In my opinion, you’re looking at the soon-to-be head of the GOA.
Mrs. M
[Mr. Editor’s Note: Mrs. M is right (again)! Does this mean that Arb Elpidophoros is on the way out? It would appear so if this article from Concerned Orthodox Christians is correct. According to that source, Elpidophoros has “now…realized [that] he will not be elected as the next Ecumenical Patriarch.”]
***
CONSTANTINOPLE – On February 20 the newly elected Metropolitan Geron of Chalcedon Emmanuel appeared before His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and Hierarchs of the Throne for the `Μikro Minima’ (Lesser Message) ceremony.
His All-Holiness addressed Metropolitan Emmanuel and expressed his emotion and great joy, “as we convey to you the evangelical message of your unanimous election as shepherd of the nearby ancient and historic Metropolis of Chalcedon, which we also served for a short time.”
Patriarch Bartholomew continued:
“Your elevation to this eminent bulwark is the reward and crown of your long-term contribution to the Mother Church from various positions, always in exemplary fidelity and devotion to her.
“We especially wish to emphasize and note our appreciation for your valuable contribution to the promotion of inter-Christian and inter-religious dialogues, which are among the priorities of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, as well as to the transmission of the voice and testimony of the Orthodoxy in the European institutions in Brussels. Unfortunately, this testimony was broken and damaged through the unwise creation of many Representative Offices of various Orthodox Autocephalous Churches. . .
“Holy and much-beloved brother and colleague, everything is auspicious, we are all waiting for you here, we all envision a better future with your valuable contribution, with your well-known diligence and energetic initiatives, with your support for the complex work of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, especially now when old age does not come alone for your older brother who is speaking to you now. . .”
Honest question, does ‘Mother Church’ refer affectionately to the whole Church, or, to Constantinople?
Depends on who you’re asking.
I think the Church should really think about getting rid of the “First among equals” title, seems to go to peoples heads over time i.e Rome & now Constantinople. Just give Jerusalem the title of Mother Church and call it a day.
Jerusalem?
Metropolitan Emmanuel is probably the worst possible option for any episcopal throne in the Patriarchate of Constantinople…and that’s saying a lot given their quality of bishops.
If this is implying that Met. Emanuel is soon to be the new head of the GOA we are utterly screwed.
Yes, I foolishly thought that his escapades had disqualified him to be head of the GOAA; but the suggestion here is that they rather qualified him to be Ecumenical Patriarch.
In this case it would appear that the new Metropolitan of Chalcedon Emmanuel might be elected the next Ecumenical Patriarch. Do not overlook the fact that the Metropolitan of Chalcedon is historically the second bishop after the Patriarch in the Holy Synod and it is this bishop who presides over the election of a new Ecumenical Patriarch. In recent history both Patriarch Bartholomew and Patriarch Maximos (who preceded Patriach Athenagoras) were elected Patriarch while Metropolitans of Chalcedon. Hence there is a possibility that Archbishop Elpidoforos will pastor his flock in the USA for quite some time to come.
Then we’re doubly screwed.
The word from Europe is that Met. Emmanuel proved his homosexual bona fides while in Paris, so the Vatican is probably literally giggling with delight over his potential succession to Patr B. Same with “Metropolitan Epi-phony” of the fake “OCU.”
Serious Orthodox Christians – and anyone who strives to love Christ – must take refuge in the church of St John of Shanghai and S.F. May Greek parishes/dioceses continue to come to the ROC and ROCOR to accommodate the wonderful Greek Orthodox Christians who need to escape modern Istanbul insanities.
Accurate. The only other person in that Patriarchate that could possibly do as much, or more, damage to Orthodoxy than Pat. Bartholomew would be Met. Emmanuel. Not to mention he is a know homo****. Maybe that’s why he would be the ring leader of a union with Rome, “birds of a feather flock together.”
I’ve got a better idea. Let’s get rid of the self-important patriarch and his patriarchate with metropolitans over places that no longer exist. Let the GOA run itself and give the ceremonial “throne” to Russia. Unlike Bartholomew, Patriarch Kirill is smart enough to know the meaning of first among equals.
Alleluiah, Gail! Alleluiah!
From your keyboard to God’s ear Gail!
Those unfamiliar with the perverse corruption and sexual escapades of Metropolitan Emmanuel of France (Emmanuela) with homosexual prostitutes in Paris the following website will bring you up to date.
http://www.archbishopspyridon.gr/spyridon_2019/add_atransp-scandals_15may19.html
The Greek community of Paris has reached a boiling point, where Metropolitan Emmanuel of France (known here in America as “Emmanuela,” while the Greeks of France call him by the very vulgar “Manolina,” which is clearly inappropriate with his sophisticated sexual appetites), has transformed the Metropolis into “Sodom and Gomorrah.”
Having lost all moral boundaries and abandoning every principle, Metropolitan Emmanuel put a “child” in the Metropolis – after His Eminence made him the assistant bishop – the former archimandrite Maximos, who is now his “companion.” It is marriage without having ceremony, and his “qualifications” [to be a bishop in France] does not need to include knowledge of the French language.
It is with so much lack of any morals, that the two of them regularly participate in late midnight orgies with “stallion” escorts from some escort services well-known in the homosexual circles of Paris.
But the great scandal happened one weekend when “Emmanuela” was on a trip to Constantinople. The unrestrained Maximos called two stallions (escorts) (of Bulgarian origin, as later discovered) burning with passion as a result of…fasting. He even gave the “stallions” the code to the door of the Metropolis, so he would not be disturbed to go uphill…The two young men, did their job excellently and were richly rewarded. There is plenty of money in the Metropolis…Let them be well, the good Christians who send their donations for the Holy Metropolitans to eat.
Of course, after the escorts served Maximos’ desires, they did not fail to notice what was around them…and what did they see? The entire collection of watches held by Maximos. One of these, a Rolex, was worth more than 100,000 euros!!! The two young Bulgarians could not believe their eyes. The young Bulgarians were not of a wealth background, so they decided to return. This time, unfortunately, they returned and hit the same code on the door (of the Metropolis), and the miracle worked! All the watches and other valuables, including the Metropolitan’s vestments, clad with precious stones of great value, were gathered with rapid movements…and disappeared into the night.
The next day, it was perceived as a robbery And because the value of the robbery was too high of value (over 400,000 euros), the police were called…the French police detectives listening to Maximos’ narration patiently. They even found that there were cameras in the Metropolis. After examining the recordings of those in recent weeks, the police officers were speechless, not only seeing thieves grabbing watches and other valuables but also enjoying several scenes of sexual passions between “Emmanuela,” his companion Maximos, and other stallions. Somewhere there, the police officers started the questions.
https://orthodoxtimes.com/what-changes-does-elder-metropolitan-of-chalcedon-emmanuel-bring-to-the-phanar/
This may change your mind.
…and the same drumbeat goes on. Priority one is the struggle to remain first. Lord, deliver us from such men!
A furore Dignitatum, libera nos Domine.
[From the fury of Placemen, deliver us Lord.]
This is the standard MO for homosexual men working their way upwards in bureaucracies. Not just wolves in the sheepfold, but out in the world too.
Lookie here! Pope Francis has joined hands with the Great Reset!!! Can the GOA “changing places” far behind?
https://youtu.be/HDX-0HtRh2M
Isn’t he that Metropolitan that was caught on police camera having sex with the other Bishop and the Bulgarian male prostitutes? The one with half a million Euros in fancy watches laying around?
No doubt about it. Go to Catholic Family News and see the latest two statements by Carlo Maria Cardinal Viganò, Who pulls no punches.
Lxc+
Vigano is a very courageous man.
I wish he was an EP Archbishop…
Link please?
1)
New Viganò Interview Explores Interplay Between COVID-19,
Great Reset, Deep State, and Deep Church
https://catholicfamilynews.com/blog/2021/03/09/new-interview-by-archbishop-vigano/
2)
Abp. Viganò Renews Critique of Vatican II as Root of
Present Ecclesial Crisis, Comments on Benedict XVI
https://catholicfamilynews.com/blog/2021/03/15/interview-by-archbishop-carlo-maria-vigano-to-radio-spada/
In my humble and unworthy opinion, the GOA is an administrative mess … and I might suggest, humbly, that it’s due to a failure to recognize the USA, an archdiocese that is fifty times the size of Istanbul.
Oh dear it seems U promoted His eminence. Not a cardinal; abbtitular archbishop. Forgive me all. I tried to correct and flubbed that, too.?
Lxc+
AII,
“Mother Church” when used by the Phanar refers to the Constantinople Patriarchate. This is part of its theory of Eastern Papism. In reality, a mother church would be the church from which an autonomous or autocephalous church arises. Jerusalem is the mother of all churches. It is somewhat ludicrous to refer to Constantinople as the mother church of Alexandria, Antioch or Jerusalem since these all predate Constantinople. And even with some other local churches, Georgia for example, the usage is problematic.
Orthodoxy has nothing comparable to papal primacy. We are conciliar with the head of a local or even universal synod presiding in love as first among equals, lacking any unique charism, and in accord with canon law.
Constantinople wishes to replace the traditional model of primacy with a unique charism, “first without equals”, on the Roman model, in anticipation of a Unia.
We’ll know for sure if they wear pink vestments for the enthronement.
The only Orthodox priest I’ve ever seen wearing pink vestments was in ROCOR, and he would wear them on the Feast of St. Anna. I recall him saying that he got the idea to have pink vestments from the Jerusalem Patriachate, who would also wear pink on the Feast of St. Anna. Well, that’s what I remember him saying. At any rate, the Roman Catholics have a tradition of wearing pink on Gaudette Sunday in Advent.
Fr. Athanasy!
For the Blessing of the Flag of 1821,
the flag seems to have been updated:
http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=auto&tl=en&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.makeleio.gr%2F%25ce%25b5%25ce%25be%25cf%2589%25cf%2586%25cf%2585%25ce%25bb%25ce%25bb%25ce%25bf%2F%25ce%25a0%25ce%2591%25ce%25a1%25ce%25a4%25ce%2595-%25ce%25a4%25ce%259f-%25ce%259a%25ce%2599-%25ce%2591%25ce%25a5%25ce%25a4%25ce%259f-%25ce%25a3%25ce%25a4%25ce%2597-%25ce%259c%25ce%2591%25ce%25a0%25ce%2591-%25ce%259a%25ce%2591%25ce%2599-%25ce%25a4%25ce%259f%25ce%25a5%25ce%259c%25ce%25a0%25ce%2595%25ce%259a%25ce%2599-%25ce%25a8%2F
Fortunately the original can still be seen
further down the page.
I’ve seen that primarily with the Ethiopian churches. They have a lot more variety in their vestment colors if I recall correctly.
Fr. Athanasy!
“Julia’s Garland” (fr. Guirlande de Julie)
I believe a lot of these things are in flux. Perhaps by passing on your objections in such a public way, these appointments may not come to pass after all. After all, I imagine that this website is read by quite a few people.
Very good point, John.
I think some people may be placing too much emphasis on the spiritual importance of these errant hierarchs. Certainly the Orthodox Church is the Body of Christ in this world. Though I am of the opinion that only God Himself knows who is truly joined to Christ in His Church and who is/are not. Clearly some of these men in official positions have missed the mark – profoundly. St. Chrysostom says these words in one of his sermons on Romans, ch. 1. God is not mocked. Whatsoever a man sows that shall he also reap https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/210204.htm
I agree. It’s as if the Ecumenical Patriarchate has created their own off-Broadway play. The Greeks may have the right idea by ignoring them. Like the crazy uncle and his band of merry men, they’re fine as long as they stay in the basement.
Yes, it seems to be a theme these days. A marginal bishop in the basement… and a freshly-minted, marginal president.