One of our readers, John Panos, just brought this to our attention. It’s an article that was pulled from Veterans Today, published by the OCL, that suggests Metropolitan of Bursa Elpidophoros Lambriniadis has close ties with Turkish Intelligence in an effort to weaken the Church of Greece and expand the influence of Istanbul. If true, this does not bode well for the GOA.
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Greece: A high-ranking cleric turned out to be an agent of Turkish intelligence
Submitted to Veterans Today by Sophia Ilaidi
Originally published on August 8, 2018
The career of the hierarch is developing very rapidly. Elpidophoros (Lambriniadis) was born in 1967 in Istanbul. After graduation from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in 1991, he studied in Germany, where in 1993, he received a master’s degree. In 1994, Elpidophoros was appointed secretary in the Holy Synod of the Patriarchate of Constantinople. And in less than in 20 years, in 2011, he was ordained the Metropolitan of Bursa, and in August of that year, he became dean of the Halki seminary (the issue of its reopening has provoked a 30-year debate). There is an opinion that such a rapid career growth takes place not only due to the talents of Elpidophoros. According to the information available, Turkish intelligence is interested in his promotion and has cooperated with him since the late 1990s.
For Ankara, the metropolitan is almost a perfect agent: part Turkish, he also fluently speaks Greek and English. He is often included in various commissions participating in international inter-Orthodox events both in Turkey and abroad, which allows him to keep abreast of all relevant disputes and agreements between Orthodox authorities. In addition, often invited to joint receptions, he is a member of Greek diplomatic circles in Turkey.
So, what are the goals of Ankara and what is entrusted to Elpidophoros?
At the moment, Turkish intelligence is particularly focused on the relationships between the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Hellenic Orthodox Church. Despite the tension between Ankara and Phanar, the latter is completely under the control of the Turkish authorities. And Turkey would not mind if the Patriarchate restored its rights in Greece.
One of the points for discussion in relations between the two churches is the so-called “new” (or “northern”) lands (Nees Chores). They were incorporated in Greece as a result of the Balkan wars in 1912-1913 and make up about half of the present territory of the country. Initially, these areas were in the canonical subordination of Constantinople, but in 1928, the Greek government unilaterally included them in the structure of the Church of Greece.
The Ecumenical See made concessions and the same year issued an Act, according to which the patriarch recognized the transfer of dioceses of the “new lands” to the Church of Greece. At the same time, the Patriarch reserved the right to approve the candidates, although subsequently the Church of Greece sent only notices of appointment. It turned out that the dioceses were in the position of a “double” canonical submission. This situation did not cause disputes until 2003, when after the death of the Metropolitan of Thessaloniki, Patriarch Bartholomew demanded to continue sending lists of candidates for the heads of the “new lands” to Constantinople and severed relations with the Greek Orthodox Church when it refused. Then the conflict lasted a little more than a month and ended with the capitulation of the Greek Church.
It is worth noting that the Ecumenical Patriarch still has the opportunity to withdraw the Act of 1928; thus, the dioceses will be transferred to his direct submission. However, for this, he needs to weaken the Church of Greece as much as possible or somehow provoke it.
This is where the connections of Metropolitan Elpidophoros turn out to be very useful. Through the Greek diplomatic circles, whose representatives he often meets with at various events, the clergyman has an influence on the attitude of Athens to the Church of Greece. According to the sources, Greek Consul General in Istanbul Evangelos Sekeris and other Greek diplomats and politicians contacting Elpidophoros have been lobbying the idea of refusing state funding for the Greek Orthodox Church.
Taking advantage of the openly anti-church attitude of Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, Turkey is trying to provoke deep disagreements (the deeper the better) in the Greek clergy in order to increase the regional influence of Constantinople.
This is one of the few goals of Ankara, at least on the surface. Of course, Elpidophoros is one of many subjects involved in the political games of Ankara. And here in the States, we could ignore intrigues in Europe, if not for one “but”: the rumors have grown huge lately that the Metropolitan of Bursa could become Demetrios’ successor as head of the Greek American Archdiocese. If this happens, Ankara will hit a really big jackpot: under the extremely strained Turkish-American relations, an influential figure acting in the interests of Turkey right under Washington’s nose will be indispensable.
Calls to mind the prophetic voices of Elder Joseph, Elder Paisios, and St. Cosmas. They all offered predictions that near the end times, Turkey would take over Greece and threaten the existence of the Greek Orthodox faith. Russia would be forced to respond to protect its Orthodox sister, and would do so by ramping up military against Turkey. The Holy Elders have warned us about this very thing happening. Patriarch Batholomew works for Turkey. The only reason why he granted autocephaly to Ukraine was because Turkey has been fighting Russia in Syria for years, and Turkey found an ingenious way to fight Moscow by using Batholomew to take away its Church in Ukraine.
I’ll add to the afore mentioned prophetic voices. In days to come a sucker will be born every minute. Orthodox will fall for anything. Keep a guy going to grad school long anough and people will think he’s a Christian minister. Oh look, I’m right!
We need the same faith the Church of Russia had to defeat the living church. The living church spirit is alive in every church but above all in the Phanar and fighting to control that of Greece.
God Almighty, this is terrible
George,
I read this on OCL. Does this guy Bart ever get on his knees and ask God’s guidance? Many times we try to do God’s will our way, but this buffoon doesn’t even try to do God’s will at all. His All Holiness! What a bad joke! This Turkish agent is already a complete failure.
One hopes so.
Can it be a national intelligence agency thinks such an obviously useless individual is a “secret weapon” to use against a frail, disorganized, inept church body? I mean, you don’t need a cruise missile to knock over a dandelion. Really, just get out of the way, it will fall over all by itself. The carefully groomed censer swinger is good for awfully little other than that. Although they have been known to impress the socks off gullible people for decades at a time. The Turks are certainly aware that their audience has very low standards and a black hat on a bachelor can numb the brain cells of certain populations.
I get yr drift and re Phanar etc yes. But at deeper level you understanding nothing of the persecution of church by communists and outcome. LOOK DEEPER if you wish to.
Can someone get his visa cancelled?
George
First without equals?! That’s blasphemous! Bart acts like he is the fourth member of the Holy Trinity. There is only one first without equals- and that’s our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Bart really is a pompous piece of […]. He is a false teacher. Pay no attention to him.
Looks like the “very humble” pope Francis. Bart Francis and Epiphani are the three stooges!
I read this on OCL yesterday. Can someone point to anything in the article that details an actual example of the bishop acting as an agent of the Turks? Seems like a bunch of speculation with little to no evidence. Thanks.
Here’s a statement from an article published by His Eminence Elpidophoros Lambriniadis in his article “First without equals: A response to the text on primacy of the Moscow Patriarchate. By His Eminence Elpidophoros Lambriniadis, Metropolitan of Bursa”
“The primacy of the archbishop of Constantinople has nothing to do with the diptychs, which, as we have already said, merely express this hierarchical ranking (which, again in contradictory terms the text of the Moscow Patriarchate concedes implicitly but denies explicitly). If we are going to talk about the source of a primacy, then the source of such primacy is the very person of the Archbishop of Constantinople, who precisely as bishop is one “among equals,” but as Archbishop of Constantinople, and thus as Ecumenical Patriarch is the first without equals (primus sine paribus).”
The article is worth the read for those who would like to know what “the other side” says.
https://www.patriarchate.org/-/primus-sine-paribus-hapantesis-eis-to-peri-proteiou-keimenon-tou-patriarcheiou-moschas-tou-sebasmiotatou-metropolitou-prouses-k-elpidophorou
I have problems with flat-out statements made by those on this forum who decide what they think or know is true, without providing reasonable thinking, links, and evidence to support their criticisms and statements. The man, His Eminence Elpidophoros Lambriniadis, can THINK. When we begin with preconceived notions, we end with those same notions, and (having our minds closed) cannot escape our own tendencies to decide what is true and what isn’t. I just like to look at and think about what people say, what the leaders are writing.
I know this will get some flack, but is Patriarch Bartholomew the “first without equal” because the title was placed on the man when he became an overarching hierarch, and shouldn’t the Universal Church have a universal leader? Otherwise, are we as the Orthodox Church, no different than Protestants in our leadership structure? Now, if the EP has decided to take on “Papal” status by thinking himself the Big Boss Who Decides All Things And To Heck With Everybody Else, then that is a whole different ball of wax.
As for Ukraine, I stand firm on the conviction that the Holy Spirit will not withhold Grace from those who “draw near in faith and love” when the Eucharist is offered up “on behalf of all and for all.” The attitude that these faithful are somehow to change churches or go elsewhere, when so much trauma has been inflicted on them from Russia, well, it’s not my business to decide. Whatever about “Patriarch Filaret,” who is only one broken down old, old, old, old man… Let God be God.
The universal Church has a universal leader and his name is Jesus. Your Bishop is his icon.
George, Johannes, Constantinos, et. al: the idea of a “universal church” is not in accord with the way I understand Orthodox ecclesiology. The local Church contains the fullness of the Church here and now. The local Church being those parishes under the omniphore of any bishop (not any other iteration of bishop, just bishop),
As I have said before, we are meant to be a confederation of local Churches. Only the misguided and possibly heretical idea of the synergy between Church and State has led to the centralization over the centuries. The imposition by the Turks on the Patriarch of Constantinople being the head of the Christian Rum was a further blow to our natural ecclesiology.
George, I would say to you that the idea of Metropolitan as you expressed it is also a left over of the same concept putting more honor and a temptation to arrogate more power into the hands of a bishop simply because he is in a major city. To me that is nonsense–especially here in the United States.
Fredrick Jackson Turner may not have gotten it all correct, but his theme that the ethos of the United States was driven by the fact that we had a frontier has a lot of legs. We have never looked to centralize power except under great duress. Even today we do not refer to Washington DC or NYC or Los Angles as the heartland because they are generally boils on the body. Indeed, in U.S. history the large cities have never been reflective of the greater American ethos. Even after the Civil War which brought the northern industrialist to preeminence (and some will say was the primary reason for the Civil War); the large cities have always been looked upon with suspicion.
For the United States, Kansas City or St. Louis, even Tulsa make more sense as the location of any central Orthodox office than any of the large cities and the seat of any Metropolitan. (It is too hard and expensive to get in and out of Wichita).
The bishops who were actually consecrated here in the United States (all of the OCA I believe and my own Bishop Basil** or at least born here and came to adulthood here) should be the ones to form the core of any Orthodox Church of the United States. Canada needs to form its own local Church as does Mexico.
The first step is a rejection of the latest carpet bagger hireling sent to rule over us. Then a conscious rejection of the concept of synergy between Church and State. With those two nos, we will then have a lot more freedom to actually follow the Holy Spirit and allow Him to create an Orthodox Church for this land, in this land sanctifying and elevating the indigenous faith of this land as the original Russian Mission attempted to do. Of course it will also include the migrant European ethos as well (somehow). As it is the Orthodox Church has a very weak root system in this land and few martyrs to water the roots we have.
So Constantinos, here is my radical really coming out. It is not a rejection of the world but an expression of my own patrimony based on my father’s and my mother’s pioneer experience and revelation of God to my father that he traditioned to me. What he gave me has been/is being fulfilled in the Orthodox Church. It mirrors the essential Orthodox understanding that God is everywhere present filling all things. And the words of Jesus in the Bible that we are to worship God in Spirit and Truth. Our communion with God is not dependent on bishops, but our collective organization as a community/body of believers is. Those bishops have to be an organic part of the community they serve (not rule). As hierarchical as the Church is and needs to be, it works best when that hierarchy is nested and nurtured in the local parishes. Each of the Antiochian Bishops, except Met. Joseph, have had that experience and, I believe, that guides their approach to being a bishop.
**For those that do not know, Bishop Basil Essey was consecrated at what is now St. George Cathedral in Wichita Kansas. I have always felt that his consecration was a type of icon for the Church in the United States. It is especially significant for we Antiochians as both Met. Philip and Archbishop Michael both of blessed memory laid hands on Bp Basil together. Another step in the real healing of the disastrous internal schism.
A lot of wisdom there, Michael. I especially like the term “hireling carpet-bagger”.
George, I used that term specifically for you, but I think it actually fits.
LOL!
Beautifully stated, Mr. Bauman.
Totally Michael fit. Not even persian carpet material is it?
Mr. Bauman,
This is one of your best posts. What is there to disagree with? Thank you for your kind illumination and information.
Mr. C, there is a bow here too to your belief that there can be no such thing as a Christian ruler or even government. In the past, I am no sure that was true, but in today’s world, I think it is true. Al the more necessary to ditch the false synergy ideal as it, in this day and age, results in joining ourselves to a prostitute or worse. All of today’s governments, even the best of them work on a nihilist understanding.
Dear Michael,
These days I have some Greek Orthodox friends that are rather dismayed with Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras (an atheist they say) and would much prefer an Orthodox ruler. I thinks it’s a very common desire within the Orthodox Church for traditional Greeks, Russians, Serbians etc.
There are many icons of Saint George slaying the dragon that also depict Orthodox Christian rulers who continue to pray for the intercession of St. George along with the Orthodox faithful, I think it is a rather
long held and deeply rooted tradition in older Orthodox lands within Orthodoxy. Let the Americans do what they want to do?
Matthew, in today’s world linking the Church and state in any way and expecting a harmonious co-existence is worse than futile.
Whatever co-existence may have been workable in the past will not work now and it never would work in the United States.
Exactly. As for Greece he has just brought some honesty to the situation. We need to stop living in delusion land.
Tsipras that is.
Tsipras will be reelected because polls ignore modern media just like Brexit
Tsipras will win reelection because the demographic balance of Greece has changed to include non-Greeks.
Word to the wise for us in America.
Mr Bauman I agree every word. Thank you.
Michael, I agree with you, except one thing, why is it necessary to have one Church in such a big country? I think it would be better to have several smaller Churches, regional or by state, rather than one big one. Brother bishops all on equal footing, and closer to the the laity, who would then have a greater voice. And it would promote greater accountability, too. Smaller is better, in my opinion.
Theo, a confederation would achieve just that. The Metropolitan might very well rotate between all of the bishops every seven years.
We are one Church and our polity needs to find ways to express that unity.
I agree with you smaller is better but too small is too much of a struggle. In really small parishes it can be quite difficult to have one mind about even simple things. But we need to know each other too.
Beryl I under you well. I have good greek Catholic friends, devout Christians with moving worship , but at end of day they are outside the Church.
As you, I do not think it our business to judge individuals in Ukraine etc who are Orthodox and go to nearest Orthodox church because they do not know theology or want to in that respect, and their politics may flavour to which church they go or because they like the choir and priest.
But Orthodox teaching is clear Beryl. But we should give more emphasis to living the faith, leaving God to judge those in different situations as to state exactly of their sacraments.
As to Ukraine. We have discussed to death but as to Bartholomaios I HAVE READ HIS OWN WORDS AND THOSE OF ILK OF LAMBRIANIDES, and it is clear to me as a reasonably intelligent person and Orthodox believer, that what is being claimed for Constantinople is Papal power based on a dead empire and a no longer real historic reality. He sounds like pre Vatican I (1870) Pope addressing the East. And the road to Vatican one and full papal dogma was exactly to counter the 19c loss of political and civil power in Italy by Pope as Italy united and became one.
In addition Phanar’s hope is it will keep the turk from the door.
Where i agree with you is that from the split between East and west, both sides are left decifient at the practical level of governing the Church.
What is needed is a Council to forge a working ‘sobornost ‘ governance of the Church, in accordance with Orthodox belief. What is clear that leaving aside wordly power, NO ONE BISHOP HAS GREATER AUTHORITY THAN ANY OTHER. And if the Patriarch of Constantinople was given in wordly Terms, greater governing powers, these were ON OAN AS IT WERE, GIVEN VOLUNTARILY TO CONSTANTINOPLE BY OTHER PATRARCHATES.
Perhaps WE need to recalibrate the order with Alexandria, now it has Africa, as first amongst equasl and to govern the Church with regular meeting with all the heads of autocephalous churches. Can be done by conference call now after all with say a yearly synod meeting
We need to stop destroying the Church with empty potemkin village Patrarchates sucking life blood out of church with pseudo monk bachelors living of the money of others. Nice work jf you can get it. The previous Patriarchal holder, Dimitrios (+1992) was a different kettle of fish. HOLY MAN.
To be clear. I do not know bartholomaios and I do not think he is living a luxury life style, nor a debased one and I am prepared to give him that respect until I know otherwise, but it is certainly a comfortable Oxford Don type bachelor’s existence. That not a crime, and Kyril of Moscow ‘ s living arrangements draw some scrutiny in Terms of female house keep and luxury. But it is not what expected of an Orthodox bishop who first and foremost are monks. Now if we want married bishops ok. But let’s be clear.
If we are to witness in the world, then a set of comfortable living bachelors dons with a few hairs on their chin as beard apology, preaching to the poor and rejected, and angry young, not going to hack it.
We need bishops as Anthony Bloom, as bishop John of San Francisco. Etc etc.
For all their extremes at times, the ROCOR seemed able to produce these bishops. Lesson here somewhere.
Hi Nikos,
I really enjoy your posts. I wish I had your wit and wisdom. Brother, you do two things for me; you put a smile on my face, and you make me think. My cup runneth over. Many thanks and may the Lord continue to bless you.
Costa and you do for me. I am an animals lover. Thinking about a dog now. My dream was to work with wolves. They facinating for me. Beautiful social animals.
Keep yr posts coming.
I have been really affected by all the fifth coming out from mostly Constantinople. Bishops etc. Money, power, power, money. What has any of it got to do with Christ.???
My grand dad always said, Go to Church and stay well away from the clergy!!
I understand what he meant. Not to get burnt by it all. Take care
Nikos. Ah… thank you.
Beryl a pleasure. Yr heart is in the right place. God bless.
Here is a mind that has Wisdom. There are 7 kings, 5 are fallen, 1 is and one is yet to come. He tarries a little while, then he falls, he is of the 7 and is an 8th.My keyboard is kicking me off the web page when I click the shift to end a paragraph. Then I have to start over. I will write this in short bursts, so I don;t have to do it all over again. All tr 7 kings are given some aspects of Truth from the Trinity. The 8th has not occurred yet. I am not sure any aspect of Divine Truth will be given it. It has to be utterly divine or utterly occult. Antichrist or the Second Coming.
I need to know if my post will still be accepted before I try again.
If in fact this Ecumenical Patriarch truly loves this Eparchy so much, as he claims he does. Then he should be willing to cut the so called umbilical cord and stop holding this Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America captive. But truth be told, his real love unfortunately seems to be the love of the one million or so dollars this Archdiocese has been sending on the most part annually to the Ecumenical Patriarchate. In order to afford him and his metropolitans in Istanbul, to continue living the comfortable life style they are so used to. His last 28 years of so called love for this Archdiocese should speak volumes enough!
He should show his love by setting this Archdiocese free and by allowing it to flourish, grow and mature right here in the U.S. on its own. And in a country unlike Turkey, where there is religious freedom. This Archdiocese certainly doesn’t need to be controlled and/or dominated by someone or a group in a far off land and by a defunct Byzantine Empire which fell some 566 years ago.
Especially by someone and a group who do not even have any overall basic parish experience, and for that matter, any experience here in this Archdiocese. Not to mention, there are barely if any faithful in the entire Republic of Turkey!
May God help us all!
Greatly saddened. So so true. Why should Americans be seeing a million dollars a yr to foreigners who you have no legal over sight on or does USA law unless it takes place the crime in USA. But they safe in Turkey.
You saw how they bound up their little Ukrainian Project. Even Denisenko is cutting up rough.
If the Church of finland, 60K about, in lutheran environment, can be autocephalous and thriving, surely USA church can and be abundently rich as you have all the different traditions to come together and merge. And to bring what is authenticalky american. You will be different to greek church etc but in same what that bulgarian Church is bulgarian!!
It is plain to see that the Phanar is holding back development like a pocessive parent their child.
And sadly it’s because THEY NEED YOU.
It’s unfortunate, but for a million dollars annally, the Ecumenical Patriarchate offers the Church here in the U.S. absolutely nothing. Other than holding tbe Church here captive.
The Byzantine Empire fell 566 years ago to the Ottoman Empire. Since then, the city is called Istanbul and is in a country which does not recognize religious freedom.
I believe still to this date, when the hierarchs are in public, they must dress in civilian clothes. Now how’s that for religious tolerance?
Yes clergy cannot appear in public outside of their liturgical offices with rason etc.
Now interesting point this appkied to Muslim clerics too and of course female head cover and the fez.
Now as we know with Erdogan a great deal of that secularization has been gone back on.
The 1 who is to come, has come. The resurgence of Holy Orthodox Russia now healed from the wound received from the sword of the 3rd horseman of the Apocalypse, Communism. we all do see the 4th horseman on it’s pale horse daily. Just look up., the deep blue sky is now a pale powder blue caused by geo -engineering. Behold a pale horse. You can’t miss it.
The one who is to come has come. The resurgence of Holy Orthodox Russia, astounding to me, is the 7th king. The now Christian nation is the only Jude-Christan in the world. A light for the whole world. It has been healed by God’s Will from the wound it received from the 2nd horseman who carries a sword ofthe Apocalypse Communism. Now comes the pale horseman. L just look up at the pale powder blue sky. will name all the horsemen, as, not being a prophet myself, just realize by history what they are.
…or apparently in the opinion of Elder Ephraim, it’s the resurrected Byzantine emperor St. John Vatatzes:
“In our own days Elder Ephraim of Arizona has said that the sacred relics of St John the Merciful were guarded by a family of crypto-Christians who kept them secret from generation to generation. He also affirms that the Merciful King has already risen and that the sword has emerged completely from its sheath. Now St John wanders around Constantinople in the guise of a fool and directs the hosts of the saints to take their places around the City. Here indeed is a model Orthodox ruler, and intercessor and restorer for our latter times, when we need him.
Holy John the Merciful, pray to God for us!”
http://www.events.orthodoxengland.org.uk/st-john-iii-the-merciful-a-model-orthodox-ruler-and-saint-for-the-last-times/
Joseph, thanks for posting this. What does it mean? I don’t get it.
Beryl, it’s an established prophetic narrative that New Rome still exists in the person of an Orthodox emperor saint who is asleep, but miraculously ordained by God to rule once again from the City of Constantine and to build up and restore Christianity on earth before the end times. This narrative also suggests that Constantinople will be completely destroyed except for Hagia Sophia, which will be miraculously preserved, and then the city will be rebuilt.
I’m pointing this out as a counter-narrative to the “prophetic” idea of Moscow as “Third Rome”.
Publicizing detailed end times speculation based on supposed “prophecy” is not good for the Church.
Jesus Christ will return. To speculate upon when or how is not helpful.
Does this mean widely revered Elder Ephraim of Arizona should be read with a grain of salt?
If he is communicating highly detailed predictions such as those given above by Michael and Joseph, then I would be cautious about him.
Exactly. All we need are the words of Christ. Full stop
The merchants and bankers rule over all mankind, trusting in the 7 mountains upon which the great whore is siting on. The mountains are lies, which oppose diametrically the 7 hills upon which wisdom builds upon. Evolution and the belief that technology can solve ll mankind’s problems. Even the honest scientists are trusting we will find a way to deal with radioactivity. Co2 re-questration from out of the air, which returns co2to it’s nature stare in the ground is not invented yet. The trees and the ocean used to keep the balance between co2 entering the air and co2 being absorbed by living organism.
The deep state intends to lower the world population deliberately, while seeking cheap energy to keep the economy and the banking system operational, until G5 is set up world wide so they can effectively employ the mark of the beast. It’s primary purpose is to create a fiat money system that will not fall, as all other fiat money systems have done in all human history.The present monetary system is set up to funnel all The antichrist will own all the money and the long list of valuable thing St John wrote of, all thing monetized,including the least valuable the souls of men.
The Holy Trinity has never made a mistake, nor will it ever make one. Give credit where credit is due the scripture commands us. I give the credit for seeking to understand the meaning of the scripture I quote to myself as the scripture commands. I do think that considering myself as a mind that has wisdom, more than a bit arrogant. I obey anyway. I wrote this by myself referring only to the scriptures and the Holy Fathers.
This will be my last post on this. Google Dane Wigington to be honestly informed of what the geo-engeenering of our air force is doing to devestate the US population. Add the G5, and utter disregard our present government views the Constitution. Obey the Vision the Christ gave us. it is only way to please the Holy God. It is the straight and narrow. The perfect prayer has always been accepted by Christian and it contains all the references in it to travel the straight and narrow. Most of us didn’t even know what exactly we were praying for. Know the Truth, it set you free. I don’t do snark.
Reading comments about prophecies, monastic rambling, various misspelled rants, reminiscences about Spyridon, Iakovos I see why Turkish Intelligence might well be in action. There is no evidence of Greek intelligence so the Turkish variety runs quite unopposed. The Greeks and Greek Americans deserve every thing they get.
There’s the story about some parishoners who were fed up with their new bishop. They went to a Holy Elder and complained to him about how corrupt, dishonest, immoral, and generally wicked their new bishop was. The Holy Elder then prayed to God for His mercy, and responded to the parishioners that God had provided their new bishop, because He couldn’t find anyone else who was worse. Of course sometimes people get the bishop they deserve.
There is that to it too.