Members

Published by GreekNewsOnline.com, March 14, 2005

Harsh Punishment for Members of Corona

New York – The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese imposed harsh punishment on the 21 members of the Transfiguration Parish Council in Corona, prohibiting them to receive Holy Communion and to participate in the Holy Sacraments of the Orthodox Church, and ordering them “not to set foot on any property owned and operated by the parish, in any corporate or other name…”.

In addition, the decision of the Spiritual Court that heard all the cases, warns these members that if they fail to abide with this provision, they will be “personally held liable for financial and all other damages that have been and will be incurred” because of their action.

Mr Vassilios Livanos, President of the Parish Council, told GreekNews that “Archdiocese’s threats to take us to the courts of law doesn’t leave us any other alternative than to protect our rights in the civil courts”.

Legal Sources told GreekNews that by ordering the members not to set foot on any parish property, including the School (where some of the members have children attending classes), the spiritual court may have overstepped his authority. In any case, parish members stated that this decision will knock the school out and this – according to them – was the essential goal of the Archdiocese.

The Spiritual Court found that all members violated the Uniform Parish Regulations and the directives of Archbishop Demetrios, by participating in improperly held and conducted elections. Only four of the five members participated in the final hearings and deliberations of the court, while Fr. Robert Stefanopoulos left after the first hearing on Mr Livanos.

The verdicts were dated March 10, 2005. On Friday, the Archdiocese appointed in Corona Fr Nicholas Kouvaris, former proistamenos of the Whitestone Parish. Fr. Nicholas performed the services on Sunday. Despite the order of the Spiritual Court, the parish council members attended Sunday’s services and following the liturgy they had a meeting to discuss the situation.

Greeknews had reported extensively that by summoning the members to the spiritual courts, Archdiocese was aiming to strip them from their membership rights, facilitating thus its legal case in the civil courts. Although hopes were raised after the appointment of Bishop Philotheos of Meloa, as Archbishop Demetrios personal envoy, Bishop Savvas’ insistence on taking the members to the spiritual court, forced Mr. Philotheos to resign.



Volume 7 Number 12 - Tuesday, March 22nd, 2005	A Publication of the ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN LAITY