This is one of those stories that kinda makes you go “Hmmmm, I wonder what brought this on?”
Rather than speculate on his personal decision, I would like instead to speak about the broader context. As everyone knows, Patriarch Bartholomew has roiled the waters with his mishandling of the Ukrainian situation (and that’s putting it as charitably as possible). Things are not going the way he has wanted. I don’t know if Mike Pompeo misread the situation or sold the EP a pig in a poke but it’s clear now that the cat is out of the bag (sorry for the clichés), not everybody in the Orthodox world is, was or will be, climbing on Bartholomew’s brand-spanking-new papalist-autocephaly-generating bandwagon.
Now Cyprus is saying “Whoa there, Fella!” and Albania is raising well-worded ecclesiological alarm bells. So yeah, now I’m gonna speculate: I think this was all too much for Ieronymus.
Anyway, read for yourself and tell us what y’all think.
Following the example of His Eminence Metropolitan Ambrose of Kalavryta who stepped down this summer after several decades of shepherding his flock, Archbishop Athens, the President of the Holy Synod of the Church of Greece, publicly announced that he would like to do the same.
The Archbishop made his statement during an official dinner held in honor of the enthronement of the new Metropolitan of Kalavryta, also named Ieronymos, reports Orthodoxia.info.
Met. Ieronymos was enthroned on Saturday, November 23, with over 50 bishops of the Greek Church participating. Addressing Met. Ieronymos, the Archbishop said he would like to imitate his predecessor, Met. Ambrose.
According to Orthodoxia.info, the Archbishop’s statement did not come as a surprise, as he has long shared these thoughts, “but this is the first time he publicly expressed himself in this way and in this context.”
It is not clear from the short report if the Archbishop was announcing a serious intention, or simply a desire.
Archbishop Ieronymos II of Athens and All Greece was elected head of the Greek Church on February 7, 2008 and formally took office on February 16. He previously served as Metropolitan of Thebes and Levadeia from 1981.
I think that, deep down, Archbishop Ieronymos knows he made a big mistake ‘personally’ recognizing the Ukrainian schismatic/pseudo church without having the full-backing of the Greek Holy Synod. He knows that there is much flack and fallout from his decision, and that history will now paint him in a very not-so-great picture. So, he’s now preparing to retire to lay low and hope that nobody remembers his role in the whole affair. But it’s all a very moot point…as another bishop will pop up in his place that Constantinople (and U.S. foreign policy) will control as a puppet.
Part of me wants to feel sorry for the poor man, after his being completely broken down by the Regime, but another part of me thinks that this is incredibly cowardly: retiring after his big capitulation and letting others pick up the pieces. After strong men like Damaskinos, this is a sad sight.
It would be very interesting
If he did resign and one of the two Seraphims got the gig, Patriarch Bartholomew would be truly ‘living in interesting times’ as the reputedly ancient Chinese curse has it.
God grant!
It is certainly interesting that the bishops of America, Australia, and Great Britain have all been replaced with Phanariote lackeys in recent months. Maybe Athens is next? Black Bart would love to have the Church of Greece under his thumb.
Re uk. We were there in late September and showing bulgarian son of friends around London including the central greek Cathedral of St Sophia. ( handy place to start from re Hyde Park,Kensington Palace, Albert memorial and on to Buck House and Parliament!) Anyway there we came across a priest five a’ clock stubble for beard and smooth talk about ‘ being modern abd wonderful new man ‘. There I thought, Sign of New fruit already!!!
Just to say from me to you all in America. HAPPY THANKS GIVING.
Thank you, Nikos. We here at Monomakhos are thankful for you!
Thank you Gail.
I think he was probably thinking of retirement regardless of the Ukrainian issue, although maybe having to deal with the issue, or avoid dealing with it, made him think he was not up to the job. For almost a year he came across to me as a dithering old man who seemed reluctant to do anything one way or the other, although my guess is that he was always inclined to lean towards Bart’s view. In other words, he couldn’t deal well with the pressure.
However, I also think (without really knowing) that Bart is encouraging him to retire. The idea would be that his replacement would be one of those eager beavers in the Church of Greece who was pushing Bart’s agenda, someone like Ierotheos.
While Serapheim of Piraeus would be a great choice from my point of view, it is probably very unlikely to happen, especially with the way things have developed.
He had the opportunity to be one of the great defenders of the holy Orthodox faith. Now he contemplates retirement in disgrace.
George,
actually some more “funny” things happened this same last week:
(1) Met. Eustathios of Sparta said the magical Elpidoforos Papist words:
“the head of the Church on earth is the Ecumenical Patriarch”.
(2) A couple of days later the same Met. Eustathios received a prize
from the computer technology(?!) section of the University of Piraeus.
(3) One commentator wrote that Met. Eustathios is preparing himself for the forthcoming Archbishop vacancy (He was previously a candidate but Hieronymos got elected).
(4) Another commentator said that Eustathios (80) is too old for that (unless of course his friend Bartholomew wants to use him for a while) .
I am afraid all the links I have seen were in Greek.
apologies for the off-topic: is there any truth to this? https://protectingorthodoxchurch.blogspot.com/2019/11/nathanael-announces-open-communion-in.html
Given what George just posted, I am not surprised.
I’ve always felt disappointed with Ieronymos… especially during Tsipras’ years, I was highly suspicious of his friendliness with the treasonous atheist radical left leader. And in general, I never liked how the Church of Greece has a ceremony having the newly elected leader swear with their hand on the Holy Gospel.
I don’t believe a good leader will replace Ieronymos, if he decides to step down. I’m not being cynical. There are prophecies that state there will be turmoil in the Church in Greece, (much akin to the events that hit Ukraine and we can see such events beginning to unfold), followed by a very short period of civil war involving schismatics or those pushing schism. Innocent blood will be shed… The priests and bishops that will summon the courage to publicly voice their opinion against the schismatics will have their wages removed, and possibly even be replaced from their positions leads me to believe the leadership of the Church of Greece will still be compromised.
The state in Greece has traditionally had it’s way re Church appointment. It is strange to look back that in 19c after 1821 revolution and establishment of Greek State in 1831, that the upholders of Orthodoxy over westernising secular state and nationalism, were the supportors of continued ties with Phanar. Times have changed indeed.
The same ones who have been destroying the Roman Catholics have also working on the Orthodox as well.
part 1: https://youtu.be/3bHeix0h1tY
part 2: https://youtu.be/neya9fPcKLk
Waiting for the other videos …
Not to change the subject…but I just read that Bartholomew gave a speech to some Athonites that there is no dogmatic differences between Orthodoxy and Roman Catholicism. This is outright heresy!
https://spzh.news/en/news/66683-glava-fanara-na-afone-ubezhdal-bratiju-v-neobkhodimosti-jedinenija-s-katolikami
It’s the beginning of the end of the Church as we know it. It’s all going to change.
To Gail – don’t worry, the true Church will never end, but those traitors who have created a fake church outside the true Church, they will certainly end.
Thank you, Nun Irinea. You are, of course, absolutely correct. We have nothing to fear. The true Church will remain.
To all. Remember the words of St Silouan and the experience of the Russian church, the ethiopian, too and the Slavs of eastern Europe and the georgians etc.
As the greek saying goes Και αυτό θα περάσει, . And that will pass too.
Ιn 1961 the Russian Patriarch Alexis bravely made a speech at a communist Kremlin peace conference at which he said the Church which was Russia would survive the gates of hell, and was booed and laughed at. Yet who had last laugh.?
Sister, it is always good to remember our Lord’s promise, but I know the toll that heresy takes on the hearts and souls of those caught up in them. I have known people who actually died because heretical beliefs robbed them of hope and put them in dangerous places. Even believing unknowingly, as I did, leaves spiritual scars that are a long time healing even with repentance.
It is a horrible thing to die in unbelief (which schism multiplies), perhaps worse to die in wrong belief. Both are horrible despite God’s abundant and ever present mercy. While the greatest burden rests with those who promote heresy and unbelief, heresy is like a virus and unchallenged, it takes root in unsuspecting hearts and waits silently to be awakened. No heresy ever goes away. Complacency is deadly. If we cannot see that now, they we are in deep trouble.
We need to guard our own hearts even more carefully and watchfully that the fruit of heresy—separation from our Lord and one another, not take root in them in supposed righteousness.
Even though I have my personal difficulties with “Greeks” I will ever morn the day when they leave the Church and even the brightness of Pascha will be less bright without them and any who follow.
For one thing they will not go quietly, they will be an ever present sore that the Curia of the RCC and politicians will rub in our faces at every chance they get.
We also need to pray even more for our Patriarchs to remain strong and resist temptation by the grace of our Lord.
May His mercy abound.
Whereas the part of our funeral service where the priest conducting the service cries out “I weep and I wail…” leads to healing. I weep and I wail for those unknowingly caught up in the mess and see little hope for actual catharsis and restoration.
It is a horrible state to contemplate especially if, by God’s grace, I remain free of the deepest darkness.
The Frontline Documentary series on PBS ran a shocking expose in 2014 about corruption throughout the Vatican, and the catholic church at the highest levels.
Watch the documentary, https://www.pri.org/stories/2014-02-24/frontline-documentary-exposes-vaticans-secrets-under-pope-benedict.
I think 60 minutes ran a more in depth expose in 2012.
Sophia,
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