A Publication of the ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN LAITY
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| Volume 6 Number 21 - Tuesday, May 25th, 2004 |
A Publication of the ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN LAITY |
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The Orthodox Christian News Service |
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Christodoulos Talks to NH on Crisis
BOSTON - Archbishop Christodoulos of Athens and all of Greece, in an exclusive interview with the National Herald—the first and only interview since the eruption of the crisis with the Ecumenical Patriarchate—said that he hopes that the Greek government’s mediation efforts will finally lead to a solution. The dispute over the Metropolises of the so called New Lands reached its climax on April 30th with the decision of the Synod of the Patriarchate to suspend Eucharistic communion with Archbishop Christodoulos and place him out of the Diptychs of the Church of Constantinople. This is the first time in history a Greek Patriarch has refused communion with the Greek Archbishop. The Patriarch’s action against Christodoulos is a form of excommunication. Christodoulos called the Patriarch’s decision a “constrained and unjust action” that was made on a “slippery level.” Christodoulos also rejected the accusations directed at him by the Phanar as “mother-killer, conspirator with the Russians to weaken the Patriarchate” and other similarly accusatory statements. The Archbishop emphasized that he did not make any decision on his own: “All the decisions were [made] by the vast majority of the Holy Synod of the Hierarchy of the Church of Greece.” The entire interview with Archbishop Christodoulos follows: NATIONAL HERALD: Your Beatitude, how do you feel after the decision of the Ecumenical Patriarchate to suspend Eucharistic communion with you and place you outside of the Church Diptychs? CHRISTODOULOS: I have the sense that it was a constrained and unjust action. If someone reeds the decision that was issued, he or she will be convinced that the it was based on a slippery level because all those accusations that are stated against me are not correct. Besides all that, I still hope, pray and desire wholeheartedly that this ordeal, this trouble between our two Churches will be resolved. I do believe that the two Churches should be united today more than ever in the love of Jesus Christ in order to witness the unity of our faith in contemporary world. N.H: Were you expecting such an action on behalf of the Patriarchate? CHRISTODOULOS: I do not know. I never had any similar experience, it is the first time that something like this happened to me, and I admit, I feel a great bitterness. N.H: Many members of the Greek American community are asking why things got out of control and came to this point? Couldn’t you and the Patriarch, two great and educated ecclesiastical men, apply the dynamics of a dialogue to resolve the matter? CHRISTODOULOS: Dialogue was used extensively on our part. I have the sense that we have exhausted, up until now, all of the peaceful means available to us in trying to reach a consensus and come to a solution, but there is always a possibility we will remain open to possibilities. N.H: Is the mediation of the government going well? CHRISTODOULOS: I think so, for the time being, at least from the information I have received thus far. From the first moment of the mediation, we expressed our trust and hope that it will lead to a good solution. N.H: Are you willing to contribute personally to the diffusion of the crisis in order to prevent a more serious situation? CHRISTODOULOS: I am the first one to show good will, because I think of the huge responsibilities that we both have, despite who is at fault and who is not. This is the first time such a dispute has taken place between the Patriarchate and the Church of Greece, and it is leading to a division of the Greek people. This is the reason why I am ready to make many concessions, which I am allowed to make under the circumstances, in order to meet on common ground and reach a solution. N.H: Do you accept the accusation of being a mother-killer (mitralias), that you work to weaken the Ecumenical Patriarchate, that you conspire with Russians against the Phanar? CHRISTODOULOS: No, no, these are very serious accusations and they do not correspond to reality, they are not in my intentions, nor in my heart. There were not any incidents that could justify such serious accusations against me. N.H: Do you love the Ecumenical Patriarchate? CHRISTODOULOS: Of course I love the Patriarchate. It is our Mother Church to which we look with trust and love. These are the feelings that we have been taught by our parents and by our entire education. Our times require the unity of Hellenism and Orthodoxy, in a common effort to dynamically witness our Orthodox Faith, in a drastically changing world, which at the same time is looking for some steady points to hold on to. One such steady point is nothing else but faith in God. N.H: Up to what point are you willing to take consensual steps in order that a solution be achieved? CHRISTODOULOS: Those issues will be discussed at the meeting of the Holy Synod of the Hierarchy of Greece. It is not an issue that I alone will decide. I simply recommend and after that we have discussions and take votes. I did nothing that was of my own exclusive initiative. All of my actions have the majority approval of our respected Hierarchy of the Church of Greece. N.H: Then why were you personally suspended and not the entire Hierarch, which actually votes and governs the Church? You just said that you did nothing on your own initiative, the Hierarchy made all of the decisions. CHRISTODOULOS: I am asking my self the same thing. N.H: Your Beatitude, many Greek Americans with knowledge of the situation ask the following question: Is Patriarch Bartholomaios trying to dethrone the Archbishop of Athens and of All Greece, Christodoulos? CHRISTODOULOS: It will be too much to assume something like this. I do not think that a spiritual leader such as the Ecumenical Patriarch, or the Archbishop, or anyone of us who has spiritual responsibilities in the Church can go to such a low level. Note: The
National Herald, in its attempt to fully inform
our Greek American community, has also requested
an interview from Patriarch Bartholomaios, but he
has not, as yet, responded. |
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