Extreme and Dangerous



Volume 6 Number 20 - Tuesday, May 18th, 2004	A Publication of the ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN LAITY

• Search Engine

Submissions

Support Us!

Nonprofit Ministries

The Orthodox Christian Laity

• OCN Website

• The Video - "A New Era Begins"

The Orthodox Christian News Service

Published by TGA News.com, May 6, 2004

Extreme and Dangerous Power Games

Commentary By
JUSTINE FRANGOULI-ARGYRIS
Journalist and Writer

MONTREAL, TGA News.com, May 6, 2004 - The clash between the Patriarchate and the Church of Greece seems to have taken an irreversible turn as the amplified Patriarchal synod imposed a humiliating penalty on Archbishop Christodoulos last Friday and directly threatened the Greek government that it would annul the Patriarchal Act of 1928 through which the administration of the “New Lands” dioceses in Northern Greece was ceded to the Autocephalous Church of Greece.

At every possible occasion, Bartholomew accuses the primate of the Church of Greece of arrogant behavior and warns him indirectly but clearly that he will proceed with his dethronement by means of a major synod resolution. Not only does the Ecumenical Patriarch not conceal his plans to take over the “New Lands” dioceses in Northern Greece, but, through his actions, even contests the autocephalous status of the Church of Greece itself.

It is well known that, since the very beginning of his tenure, the Ecumenical Patriarch continuously proclaimed his rights over the “New Lands” dioceses. As such, he came into direct conflict with Christodoulos’ predecessor, the late archbishop Serafeim. It is also well known that he has made it one of his main priorities to repeatedly visit these dioceses in order to underline his claims that are often accompanied by inflammatory statements.

His determination to adopt such extreme measures was not at all unexpected. One could foresee such developments considering his systematic efforts to lay claim to the “New Lands” dioceses in view of Turkey’s eventual accession to the European Union---an event that will inevitably abolish the Treaty of Lausanne which determines the current status of the Patriarchate.

In his uncontrolled thirst for power, Bartholomew chose to take his arrows out of their quiver and strike, not only his opponent Christodoulos, but Hellenism’s unity as a whole. For, in his announcement of last Friday, it should be noted that Bartholomew attempted to divide the Greek people into Northerners and Southerners, into those belonging to the “old” part of Greece first liberated from Turkey and those belonging to the “new” part liberated sometime thereafter. Particularly suspect and dismaying is his reminder that the population of Northern Greece is composed mainly of refugees from Asia Minor who have indissoluble ties with the Patriarchate.

It is deplorable that the Primate of Orthodoxy, who unceasingly enjoys the generosity of the Greek government, is creating upheaval over the “New Lands” at a time when Greek foreign policy is being tried following the failure of the Anan plan. And his plea for a YES response from the Greek Cypriots in their recent referendum was highly inappropriate especially given that he Autocephalous Church of Cyprus, being at one with the people’s will, had taken the opposite stance.

It is time, then, that the Patriarchate’s role at the helm of the Greek diaspora across the world be reconsidered. Beside the fact that Bartholomew himself has inflicted innumerable wounds on Hellenism everywhere with his mishandling of the cases of the hierarchs in America, Australia, Great Britain and Switzerland thereby dividing the local Greek-Orthodox flocks, his insistent policy of giving priority to Orthodoxy above Hellenism has created insurmountable obstacles for the survival of the Greek diaspora. As well, the Church has ceased lobbying for Greek national issues and Greek-Orthodox institutions are slowly but surely being lost to other Orthodox.

It is time for the Autocephalous Church of Greece, in unison and with prudence, to take a final decision regarding her future. The Greek hierarchy must take a stand on the major “New Lands” issue not on the basis of personal criteria but, rather, by taking Greek national interests into account.

And, since Bartholomew has already proven how much he adheres to the Canons of the Church by ousting archbishops and metropolitans overnight… if the metropolitans in Northern Greece do not wish to lose their positions in the same manner, they should realize what the next day may look like under the arbitrariness of a Patriarchal Synod. On the other hand, the metropolitans of the Autocephalous Church of Greece should become conscious of the enormous proportions of a crisis that may gradually lead to the abolition of their autocephalous status. The first step will be the lifting of the Patriarchal Act of 1928 and then the contestation of the autocephalous status of the Church of Greece will follow.

It is time for the Greek state to take over the reins of Hellenism worldwide in order to preserve the creations of Greeks abroad.

Home • Archives • Search • Submissions • Support Us

This Online Newsletter is partially funded by a grant from the Virginia H Farah Foundation

Orthodox News, PO BOX 6954
WEST PALM BEACH FL 33405-6954
USA

Phone: (517) 522-3656
Fax: (517) 522-5907