EDITOR’S NOTE (Nick Stamatakis). We have repeatedly noted that Orthodoxy is one of the four ecumenical pillars of Hellenism and, naturally, an invaluable diplomatic tool for Greece. A tool that allows her to project “soft power” and access to several hundreds of millions of Orthodox faithful worldwide, in powerful countries and areas where, still today, a substantial part of the Hellenic Diaspora lives: Eastern Europe and Russia, Middle East, Central Asia, Africa, and even India. Corrupt Pat. Bartholomew and even more corrupt Greek PM Mitsotakis, had they acted patriotically as Hellenes, they would have preserved this fundamental “Ecumenical Pillar” of Hellenism intact, and they would have strengthened relations with all Orthodox countries – or countries where Orthodox faithful life. Instead, they INITIATED the schism in Orthodoxy.
In particular, Pat. Bartholomew, the worst Patriarch of Constantinople in modern history, ignored the “synodical” rules of Orthodoxy and the advice of wise hierarchs (such as AB Anastasios of Albania – still today in critical condition after surgery in Athens) against giving “Cacocephaly” to Ukraine.  Bartholomew even ignored the advice of expert diplomats of Greece submitted to him IN WRITING against Ukrainian “Cacocephaly.” He is now faced with the West’s complete defeat in Ukraine – soon to be inscribed in a “peace pact.”  One of the first terms of such a pact will be the protection of the religious freedom of all Ukrainians. This means that the “Cacocephalous” Met. Epiphany will be rendered where he belongs – to a small minority.
Faced with these harsh facts, one would think that Bartholomew and Mitsotakis would relent and start following a non-confrontational path in dealing with the Russian Church.  One would expect they would heed the advice of AB Anastasios and others and call for a Panorthodox Synod to decide on such critical issues.  Instead, they decided to double down on the confrontation, expanding it in the Middle East and Africa.  Greek Orthodoxy has had a glorious presence in Africa for centuries (AB Anastasios was part of the Mission for many years).  The Russians never had any intention to interfere there – until the Ukrainian “Cacocephaly” happened.  The Russians never had any confrontational attitude in Mt. Athos, where the Russian Monastery of St. Panteleimon commemorates Bartholomew, still today.  This is not the 19th century when “panslavism” which created havoc in the Balkans!
Yet, the ever-confrontational Pat. Bartholomew, acting like a legendary “mule from Imvros,” being a contrarian by character, who never chose the road of peace and love (we will NEVER forget his conflict with AB Christodoulos) for one more time obeyed his globalist puppetmasters and he now goes down a global “war” path with the Russian Church.  This is a long-term losing path as America and Europe have retreated from Africa, where Russia and China are now dominating. Did any of these arrogant leaders, Bartholomew and Mitsotakis, realize that just yesterday, Nigeria, with its 250 million people, became part of the BRICS? Where South Africa, Ethiopia, and Egypt are already members? Is this a winning road?
Do they think Greece and Orthodoxy have anything to gain by going head-to-head with the Russian Church? Their best-case scenario will be to keep a small part of the “Orthodox pie” in some countries… Had Orthodoxy been “whole,” Greece would still have a powerful tool to project “soft power” globally. Mitsotakis, once again, betrayed the true interests of his country to promote the interests of others… The Moscow Patriarchate has already established an Exarchate in Cairo (where there was none two years ago!!) and has attracted hundreds of priests from all over Africa.  Good luck dealing with these adverse facts!!

January 18, 2025, n.stamatakis@aol.com   www.helleniscope.com

DISCLAIMER: The views and statements expressed in this article constitute constitutionally protected opinions of this author.

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Mitsotakis in frontal collision with the Russian Orthodox Church’s plan to control Christians in the Middle East-Africa

The appointment of 600 Greek clergymen to the Patriarchates and the awakening of Athens to the plan of the Russian Patriarch of All Russias -The Russian Church lures Orthodox Priests from the Patriarchate of Alexandria by offering better material conditions

The Greek Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, wants his country to play a more important role in the religious geopolitical arena in the Middle East, as Moscow expands into the African continent and the fall of Bashar al-Assad has exposed the Christian populations in the region, foreign media report on Greece’s change of stance on this issue.

According to Andrei Bogdanovsky and MME, “Mr. Mitsotakis intends to achieve this by sending hundreds of priests to the Middle East, Turkey and Africa and doubling down on diplomatic efforts to protect Christians in Syria.

The numbers alone will not make much of a difference in the long run, especially in Africa, where the Russian Church entices clergy with financial rewards.

Athens’ decision is primarily political, and reflects a determination to preserve Greek Orthodox traditions and identity from attempts to Russify Orthodox Christians in the Middle East and elsewhere.

These clashes over sovereignty in the Ancient Orthodox Churches indicate a deeper concern about the dependence of historic Patriarchates on external authorities and the political agendas of leaders thousands of miles away.

The geopolitical Competition in the Orthodox world has traditionally been dominated by two players, Moscow, and the Ecumenical Patriarchate, and reached its most recent peak in 2018-19, when Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew responded to Ukrainian calls for an independent Church, free from Moscow’s influence, by creating the autocephalous Orthodox Church of Ukraine.

This was a pivotal development, because it humiliated the Russian Orthodox Church, which had fought hard to keep Ukrainian Orthodoxy under its control.

This event, and the Russian invasion of Ukraine, redefined the power dynamics in church politics, and expanded the geographical scope of their competition for influence.

There has been a notable rise in the Ecumenical Patriarchate’s engagement in the Baltic states, while the Russian Orthodox Church continues to undermine the Eastern Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria, held by the Greek-born Theodore II, in Africa.

At the same time, the Russian Church is consolidating its influence in the Balkans.

NOW, Greece has decided to intervene and fight Moscow’s expansionism in defense of the historic ancient Patriarchates by allocating additional funds for more clerical positions in the Ecumenical Patriarchate (Turkey), the Patriarchate of Alexandria (Egypt), the Patriarchate of Jerusalem (Israel), and the Holy Monastery of Sinai (Egypt).

In November, the Greek government announced 600 paid clerical positions in these historic centers of Christianity.

Athens, burdened by financial difficulties, has struggled to devote sufficient resources to its church-related diplomacy.

Because of this, the ancient Patriarchates have traditionally suffered for years from underfunding, and exposure to foreign “involvement.”

However, the announcement by Greek officials comes with a caveat.

The news does not necessarily mean that 600 new clergy will be appointed, as the announcement also refers to current clerical positions that have been filled but have not in effect received salaries, pension rights or health care contributions for a long time.

Even with the increase in numbers, Russia’s much smaller presence in Africa is unlikely to be deterred by the recent news from Athens.

Moscow already has around 250 priests covering 300 local communities in more than 30 African countries, a significant number considering that the Russian exarchate in Africa was established just three years ago.

In reality, however, this was a direct consequence of the recognition of Ukrainian autocephaly by the Church of Alexandria in 2019, which coincided with President Putin’s increased interest in dealing with African leaders.

Despite numerous canonical decisions taken against Russian Orthodox representatives in Africa, including the repeated expulsion of Russian Exarchs sent by Moscow, this had no influence on Patriarch Kirill, who continues to exploit anti-Western sentiment.

The Russian Church is luring Orthodox priests from the Patriarchate of Alexandria by offering better material conditions.

Greek newspapers report that Moscow is providing a monthly stipend of up to $1,000 and, in some cases, diplomatic privileges, compared to the $200 monthly salary received by the clergy of the Patriarchate of Alexandria.

Whether the Greek government’s announcement will alleviate the chronic problems of the ancient Patriarchates is uncertain.

In essence, however, this shows that Greece has made a strategic decision to strengthen its influence in the Orthodox world and, in the past two months, has demonstrated this.

Athens has demonstrated leadership in Syria, which, under President Assad, relied heavily on Russian support.

As President Putin was preoccupied with Ukraine, without resources for Syria, this created a vacuum, which was also felt in the religious community.

Mr. Mitsotakis was the first European leader to meet with Patriarch John IX of Antioch, immediately after the formation of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham.

Greek efforts were evident in Brussels, where Greece pushed for greater EU engagement in Syria, focusing on religious freedom and the protection of minorities.

At the EU Council in December, the Greek Prime Minister drew attention to the situation of the Greek Orthodox communities in Syria and Lebanon, calling Greece the “spiritual protector” of the Patriarchate of Antioch and the Greek Orthodox.

While Greece challenges the ambitions of the “Third Rome,” that is, Moscow, its renewed efforts perhaps indicate the need for a long-term discussion regarding the dependence of the ancient Patriarchates on external centers.

African Orthodox voices and their liturgical experiences, however, are not represented in this battle for the battle that Athens and Moscow are now fighting,” he concluded.

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Μετωπική σύγκρουση Κ.Μητσοτάκη με το σχέδιο της ρωσικής Ορθόδοξης εκκλησίας για έλεγχο των Χριστιανών σε Μ.Ανατολή-Αφρική

Ο διορισμός 600 Ελλήνων κληρικών στα Πατριαρχεία και η αφύπνιση της Αθήνας στο σχέδιο του Ρώσου Πατριάρχη Πασών των Ρωσιών-Η Ρωσική Εκκλησία δελεάζει Ορθοδοξους Ιερείς από το Πατριαρχείο Αλεξανδρείας προσφέροντας καλύτερες υλικές συνθήκες

ΟΈλληνας Πρωθυπουργός, Κυριάκος Μητσοτάκης, θέλει η χώρα του να διαδραματίσει πιο σημαντικό ρόλο στη θρησκευτική γεωπολιτική αρένα στη Μέση Ανατολή, καθώς η Μόσχα επεκτείνεται στην αφρικανική ήπειρο και η πτώση του Μπασάρ αλ Άσαντ έχει εκθέσει τους χριστιανικούς πληθυσμούς στην περιοχή, αναφέρουν ξένα ΜΜΕ για την αλλαγή στάσης της Ελλάδος στο ζήτημα αυτό.

Σύμφωνα με τον Αντρέι Μπογκντανόφκσι και ΜΜΕ, “ο κ. Μητσοτάκης σκοπεύει να το πετύχει στέλνοντας εκατοντάδες ιερείς στη Μέση Ανατολή, την Τουρκία και την Αφρική και διπλασιάζοντας τις διπλωματικές προσπάθειες για την προστασία των χριστιανών στη Συρία.

Οι αριθμοί από μόνοι τους δεν θα κάνουν μεγάλη διαφορά μακροπρόθεσμα, ειδικά στην Αφρική, όπου η Ρωσική Εκκλησία δελεάζει τους κληρικούς με οικονομικές ανταμοιβές.

Η απόφαση της Αθήνας είναι κυρίως πολιτική, και αντανακλά στην αποφασιστικότητα να διαφυλαχθούν οι ελληνορθόδοξες παραδόσεις και η ταυτότητα από τις προσπάθειες ρωσικοποίησης των Ορθοδόξων Χριστιανών σε Μέση Ανατολή και αλλού.

Αυτές οι συγκρούσεις για την κυριαρχία στις Αρχαίες Ορθόδοξες Εκκλησίες, δείχνει  μια βαθύτερη ανησυχία, που αφορά την εξάρτηση των ιστορικών Πατριαρχείων, από  εξωτερικές αρχές και  πολιτικές ατζέντες  ηγετών χιλιάδες μίλια μακριά.

Ο γεωπολιτικός ανταγωνισμός στον ορθόδοξο κόσμο κυριαρχείται παραδοσιακά από δύο παίκτες, την Μόσχα και το Οικουμενικό Πατριαρχείο, και έφτασε στο πρόσφατο αποκορύφωμα το 2018-19, όταν ο Οικουμενικός Πατριάρχης Βαρθολομαίος ανταποκρίθηκε στις εκκλήσεις των Ουκρανών για μια ανεξάρτητη Εκκλησία, απαλλαγμένη από την επιρροή της Μόσχας, δημιουργώντας την αυτοκέφαλη Ορθόδοξη Εκκλησία της Ουκρανίας.

Αυτή ήταν μια κομβική εξέλιξη, γιατί ταπείνωσε τη Ρωσική Ορθόδοξη Εκκλησία, η οποία πάλεψε σκληρά για να κρατήσει την Ουκρανική Ορθοδοξία υπό τον έλεγχό της.

Αυτό το γεγονός και η ρωσική εισβολή στην Ουκρανία, επαναπροσδιόρισαν την δυναμική εξουσίας στην εκκλησιαστική πολιτική, και επέκτεινα το γεωγραφικό εύρος του ανταγωνισμού τους για επιρροή.

Έχει σημειωθεί μια αξιοσημείωτη άνοδος στη δέσμευση του Οικουμενικού Πατριαρχείου στα κράτη της Βαλτικής, ενώ η Ρωσική Ορθόδοξη Εκκλησία συνεχίζει να υπονομεύει το Ανατολικό Ορθόδοξο Πατριαρχείο Αλεξανδρείας, το οποίο κατέχει ο ελληνικής καταγωγής Θεόδωρος Β΄, στην Αφρική.

Την ίδια στιγμή, η Ρωσική Εκκλησία εδραιώνει την επιρροή της στα Βαλκάνια.

ΤΩΡΑ, η Ελλάδα αποφάσισε να παρέμβει και να πολεμήσει τον επεκτατισμό της Μόσχας υπερασπίζοντας τα ιστορικά αρχαία Πατριαρχεία με τη διάθεση επιπλέον κεφαλαίων για περισσότερες θέσεις κληρικών στο Οικουμενικό Πατριαρχείο (Τουρκία), το Πατριαρχείο Αλεξανδρείας (Αίγυπτος), το Πατριαρχείο Ιεροσολύμων ( Ισραήλ), και την Ιερά Μονή Σινά (Αίγυπτος).

Τον Νοέμβριο, η ελληνική κυβέρνηση ανακοίνωσε 600 έμμισθες θέσεις κληρικών σε αυτά τα ιστορικά κέντρα του Χριστιανισμού.

Η Αθήνα, βεβαρυμμένη από οικονομικές δυσκολίες, αγωνίστηκε για να αφιερώσει επαρκείς πόρους στη διπλωματία της που σχετίζεται με την εκκλησία.

Εξαιτίας αυτού, τα αρχαία Πατριαρχεία υπέφεραν παραδοσιακά εδώ και χρόνια από υποχρηματοδότηση, και την έκθεση σε ξένη “συμμετοχή”.

Ωστόσο, η ανακοίνωση των Ελλήνων αξιωματούχων έρχεται με μια επιφύλαξη.

Η είδηση ​​δεν σημαίνει απαραίτητα ότι θα διοριστούν 600 νέοι κληρικοί, καθώς η προκήρυξη αναφέρεται και σε τρέχουσες θέσεις κληρικών που έχουν καταληφθεί, αλλά στην πράξη δεν έχουν μισθούς, συνταξιοδοτικά δικαιώματα ή εισφορές ιατροφαρμακευτικής περίθαλψης για μεγάλο χρονικό διάστημα.

Ακόμη και με την αύξηση των αριθμών, η πολύ μικρότερη παρουσία της Ρωσίας στην Αφρική είναι απίθανο να σταματήσει από τα πρόσφατα νέα από την Αθήνα.

Η Μόσχα έχει ήδη περίπου 250 Ιερείς που καλύπτουν 300 τοπικές κοινότητες σε περισσότερες από 30 αφρικανικές χώρες, σημαντικός αριθμός, αν σκεφτεί κανείς ότι η ρωσική εξαρχία στην Αφρική ιδρύθηκε μόλις πριν από τρία χρόνια.

Στην πραγματικότητα, ωστόσο, αυτό ήταν άμεση συνέπεια της αναγνώρισης της ουκρανικής αυτοκεφαλίας από την Εκκλησία της Αλεξάνδρειας το 2019, η οποία συνέπεσε με το αυξημένο ενδιαφέρον του Προέδρου Πούτιν για συναλλαγές με Αφρικανούς ηγέτες.

Παρά τις πολυάριθμες κανονικές αποφάσεις που ελήφθησαν κατά των Ρώσων ορθοδόξων αντιπροσώπων στην Αφρική, συμπεριλαμβανομένης της επανειλημμένης απομάκρυνσης των Ρώσων Έξαρχων που είχε στείλει η Μόσχα, αυτό δεν είχε καμία επιρροή στον Πατριάρχη Κύριλλο, ο οποίος συνεχίζει να εκμεταλλεύεται το αντιδυτικό αίσθημα.

Η Ρωσική Εκκλησία δελεάζει Ορθοδοξους Ιερείς από το Πατριαρχείο Αλεξανδρείας προσφέροντας καλύτερες υλικές συνθήκες.

Οι ελληνικές εφημερίδες αναφέρουν ότι η Μόσχα παρέχει μηνιαία επιδότηση έως και 1000 $ ΗΠΑ και, σε ορισμένες περιπτώσεις, διπλωματικά προνόμια, σε σύγκριση με τις μηνιαίες αποδοχές των 200 $ που λαμβάνει ο κλήρος του Πατριαρχείου της Αλεξάνδρειας.

Κατά πόσο η ανακοίνωση της ελληνικής κυβέρνησης θα αμβλύνει τα χρόνια προβλήματα των αρχαίων Πατριαρχείων είναι αβέβαιο.

Επί της ουσίας όμως, αυτό δείχνει ότι η Ελλάδα έχει λάβει τη στρατηγική απόφαση να ενισχύσει την επιρροή της στον ορθόδοξο κόσμο και, τους τελευταίους δύο μήνες το απέδειξε.

Η Αθήνα επέδειξε ηγετική θέση στη Συρία, η οποία, υπό τον Πρόεδρο Άσαντ, βασιζόταν σε μεγάλο βαθμό στη ρωσική υποστήριξη.

Καθώς ο Πρόεδρος Πούτιν ήταν απασχολημένος με την Ουκρανία, χωρίς να διαθέτει πόρους για τη Συρία, αυτό δημιούργησε ένα κενό, το οποίο έγινε επίσης αισθητό στην θρησκευτική κοινότητα.

Ο κ. Μητσοτάκης ήταν ο πρώτος Ευρωπαίος ηγέτης που συνάντησε τον Πατριάρχη Αντιοχείας Ιωάννη Θ’, αμέσως μετά την οργάνωση  Hayat Tahrir al-Sham.

Οι ελληνικές προσπάθειες ήταν εμφανείς στις Βρυξέλλες, όπου η Ελλάδα πίεσε για μεγαλύτερη δέσμευση της ΕΕ στη Συρία, εστιάζοντας στη θρησκευτική ελευθερία και την προστασία των μειονοτήτων.

Στο Συμβούλιο της ΕΕ τον Δεκέμβριο, ο Έλληνας πρωθυπουργός επέστησε την προσοχή στην κατάσταση των ελληνορθόδοξων κοινοτήτων στη Συρία και τον Λίβανο, αποκαλώντας την Ελλάδα «πνευματικό προστάτη» του Πατριαρχείου Αντιοχείας και των Ελληνορθοδόξων.

Ενώ η Ελλάδα αμφισβητεί τις φιλοδοξίες της «Τρίτης Ρώμης», δηλαδή της Μόσχας, οι ανανεωμένες προσπάθειές της υποδηλώνουν, ίσως, την ανάγκη για μια μακροχρόνια συζήτηση σχετικά με την εξάρτηση των αρχαίων Πατριαρχείων από εξωτερικά κέντρα.

Οι αφρικανικές ορθόδοξες φωνές και οι λειτουργικές εμπειρίες τους όμως, δεν αντιπροσωπεύονται σε αυτή τη μάχη για την μάχη που δίνουν τώρα η Αθήνα και η Μόσχα”, κατέληξε ο ίδιος.

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9 COMMENTS

  2. In one of Saint Seraphim Rose’s recorded lectures he talked about how a congregation of Africans, I think in Uganda, wanted to convert to the Church in the 70s. Only the Patriarch of Alexandria, told them Orthodoxy has nothing to offer them and to go back to the Anglican church. I sincerely hope the more recent missionary efforts have more success than this.

  3. Greece is no longer an Orthodox country. The final straw was when Athens legalized gay marriage. No Orthodox country would validate the LGBT agenda.

    Africans went to the Russian Church because of the corrupt decision of Alexandria to recognize the pseudo church of Ukraine, not for materialistic purposes.

    Greek Orthodoxy needs a housecleaning. The Russians are far from perfect but they better represent Orthodoxy right now.

    Incidentally, which Greek diplomats warned Bartholomew not to recognize the Ukrainian pseudo church?

  4. As a first generation Greek-American Orthodox, I’m very happy that the Russian Pattiarch stepped in to minister to the Africans. Bartholomew wasn’t and he couldn’t for a number of reason, not the least of which is spiritual.

    I remember our dear spiritual Father, Elder Ephraim was warning us at least as far back as 2013 when I first moved to Arizona that “wolves would enter the church”. Well, it’s obvious now that he was speaking of Bartholomew and his pack of wolves, Elpidophoros, Makarios and I forget the name of the 4th of that group who “serves” in Europe.

  5. Let’s not forget that the Patriarchate of Alexandria is the only one with a female deacon. This is preposterous. If I’d be in Africa, I’d join the Russian Church too. Barto and the Alexandria patriarchate do all these uncanonical things and then they wonder why we don’t follow along. This may be just my opinion, but since the Alexandria Patriarchate legitimized a female deacon, it is not surprising that they recognized Barto’ schism in Ukraine or any other atrocities.

  6. Μόνο οι 4 Ελληνόφωνες Ορθόδοξες Εκκλησίες (Βαρθολομαίος, Θεόδωρος Β΄, Γεώργιος Κύπρου & Ιερώνυμος Β΄ Αθηνών) μετέχουν στο σχίσμα του Επιφανίου Ουκρανίας.
    Χρειάζεται σύγκληση Συνόδου γιά το θέμα με προεδρεύοντα τον Ιεροσολύμων.

  7. Orthodoxy was attractive to Kenyans because of the example given by AB Makarios of Cyprus who opposed Western imperialism and was exiled from Cyprus to Kenya by the British imperialist authotities. The current reality is entirely the inverse (it is a 180 degree difference today) as Greek Orthodoxy under Bartholomew and co. (the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria, the Church of Cyprus today, and the Church of Greece) are hand-in-glove with Western imperialists. Anyone who is keen on Orthodoxy should see the vital role that the Russian Church has assumed in Africa and Asia, showing that Orthodoxy cannot be equated with Western imperialism. . … Bart and co., including the GO Patriarchate of Alexandria, are given over to the Western geopolitical system and are subservient to it; but the Russian Church has emerged to show — yet again as AB Makarios once did — that Orthodox Christianity is not the same as Western imperialism, but instead is actually persecuted by Western powers and does stand alongside the African and Asian people in witness to God in Christ. Yes. today, just as AB Makarios of Cyprus once did. As for Bart et al., they will go to eternity with the Western powers whom they emulate and serve. … May God have mercy on us. … (I am Greek American in England.)

    • The Churches of Greece and Cyprus are partly compromised by the west. Unlike Constantinople and Alexandria, there are opposing bishops, priests, theologians and lay people in Greece and Cyprus who condemn the recognition of the fake Church in Ukraine.
      Greece and Cyprus should not be put in the same category as Constantinople and Alexandria.

  8. There are several other articles out there on this subject, and each of them provide a slightly different angle…when you read them all together, the pieces of the puzzle begin to fall into place…

    One article seems to focus on the “fact” that Greek clergy who serve overseas have no pension to return to. If this was the core problem to solve, the model already exists for several decades, where Greece has treaties with countries (even with the US) on recognizing “years of service abroad” for the purpose of issuing a Social Security (IKA) pension. That would be a very simple treaty to draft with the Church of Greece.

    A second angle the articles throw out is the classic “sob story” that Alexandria is playing victim to, that Moscow has aggressively entered its jurisdiction…yet, the “sob story” conveniently neglects to mention the “backstabbing move” he made when he started recognizing Epiphanios, after Constantinople “meddled” in Russian territory (we won’t remind folks too much right now about how many times Bartholomew had signed his name on paper for his first 27 years of tenure, agreeing with Moscow that Philaret was a defrocked Schismatic, and that Kiev was clearly under Russian jurisdiction…)

    However, a third known angle that the articles are not discussing may be the “smoking gun” here…it is true that for a long time has been that the Holy Land does not attract enough willing and able monks & clergy to sufficiently guard and operate the multitude of sites that are there. It is also true that Moscow has donated a lot of money in support of this problem in recent history (also to Antioch). Again, if money were the only solution to this problem, this could have been resolved many years ago, and in many ways. There are other factors, too.

    So where does this leave us with this strange situation? Very simple. Direct LEVERAGE for external geopolitical influence upon Ecclesiastical affairs. The Patriarchate of Jerusalem, Antioch, and why not even the autocephalous Church of Albania (under this model) have clearly resisted “going along” with Constantinople on a variety of topics, including of course the “tomos of autocephaly” granted to the followers of the Ukrainian defrocked schismatic Philaret… By throwing money on the table, and sweetening the deal especially for Jerusalem which has had financial woes for a long time (balanced by generous donations from Russia), the long game here might be to make future “Russian donations” less attractive or necessary. That would set the stage for long term “Leverage” to align with Constantinople’s view of the New World Order…

    We need to read between the lines, folks…people like Mitsotakis simply don’t throw money at something these days without expecting a substantial return.

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