Greek, there is no other word for the city other than “Κωνσταντινούπολη.” In Modern Demotic Greek, no one would ever call the city “εις την πόλη.”

                      It was common in non-Greek cultures to also call the city “Constantinople” until about 100 years ago. After the rise of Ataturk and his false-westernization campaign (not to mention his enforced and much-ignored de-Christianization of the country), non-Greek cultures began referring to the city as “Istanbul” or “Stamboul” (because of cultural linguistics/pronunciation differences). “Constantinople” fell out of favor and is now seen as archaic in non-Greek cultures.

                      This name change also came about during the time of de-colonialization, when it became more favorable to refer to a city/country as its locals/inhabitants refer to it, not as to how a colonial or foreign power might refer to it.

                      Thus “Upper Volta” became “Burkina Faso;” “Bombay” became “Mumbai;” “Burma” became “Myanmar;” “British Honduras” became “Belize;” “German South West Africa” became “Namibia;” etc. Other examples abound in the English language. (The Argentinians tried to make the “Falkland Islands” become “Islas Malvinas,” but Margaret Thatcher put a stop to that.)

                      The word “wench” use to mean a “female child;” but call your friend’s little girl that and you’ll get a punch in the face. A “hussy” used to mean any “housewife,” but most modern men don’t want to think of their wives as “hussies.” Many lighthearted and carefree people would no longer want to be described as “gay,” but that’s what the word used to mean.

                      In English, at least, it is not uncommon for words to change meanings over time. I’m thankful that I’m a native English speaker, since our language is quite complex to learn as a foreigner.

                      Because of these changes in naming — changes that I, most certainly, did not make, but I was born into this world well after these changes happened — to call the city “Constantinople” in English (or even in Russian) today is to make a clear cultural/political or religious statement. (“Constantinople” in Russian is Царьград, though no Russian would refer to the city in that manner in modern demotic Russian; it is Стамбул (Stamboul, or “Istanbul”) in everyday Russian.) Царьград is effectively the Russian way of saying “Constantinople;” that is, the Tsar’s city, or the city of Caesar, or the Emperor’s city. Царьград and Κωνσταντινούπολη both refer back to a time of the New Rome, the Eastern Roman Empire, which has not existed since the 15th century.

                      I am certainly not faulting Greeks for calling the city Κωνσταντινούπολη. I am well aware of the many historic and cultural reasons for doing so. Sort of why Serbs state that it is insane to claim that Kosovo is not part of Serbia or Serbian history.

                      However, the non-Greek world has moved away from calling the city Constantinople. Living in the non-Greek world, for me to insist on calling the city Constantinople today would be to make a political and cultural statement, and from my perspective, to ignore the reality of the world that I live in. Perhaps if the Patriarchate there was a model of what it means to be an Orthodox Christian I might feel more compelled to call the city “Constantinople.” But lately, the Patriarchate’s actions make me want to distance myself more from it every day.

                      Now the non-Greek world may have been terribly wrong in acceding to Ataturk’s demands to call the city Istanbul, however that happened way before I came on the scene. But this is now our reality in the 21st century non-Greek world.

                      And now the *only* appropriate way to finish off this post:
                      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wcze7EGorOk

                      What’s everyone’s preference? The Four Lads’ version or the They Might Be Giants’ version??? I used to be a big fan of the TMBG version, but lately I’m more a fan of the Four Lads’ version.

                    • Anon 2, you said,

                      “This name change also came about during the time of de-colonialization, when it became more favorable to refer to a city/country as its locals/inhabitants refer to it, not as to how a colonial or foreign power might refer to it.”
                      <b> Then, why did they not call Greece by the name the inhabitants refer to it, namely Hellas, Ἑλλάς????,</b>

                      “”changes that I, most certainly, did not make, but I was born into this world well after these changes happened”
                      <b> You sound very clever and learned and you can contribute in shaping this world! The changes in this world are the combined work of millions of persons like you and me. I am sure you don’t prefer the others to make changes for you, but rather you want to be one of them. And sometimes one humble opinion may change the whole world. As the world is now “developing” your grandchildren will live in a world where one can “marry” a …goat! The people will then say,
                      ” to change this  today is to make a clear cultural/political or religious statement.  ” or,
                      “But this is now our reality in the 21st century”</b>
                       

                      “Perhaps if the Patriarchate there was a model of what it means to be an Orthodox Christian I might feel more compelled to call the city “Constantinople.” But lately, the Patriarchate’s actions make me want to distance myself more from it every day.”
                      <Now, I agree with you! The Patriarchate there, is damaging Orthodoxy. The “de facto” ruling patriarch is now based in Moscow and in 100yrs probably in China. 
                      But it also proves that there is another reason for preferring the illiterate Istanbul to the meaningful “ΚωνσταντίνουΠόλις”. Again you are right! </b>
                       

                      Regarding the Constantinople song, it seems like an ugly Turkish propaganda. Read its last phrase. Is this really art and culture?

                    • Wcaterson says

                      Thank you, Billy Teribas, for posting the link for New Canaan. Never heard of it. There’s a group in my city. I’ll be there next week.

                • George Michalopulos “Church of Greece looks like it’s going to cave to Cpole”

                  The official Church of Greece is going to follow Constantinople/Istanbul? Are you sure?

                  • George Michalopulos says

                    No, but that’s what I am hearing on the street. I hope I’m wrong.

                    • It would be sad if Orthodoxy lost Greeks.

                    • George.   There is a concerted effort to create a grey zone in Aegean and Greece Thrace promoted as Greek and Turkish friendship in the way of abusive husband Turkey welcoming back  his abused wife Greece. Sort of reversed Byzantine empire.  And no brownie points for knowing who will contact the Marriage blessing. 
                      Christodoulos,  ( The vigorous Archbishop of Athens 1998-2008) of blessed memory tried to intergrate the ecclesiastical new Territories,  gained in Balkan wars,into the greek church totally.  And stand up to Phanar. planting Church to centre of Greek life. He brought a vigor and energy to the Church and stood up to state. He met with total opposition from Phanar and soon  they tried to destroy him in false scandal inuendo related to Jerusalem ( karloutsos type characters involved, including clerical)  after this failed,  he  fell ill and died. Removed to Florida actually. Poisoned?  Yes had lived cancer we are told but he was conviniently removed as a sticky commodity for the politicians and those self interests in the Church. You think that fanciful ?  Or that they are not  preparing ( usa state dept) to remove Western Thrace from Greece?. Think it can’t happen?
                      Have a look at what is happening there. 
                      Greek Orthodoxy is in dire crisis. I am greek and feel for it all as a greek. You may say fine Niko,your pain  but nothing related to  the Church,  to Christ.  Well certainly none of this related to Christ.  But it’s very related to the Church.  It involves the Church. 
                      Bartholomaios is deploying to assert Phanar as an eastern PAPACY, stopping short, i hope or think, of personal infalibility, but controlling the total Church. 
                      You know some time ago I would be discussing this as rubbish,  to be scorned, but not now. 
                      Naturally an independent  church of Greece is an obstacle number one, especially if totally Orthodox and above all, the Resurrection of Russia and to lesser degree, of  eastern european churches as here in Bulgaria.  BIG HEADACHE. 
                      And along  the way,  as a cash cow and cosy sinecure for their united humblenessess,  YOU, IN GREEK AMERICA. Well u need to be put in state where you need the abusive parent.  You saw in reaction of clergy how in classic abused fashion, they welcome and see hope in their abuser.  No hope there.  
                      As for sexual scandal, perfect for control. Just the bishops you want.
                      Re apologies for past. Yes total rubbish. I’m waiting for Turkish apology for calling us rayiah or cattle and treatment us as such. ( hence the greek Re) and for the modern west African elites of the former Gold Coast, to apologise for their massive role in slavery trade  in working with the white slavers on one hand, and the islamic slavers on other.!! ? But don’t mention that to your “woke”  morons. 

                    • Nektarios says

                      Martin, we’ll never lose the real Greeks, by which I mean those who put their faith BEFORE their ethnicity.

                    • Nektarios: “we’ll never lose the real Greeks, by which I mean those who put their faith BEFORE their ethnicity”

                      Yes, of course. But I meant “Greeks” as Greek people. It would be sad if they become like southern Italians, only with a different tongue.

                • Don’t neglect to point out that for any local Synod to officially recognize the Fener’s New Thing in Ukraine is fraught with potential to cause internal instability and dissension within that church – which explains why even the Church of Greece doesn’t want to ratify Bart Efendi’s schismatics. To do so could have catastrophic effects in Greece as it already has had in Ukraine. And let us never forget the catastrophe in Greece that was the unilateral imposition of the New Calendar by Patr* Meletios Metaxakis a century ago. This disaster is comparable to the results of the Nikonian reforms in XVII c. Moscow – permanent schism and terrible loss of unity.

                  Fener propaganda would have all dissension sponsored somehow by evil Russia. Greek-indoctrinated clergy regularly conflate Putin’s Kremlin with the Moscow Patriarchate. A fellow told me last week that Russia is reabsorbing the OCA because Donbas. I kid you not.  
                   

              • Veras Coltroupis says

                You hein’t kidding. I keep telling folks how both sides are responsible for the rancour and they say, not us, THEM! Relatives who saw the 1930s see them repeated today, with both extremes deliberately pushing each other’s buttons centrifugally. An old sexton in Manhattan describes confronted by gangs while he was trekking about his business in the mountains of Greece. They would ask his faction, if he answered wrong they beat him, only he would encounter another gang down the road, and if he gave the answer the previous gang expected, he would be beaten again. They were brutal, they beat children with chains, chopped women with axes (Pelex Electra), cut throats with tin cans. Ideology went haywire because society had repeatedly collapsed and old vengeances managed to work their way in.

                • Yes communist and royalist. My family suffered much from this and scars still not Healed. 

    • Gail Sheppard says

      When we bring our hand in toward our heart or chest (with the thumb slightly ajar), we are usually trying to refer to ourselves, explaining why we think something, feel something or did something, etc. 

      When someone points his finger at another, it is accusatory, e.g. “You did this. . .”

       I could see a scenario where Karloutsos is saying, “You did . . .” and His Eminence responded, “No, what I did was . . .” 

      They were awfully close together.  One of them didn’t want anyone else to hear their conversation.

  6. John Sakelaris says

    An undue amount of speculation is going on here.

    I am for wishing the new Archbishop the best and giving him a good chance.

  7. Appalling photo and yr Mr karloutsos comes out of it worse. George my beef for one is even uniates do not look like this any more. Why don’t they get a shave? Run out of razor blades or something? Pathetic.
    I just showed it to Bulgarian friends we have for dinner . They commented you can’t tell a book from it’s cover but they would not want to open this one!!Nor would I.

    To be fair Lambrianides he is an intelligent possibly able man but a careerist plain and simple Constantinople bound.
    I feel sorry for the annonymous priest, really sorry, but let me put this to you. In 1920s Russia many, many clergy and bishops suffered great hardship and death to stand up to the revisionist ‘ living church’ that communists used to try to destroy Patrarch Tikhon. And needs to be pointed out that Constantinople took living church side.

    I am an Orthodox greek lay person. I will leave aside the growing aura of corruption, financial and sexual, to simply say apart from the disgusting actions in Ukraine, that Bartholomaios and all who support him are espousing papal ecclesiology and a Fantasy world that finally died, care of ataturk in 1922 if not earlier but let’s be generous.
    It’s time you barbarians in darkest USA did a 476AD empire tribute act and end the charade. ITS 2019, HAVE U NOT NOTICED.? Perhaps yr million dollars a yr might find a use in USA.?? And not in new bishop palaces and first class travel. The Bishop of Veliko Tarnovo here travel by bus.
    I will leave you with the words of St Silouan from a real church, ‘ Keep yr mind in hell and despair not’ .

    • It’s about time a hierarch, an assembly of hierarchs, or the majority of the laity in this country sent this quote by Robert E. Howard to the Phanar:
      Barbarianism is the natural state of mankind. Civilization is unnatural. It is the whim of circumstance. And barbarianism must ultimately triumph

      • George Michalopulos says

        Vergil, a lot of wisdom there. Reagan said that “we are only one generation away from losing liberty”. He was right.

        • You know I have a love/hate relationship with the Reagan Presidency. By this I mean a few of his policies weren’t conservative enough, and ended up giving globalists and former Jim Jones supporters more to work with later.  However, he is one of the best presidents to listen to or read for pure wisdom.  
          If may go off on a tangent for a bit it was Reagan’s fight against Communism, and the subsequent lampooning he received in the 90s and early 00s that opened my eyes to the ways of the Left. He was mocked for this fight, and the idea of weeding or flushing out Communism became a meme. The very idea if Marxism being a threat was mocked by anyone who wasn’t a Dixiecrat or part of the Center-Left. Now fast forward a few years and it turns out a small majority of the Democrat party and the Left in general are actually Marxists.  On top of this it is socially acceptable to call yourself a Communist; you can even be a tenured professor at a respectable university and still say you are a Communist or Marxist.  Let me cut to the chase and say that this opened my eyes to the moral bankruptcy of the Left and Reagan being in the right about fighting the Cold War.  Also reading up on the Jonestown Massacre and seeing how this was in fact a Communist operation that used evangelicalism as a textbook opium of the people, and was a clear example of how the Left thinks religion should be run, though I am repeating myself, has brought me to the conclusion that these people should never be allowed into power.

    • Michael Bauman says

      I will leave you with the words of St Silouan from a real church, ‘ Keep yr mind in hell and despair not’ . Which the Elder Sophrony believed could be fulfilled by giving glory to God for all things. Or as St. Augustine said, “Love God and do what you will”.

      So much distraction, temptation to despair and live our passions. Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on us.

    • Here is proof your heathen church, esp slavs,  begat communism:
      Columbia History of the World 1972 p456-7 “In 1342 the wealthy city of Thessalonike was seized by apopular party, which proclaimed a program of social wlefare andreligious puritanism, massacred the upper classes, and established acommune which maintained itself until 1350, thus isolating the cityfrom the rest of the empire… usurpation of John VI Cantacuzenusagainst the legitimate heir John V Paleologus found regional supportwhich weakened still further the cohesion of the empire.. At variouspoints of his career, John Cantacuzenus owed his survival to thesupport of the Serbian czar or the Ottoman sultan”

      • Monk James Silver says

        This citation proves no such thing. If it is accurate, it shows merely that some political extremists did great damage in Thessalonike for eight years in the mid-fourteenth century, and that’s all.

        It is ridiculous and contemptible that George Kender COmney — from whatever misinformed angle he comes — appears to address Orthodox Christians as a ‘heathen church’.

        May the Lord enlighten him and have mercy on him and on us all.

        • George Michalopulos says

          True that. Communistic impulses were found within certain Reformist (Protestant) sects in Germany as well. Things got so bad with the peasant uprisings that Martin Luther himself had to ask the Junker-aristocracy to put them down, violently if need be.

      • Mr comey, what ever.  We are communists at heart,  Smile and have a nice day.  

  8. Mike Mountanos says

    Re: “keeping an eye on Karloutsos”. The last three archbishops have tried and failed, don’t hold your breath on this time as a charm. Besides, Bart needs Alex as a trusted “spy” to weigh in an assure him that Elpi is staying on track and not straying towards the glories of being American. 

    Re: Finger pointing. This photo demonstrates that Alex is unrestrained and unfiltered. His ego knows no boundaries or constraints. His sense of entitlement is epic.

    • Do you know that photo of those two Men sums up EVERYTHING young people, and not so young, say about institutionalised religion.  
      Jf I had not wider spiritual experience, and my own,  I would walk away in disgust out of respect for Christ.  
      Do these corrupt IDLE lazy Men have any fear of God? Do you think they believe anything, or are they like the priest in Tolstoy’s Reserrection?   
      I have TOTAL AND UTTER CONTEMPT. Utter.   And FOR THE PATSIES WHO SHOVEL THEM A MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR. They are complicit fools. Who thinks any of that dead  and wrotting bureaucracy has to do with Christ?.  Do not Americans have any back bone anymore to say… “GO HOME NOW PLEASE ! ” 
       
       

  9. Berni Dolikas says

    You got the direction of control backwards. Lex Lutsos chose Bart because he was the youngest, even thought he was sent to Washington to get Clinton to tell the Turks they should allow Jake. But, lookat, Lex is 74, Bart is 79. Time is agin’em

  10. Ok, I can see how at first glance it looks like there is finger pointing. But, if you look closely, you will see that hand and wrist are in a neutral position and the hand is closed except for the extension if the index finger. The elbow is flexed and comes somewhat across the body. If you were to point at someone standing across from you, you would have to have some extension of both the wrist and the index finger. Gestures can appear differently depending on the camera angle. Nope, I don’t see finger pointing.

    • Tanya I think we can get lost in senantics re finger. This guy is so smooth and does not work by finger pointing.  
      More to point IS HIS LIFE AND ACTIONS, and for me you only have to see that wordly, cynical face to know all. Elpidophoros I actually see as academic, unrelated to real world and bookishly naive.  And for Peter sakes,  about time they looked decent and shaved. I detest these pretend  beard apologies!!  I have greater respect for the clean shaven, for their honesty at least. 

      • Fr. Schmemann had that type of beard and you speak highly of him. If you saw me, you would probably say my beard is too long.

        • Yes fr Alexander Schememn looked a priest.  It’s an interesting point but one of the most priestly priests I met was a semi-  retired priest helping out at  Holy Cross greek church Bay Ridge. NY.  Came to.usa aged 14.  He had devoted his life to his priesthood and to his people. Married priest. . Clean shaven as his clerical generation were.  When we parted I kissed his hand and said thst he was more a priest than if he had a beard down to his knees. I will quote u from that beautiful book, Light out of Darkness, by Sergei Fudel  who suffered in communist Russia much     ” I knew a young priest who somehow managed in our time and place to visit the sick in the hospitals and bring them Holy Communion. Anyone can understand how much courage and faith this demanded. He could only do it because he wore civilian clothes,  his hair was cut short and he was beardless. 
          He was a soldier on the front line. 
          There is another kind of priest. I remember waiting one day in an archbishop’ s office. Many people were there and amongst them a well dressed handsome man .  His way of holding himself was arrogant and self assured and contemptuous.  He was carrying a briefcase. Must be a journalist or sportsman I thought. 
          Suddenly he opened the briefcase and took out a Rason and Pectoral Cross and put them on. I almost was expecting him to take out a byzantine beard and afix to his face. 
          Yes there are really all kinds of priests   It is not in the beard that matters, but the look in the eye, a way a man holds himself. 
          You know my views, which are the tradition of the Church,  i have made it clear often enough, but just as a soldier without a uniform is missing something,   BUT it is NOT the uniform alone. 
          Those who do not live a priestly life in my experience even with a beard look like it  is stuck on!!   But without they show disrespect and worship of secular Culture ( ha today that Culture is definitely beardlesd!!)  
          Here in Bulgaria as Serbia, married clergy have mostly full but neatly  trimed beards and longish hair, sone with uncut. And monks and monk clergy uncut beard and hair. 
          It’s the same with Mitre and bishops ‘ robes. One only notices the incongruity when other things not right. 

  11. This is not the first time that Alex Karloutsos had made a spectacle of himself, especially in such a manner.

    Look at television footage of Donald Trump’s Presidential (January) Inauguration Ceremony – Washington, DC.

    At the close of the ceremony as everyone is exiting to re-enter the Capital building, Alex Karloutsos is obviously visible and very well seen leaving together with someone he is in deep conversation with.
    He is preceding Archbishop Demetrios, as His Eminence is lagging behind, alone, lost in the crowd.

    This was such a surprisingly upsetting and embarrassing commentary on the outwardly disrespectfulness of an ordinary (over-glorified) priest caught on live television for the world to see.

    This would never, ever had happened had it been the Roman Catholics!

    This would neve,r ever had happened if I were the Archbishop!
    I would have pulled him aside in private, slapped his face, and told him to pack his bags once he returns to New York and be ready and able to serve a parish in Alaska the very following week!

    If he disagreed with my hierarchal decision, then he should look for another job!

    Karloutsos should have walked alongside Archbishop Demetrios and slightly behind him by a couple of steps, escorting him into the Capital building, together as representatives of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America.

    Instead he made a very big faux pas for one and all to see.

    However, like Faust, he’s already sold himself to the Devil and there is absolutely no redemption for him whatsoever.

    • But the faithful receive him YOU ARE ALL COMPLICIT in this rubbish if you support this sewar and pay it’s bills.

    • George Michalopulos says

      Kanenas, you are not wrong however you are missing the point:  Karloutsos has a lot of kompramat enough bishops to do as he pleases.  As for Demetrios, I believe him to be as pure as the wind-driven snow, however, as the father of an unruly and dysfunctional family of bishops, he overlooked much.  
      Discretion –or in this case humiliation–is the better part of valor.

  12. Dean Calvert says

    Sir Steven Runciman’s comments, in his book The Great Church in Captivity, is still the best…please forgive my paraphrasing. It’s found in the concluding chapter of the book:

    ‘Perhaps now that there are no more Greeks in Constantinople, the patriarch can go back to be an ecumenical patriarch, rather than a patriarch of the Greeks.’

    or, as Metropolitan Philip used to LOVE to say: “I don’t know how to break this to you…but you’re NOT getting Hagia Sophia back.”

    • I had many reservations about. Metropolitan Philipoupolis but full respect for his honesty.  He did not for most of his life spout three hairs on his chin as a token beard and was honest in his ( mistaken) view re all this.  He was also a realist  re the Church as his quote shows. 

  13. Geras Pomenotis says

    See Proquest for 1800s NY Times calling Plovdiv Phillipoupolis,
    before the ethnic cleansings of the Eastern Roumelia catastrophe.

    • Yes PLODIV was Philipoupolis. Just as many villages in northern Greece and Thrace had bulgarian names. And hey in today’s Epirus,METSOVO, The place of the bears in Bulgarian and Tselepevo,  come to mind. And Valia Calde,  hot Valley in Romanian in Zagoria  relating to Vlachs. 

  14. Markos Petoyanis says

    The Metsovian part of the Alps are now called Pindus, which leaves many confused. Yes, the Alps end at Delphi.

    • Ok Marko, 
      this is my bad joke, just to laugh a bit (do not accuse me of Greekness):
      Delphi is a written location centuries before Christ.
      The first German texts are after the year 750 AD.
      Proposal: why don’t they call the whole sierra up to the Alps,
      Delphi Sierra ?