Ukrainian schism: New alarming phenomena in world Orthodoxy
Under the noise of the ongoing squabble of the “Holy” and “Blessed” spiders in the bank of “Ukrainian Orthodoxy,” much more alarming phenomena appeared in world Orthodoxy last week. However, they are a consequence of infection with the cadaveric poison of the above-mentioned arthropods.
At the beginning of the week, the press service of the Ecumenical (or so-called “Ecumenical”) Patriarchate reported that, at the invitation of Bartholomew, the Primate of the Church of Greece and the head of the “Holy Church of Ukraine” (“SCU”) were present at the festive service in honor of his name day.
“We must pay attention to the fact that during Vespers, Archbishop Jerome of Athens and all Greece and Metropolitan of the Autocephalous Church of Ukraine Epiphanius prayed together,” the message emphasizes. “After the end of Vespers, Metropolitan Epifaniy gave Archbishop Jerome a memorable gift.”
Of course, the official website of “SCU” trumpeted about the joint prayer of Epitanius (this is how this name should be pronounced according to the latest monastic laws) with the Greek primate. As well as about gifts (prepared back in January in case of the arrival of Archbishop Jerome for the enthronement of Epitanius, which, as we know, did not happen).
The acceptance by the Primate of the Church of Greece from the head of the still unrecognized “HCU” of such sacred gifts as the panagia (a sign of bishop’s dignity with the image of the Mother of God) and the Bishop’s Cross, but – most importantly – the joint prayer of Epitania with the archbishop. Jerome, is considered by the speakers of the “SCU” as the beginning of the recognition of this structure by world Orthodoxy.
In Orthodoxy itself, joint prayer with a heretic is considered a flagrant violation of the canons, for which the one who prayed (especially a clergyman) is subject to excommunication.
Another thing is that Bartholomew, it seems, simply “framed” Bishop Jerome. Here's how describes the the current situation, Archpriest of the UOC (MP) Gennady Shkil: “In honor of his namesake, Barmaley (Bartolomeo, aka Bartholomew, aka the “ecumenical” patriarch) invited representatives of the Local Churches. However, only the Primate of the Greek Church, Archbishop Jerome, arrived.
A couple of weeks ago, Barmaley went to see Jerome, and this was their first meeting after the cooling of relations between Phanar and Athens. Naturally, after such a first step on Barmaley’s part, Archbishop Jerome could not refuse him a return visit, especially on the occasion of his name day.
I think that Vladyka Jerome has already regretted ten times that he came to Istanbul. After all, even in a nightmare he could not imagine that he would meet at the all-night vigil the hope and pillar of the “vik aspirations” Sirozha Dumenka (true name Epitania - D.S.) ...
As can be seen from Dumenko’s welcoming speech, his arrival to the Phanar was not planned and was NOT ANNOUNCEED!!!
Why do you think? But because Bishop Jerome would not have appeared at the “council of the wicked” if this “council” had been announced.
Yes, if he, having seen Dumenko, immediately turned around and left the event, this act would have been a clear demarche against Barmaley and again would have spoiled for a long time the relations between Phanar and Athens, which had just begun to improve.
I looked through the photos from the sites “Rompheus” and “StsU” and nowhere did I notice a smile on the face of Vladika Jerome. Everywhere he is restrained and tense. If even the official photographer Dumenka could not catch at least any manifestation of goodwill on the face of the Bishop, then we can draw a conclusion about what kind of condition Jerome had.
Dumenko, as in the case of His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry, rushed with a false smile to hug Vladyka Jerome and even gave him a panagia (which he bought, if not in Sofrino near Moscow, then certainly in the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, thus providing a couple of boxes of “kul” against the soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine).
A typical set of prayers "SCU"
Having participated in the photo shoot in this way, Dumenko will now point out these photos in all interviews, saying that this is it, a confession...
And he will never talk about the fact that immediately after this meeting, Vladyka Jerome left Istanbul for Athens, not staying for the celebration of Barmaley’s namesake... He protected his good name from a joint “worship” with the schismatic Dumenko (at the all-night vigil, Vladyka also did not concelebrated, in all the photos he is not dressed in liturgical vestments).
Do you think that this meeting brought recognition of “SCU” closer? It’s unlikely... I could be wrong, but this “good” deed of Barmaley buried Dumenko’s hopes for recognition of his structure by the Greek Church.”
And, indeed, the archbishop. Jerome immediately after Vespers went to Athens, without remaining for the Liturgy - the main part of the All-Night Vigil service. Even the Phanar website admitted this.
This demarche is, of course, a significant mitigating circumstance. Consequently, world Orthodoxy and, first of all, the Moscow Patriarchate can still condemn the joint presence in the service of Vl. Jerome with Epitanius from the point of view of the so-called. oikonomia (lenience to the situation, which is also allowed by the canons). But not to the one who set this trap.
On the other hand, the very arrival of the archbishop. Jerome to Bartholomew is partly a consequence of the fact that the Moscow Patriarchate did not declare the latter absolutely toxic. The last decisive (albeit belated) steps of Patriarch Kirill and the Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church in this direction were taken back in October last year. Then the Ecumenical Patriarchate was declared to be outside the canonical field of Orthodoxy and Eucharistic communion with it was severed. As you know, these “warning shots” had no effect - Bartholomew issued a “tomos” to Ukrainian schismatics and heretics. But Moscow never declared Bartholomew himself a heretic. Patriarch Kirill did not convene a Council of Bishops to condemn his “brother.” This leaves room for other brothers to maneuver between the canons and “political expediency.”
Yes, they themselves and the “STSUshniks” don’t pray yet. But at the “liturgy”, which Jerome neglected, they prayed, according to the SCU website, together with Barmaley and Epitanius, “the representative of the Patriarch of Alexandria, Metropolitan Alexander of Nigeria, the representative of the Patriarch of Jerusalem, Archbishop Nektarios of Antidon, hierarchs of the Church of Hellas.” They, of course, were also set up, without warning about the appearance of Epitanius. However, this means that they are now subject to excommunication for joint the service (not just a prayer!) with a heretic and schismatic, they will infect the clergy (including the hierarchy) of their local Churches with the poison of uncanonicality when they pray with them. And the situation with the Church of Hellas is generally terrible, considering that one of the Greek metropolitans is actually recognized "SCU".
So the time has come for a decisive separation of the sheep from the goats, led by Barmaley, before the latter infected the rest of the local Churches.
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