ΕΑΝ ΠΡΟΤΙΜΑΤΕ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΑ ΠΑΤΗΣΤΕ ΤΗ ΣΗΜΑΙΑ ΣΤΟ ΚΑΤΩ ΜΕΡΟΣ ΤΗΣ ΟΘΟΝΗΣ
By Helleniscope’s Editorial Team
To the Archons of the Patriarchate,
Your recent “Brief Guide” (link here) on Ukraine is not merely erroneous. It is an exercise in institutional bad faith and collapses when it encounters documented reality.
Let us dispense with mythology.
1. The August 26, 1992 Letter Ends the Debate
On 26 August 1992, Patriarch Bartholomew wrote to Patriarch Alexei II and explicitly recognized the Russian Orthodox Church’s “plenitude of competence” over Ukrainian ecclesiastical affairs. (BARTHOLOMEW’S LETTER TO PATRIARCH ALEXEI OF 1992). This is not a “Moscow claim.” It is a written admission by Constantinople itself.
No amount of retrospective sophistry can erase a signed letter. Jurisdiction does not vanish because it later becomes politically inconvenient.
2. You Cannot Plead Ignorance
Bartholomew was warned in writing—by a senior Greek diplomat with deep experience in Ukraine—that granting autocephaly under prevailing conditions would lead to violence and repression. Bartholomew acknowledged the risk publicly in 2019 when announcing autocephaly, calling on “all sides” to refrain from violence.
He proceeded anyway.
Foreknowledge + action = responsibility.
3. Autocephaly Becomes Moot the Moment Violence Appears
Your canonical abstractions are morally irrelevant in the face of facts:
The Russian language is prohibited by the Ukronazi regime, the same regime which violates religious freedom.
Faithful of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church are barred from their churches.
Clergy assaulted, parishes seized, churches desecrated.
State power aligned with religious persecution.
Once coercion enters the picture, all theoretical argumentation is disqualified. Full stop.
4. Recklessness Is Not a Defense
Either Bartholomew acted under improper influence—political pressure, blackmail, or bribery—or he acted with reckless disregard for consequences he had been explicitly warned about.
Choose your poison. Neither absolves him.
By stepping into power politics, he sat at the poker table—and lost.
5. In Summary:
Why were canonical procedures bypassed?
Why was the pan-Orthodox consensus ignored?
Why were previously acknowledged jurisdictional realities reversed?
Why were warnings about violence disregarded?
Why has no responsibility been taken for the persecution of clergy loyal to the canonical Church?
6. History Is No Longer on Your Side
By any honest assessment, Bartholomew now stands as the worst Patriarch of Constantinople since Meletios Metaxakis—not because of doctrinal error, but because of the human devastation left in his wake.
We are dealing with ongoing violations of religious freedom, not seminar-room disputes.
You may continue issuing press releases. History will continue issuing verdicts.
Responsibility cannot be outsourced.
Written commitments cannot be erased.
And consequences cannot be prayed away.
Period.
January 29, 2026, n.stamatakis@aol.com www.helleniscope.com
DISCLAIMER: The views and statements expressed in this article constitute constitutionally protected opinions of this author.
Since Barto decided to encroach on the territory of Ukraine… which is not under his jurisdiction…
Why is only Russia to be blamed in this war, and not also Barto, since he declared war on UOC?
What does the Ukraine situation mean for the future of orthodoxy in any country with an autocephalous Church? Can Barto pretend that every schismatic structure around the world, can be made “canonical” because he signs a piece of paper, even if the other local churches do not agree and do not recognize the schismatics?
Can all the local canonical churches be “canceled” and forced to join the schismatics, if the schismatic structures “ask” for autocephaly?
Montenegro schismatics want autocephaly too. If you follow the orthodox news, you know that they met with a Phanar representative recently.
There is pressure on other local churches to join Barto and “give up” their “ties” to the “russian” church. All those countries that are under Patr. Kirill, although they are autocephalous, are in danger of being grabbed, under the false accusations of Phanar+their corrupt governments.
Sandy
Bartholomeu did NOT declare war on anyone. He doesn’t have an army. So, what you’re saying is wrong. You lose credibility when your statements are totally faked.
I assume you’re not a Greek speaker. Because you keep hurling the word schismatics around, as if its some kind of a disease. Here’s the truth: Konstantinople was the original Orthodox church. Russia was a schismatic, because they wanted to be the new Rome, after Constantinople fell to the Ottomans.
Then, as the Orthodox nations of the Balkans were gaining their independence, they also wanted to have their own church, with Greece being the first to gain her independence from the Ottoman empire and the first to declare independence from the Phanar, but not as a Patriarchate.
Now, most of the Orthodox nations, gained their independence from the old, Godless, Soviet Union. Those nations also desired to be totally free from the Moscow patriarchate, even though they are all Slavs. Ukraine is an example. Montenegro, even though a tiny nation, wants her own church. Nothing wrong with that. If you lived there, you’d want to be away from the big bully that is Russia. All the Balkan nations want to be part of the EU, NATO and have their own church. Russia is like a bad boyfriend. He doesnt accept his former girlfriend from breaking up with him and throws tantrums and even gerts vcioplent, as in Ukraine’s case.
There is a power play between the Phanar and Moscow. Moscow believes they should lead Orthodoxy, because they have the largest following. The Phanar wants to be the leader, due to her glorious history of leading the Eastern Christianity. Yes, Bartholomeu wants to bring back to the fold, what was part of the original Orthodox church. This antagonism creates friction with Moscow.
Moscow now is attempting to take control of the African Orthodox, by spreading money around, undermining the Alexandria patriarchate. An attempt at a pan Orthodox council, called by Bartholomeu, was shunned by Moscow and Bulgaria and some other Sla churches. So, there is more hope of union with Catholics, for the Phanar, than ever uniting with Moscow. They are biter enemies.
Your favoritism is evident by calling Bartholomeu Barto, while calling the other one patriarch Kiril. You are too partisan to convince anyone that your convictions have any merit
Bob I asked you to check your facts before you write any comments. Your simplistic approach is not helpful at all. Check my previous response and read today’s article again. Did you read Bartholomew’s letter to Moscow in 1992? No you didn’t. Moscow would stay out of Africa if Bartholomew kept his own pledges. Montenegro was part of the Serbian patriarchate and Bartholomew has no business there… Why do you ignore these facts? And then you wonder why I don’t post your comments?
Who spells Constantinople with a “K”?
A small mistake…Please understand I dont have time to correct spelling mistakes here.
The people that know history and the correct sound of the Greek original spell it with a K. Same as “Corinth. The correct spelling is Korinth. It is NOT a mistake. Its a mistake when its spelled with a C. The name itself, Konstantine is a hard K sound. Not a soft C.
To Bob Karp,
Constantinople was not the original Orthodox Church. The Church existed for three hundred and fifty years before the Church of Constantinople was established by the second ecumenical council of 381 AD. The church is not what Constantinople says it is. The Patriarcgste has had heretics such as Nestorious, patriarchs who were iconoclasts, and who signed the Union of Florence.
Autocephaly is complex and there is no agreement on how a Churvh becomes autocephalous. The Ukrainian Church under Moscow is the canonical Church that did not ask for autocephaly. Constantinople has no right whatsoever to encroach on the territory of local Churches.
Ukraine is Russian canonical territory.
In light of appalling persecution of the canonical Church, and the appalling behavior of the psychopaths dressing up as bishops in priests in the fake church in Ukraine, how can you continue justifying Patriarch Bartholomew’s actions.
We do not have a Pope. All Patriarchs are fallible and accountable. As for Africa, Patriarch Theodore originally supported the canonical Church in Ukraine. A year later he turned around and recognized the pseudo church. African priests not wanting to enter communion with the pseudo church asked the Russian Church to go to Africa.
Facts are important here.
Theodoros.
The first church was that of Jerusalem. Apostle Andrew had established a church in the then called Byzantium, on his way to Southern Greece and his martyrdom in Patras. After Konstantine chose the small town of Byzantium as the capital of Rome, due to its strategic condition, and was named Konstantinople, it grew in population and wealth and of course in importance. The church of Rome lost its importance and eventually had to move from Rome, after Rome was sacked by the Visigoths.
So, what you’re saying is wrong. Konstantinople is the original Orthodox church. Original as far as all the other Orthodox churches are concerned. Every other church is a schismatic church.
As for Ukraine, she has just as much right to have a church independent of Russia as anyone else. There is no such thing as “canonical” Orthodox church, when the nation that became politically independent wishes to also proclaim iots independence from Moscow.
The “appauling prosecution” as you’re saying of the Moscow church in Ukraine, is a fact of life, on both sides. Do you think that Putin is not using the Moscow affiliated church as a fifth column in Ukraine?. Greeks and Bulgars were killing each other for at least 70 years–until the end of WWII— in the name of their version of God.
As for the fallacy of African priests didn’t want to enter communion with the “pseudo church”, is a laughable statement. Africans are not interested about such power plays. They have no knowledge of those divisions and neither do they care. The Russians are good at propaganda. They have more oil money than Alexandria, so they spread it liberally in Africa. The Africans would change allegiance in a heartbeat, if they can combine money with spirituality.
I never said that Bartholomeu is an infallible Pope. Of course he should be held accountable. But, as you’re saying, facts are important. And your “facts” are wrong.
Bob – this website is about facts and your facts are not correct. This is the last comment on these issues you are allowed here. You can believe what you want – nobody bothers you. But we are not obligated to hear this nonsense from you non-stop.
To Bob,
The Church was founded by Christ. His brother Saint James was the first bishop of Jerusalem. Eusebius mentions James as first bishop of Jerusalem. Saint Mark as first Bishop of Alexandria, and Saint Peter as first bishop of Antioch. While it is possible Andrew founded the Church at the town of Byzantium, this is not an outright fact.
Even if we assume Andrew as the founder of the Church of Constantinople, so what? The Church of Constantinople gained its prestige because it was the city of the Emperor and the Senate. Apostolic succession does not give Constantinople the right to dictate.
That is what Roman Catholics believe regarding the Pope.
The Church of Russia and others are as much a part of the Church as Constantinople is. They are autocephalous with bishops all of whom trace their ordinations to the first century Church. All Churches are equal except in honor of which Constantinople is first. First in honor NOT authority or jurisdiction.
The question of autocephaly for the Church of Ukraine was and is an internal matter between the canonical Church and Moscow. It is none of Constantinople’s business.
And contrary to your assertion, there is a canonical Church in Ukraine.
The so called “Orthodox Church of Ukraine” is a fake and blasphemous imitation of the real Church. It’s phony bishops and priests are crazed fanatics who advocate violence and participate in the violent seizures of Churches while terrorizing ordinary priests and people defending their Churches.
The canonical Church and real bishops have done nothing to endorse or participate in violent activities against that thing created by Patriarch Bartholomew and Mike Pompeo. It is wrong to compare the Ukrainian Orthodox Church whose clergy and faithful endure persecution with humility with that fascist entity of false bishops and crazed lunatics calling itself the Orthodox Church of Ukraine.
And you are wrong about the priests in Africa. Dozens of African priests asked Moscow to take them in because they did in fact reject Alexandria’s recognition of the pseudo Church in Ukraine.
My facts are not wrong. Moscow waited a year before moving into Africa. They were hoping Alexandria would change course and the Russians urged the Africans to be patient. Only after Alexandria refused to repent, did Moscow go to Africa.
Bob:
“Konstantinople is the original Orthodox church. Original as far as all the other Orthodox churches are concerned. Every other church is a schismatic church.”
This is your most bizarre and ill thought comment yet, coming from you. Glad that Nick is going to prevent you from spewing your propaganda here.
The Eastern Orthodox Church was established by Jesus Christ and His Apostles. The Church was founded on the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles (to be read ALL of them) in Jerusalem. So how many apostles? Only Andrew? Of course not! ALL of them were teaching and spreading the faith. Nevertheless, it started in Jerusalem. The is where the Holy Light comes from every Easter. It is not coming from Istanbul, who is departing more and more from traditions and the teachings of the Church. When Peter wanted to build a house for him and one for Christ, Christ told him clearly that this is not how things should be. Peter is not above the other apostles (like confused catholics thing) and Konstantinople and the patriarch there is not above the other OCs and their leaders (like a few confused orthodox and Barto/Elpi) think. By claiming so, you and Barto and Elpi etc look like you fell into a heresy, like the catholics did–or maybe more than one.
The apostles had EQUAL standing. The Holy Spirt EQUALLY descended on all of them. Just because Barto thinks he is somehow superior, doesn’t mean he is. It is all in his head! If anything, at this point in time, all the other canonical churches are in good standing and Barto represents a schismatic church with his very, very few followers that agree with him (not to be confused with the rest of the local churches under his jurisdiction that are respecting the canons), since he is serving with schismatics, legalizing them, and he is even commemorating Leo. This is a dare which most of the O. Christians including me, are appalled by. There is no grand standing in Constantinople and it’s patriarch did not do any good notable things in a very, very long time. If anything, he is weakening the Church by his actions.
Bob,
What you present as a “truth” is not really true:
“…Konstantinople was the original Orthodox church. Russia was a schismatic, because they wanted to be the new Rome, after Constantinople fell to the Ottomans…”
First of all, Jerusalem would be the “original Orthodox Church” if you want to be historically accurate…that’s what the day of Pentecost was all about. And the road to Constantinople passed through Antioch…and the 7 Churches mentioned in the Book of Revelation didn’t even mention Byzantium…so stop the propaganda right there.
Furthermore, It was non-Russian Byzantines who first invented the term “3d Rome”, and it is mostly Greeks who continue regurgitating it, and spreading this notion that Moscow is obsessed with this 3d Rome nonsense…Over the years, I’ve met multiple Russian / Slavic Orthodox individuals, and they never touted this propaganda…in fact they were acutely aware that the Rus obtained Orthodoxy from Constantinople. And the other fact is, if Constantinople had not turned into a geo-political and Uniate tool, the relationship with Moscow (and Antioch and Jerusalem) would have been much more “brotherly”…
Finally, in 1439 when the Patriarch of Constantinople signed his name to be subjugated to the Vatican, who was more “schismatic” then, in your opinion of the “truth”…the patriarch of Constantinople or Moscow?
Since you know Greek so well, you should recall what our grandparents used to say… “μην φυτρωνεις εκει που δεν σε σπερνουν”… If we ever need a plumber’s opinion on “Truth concerning Schisms”, we certainly won’t consult an electrician, surgeon, or a master chef, my friend… But we WILL consult the definitions of Schism, Heresy, and Illegal Congregation provided by St. Basil the Great in his 188th letter…
Bartholomew has brought a major Schism upon Orthodoxy with the “tomos” he issued to the Schismatic Epiphanios…that’s the only Truth we should be focusing on these days…how to cure this growing cancer that has rooted within the Church body…the fact that laypeople like Sandy decide to express their rightful cry of “Anaxios” in the form of “Barto” or “Elpidoktonos”, or any other sarcastic epithet doesn’t change the fact that Bartholomew is the root cause for this sort of reaction by the faithful…that’s because he is the “provocateur in chief” with his provocative, brazen anti-Canonical and pro-Uniate legacy.
We have also noted repeatedly that – despite earlier problems – in Mt.Athos the Russians have in recent decades fully respected the spiritual supervision of Constantinople. When Putin visited paid tribute and financial support to all monasteries. It was Bartholomew who created friction and problems supporting visits of Ukrainians schismatics.
Thanks to former CIA agent John Kiriakou, we know the exact amount of money that the “Judas” patriarch put in his pocket, in order to trespass in another’s Orthodox Church jurisdiction and create a schism out of nowhere!
https://www.tiktok.com/@king.menelaos/video/7532309809383640327
He indeed declared a war on UOC. He wants UOC to no longer exist. His army are the hooligans that are beating up people in the UOC churches and “vote” to “voluntarily” transfer them to OCU. My credibility can be checked against the videos that made it around the world, like for example the travesty that happened at St. Michael’s Cathedral, where people including Metr. Theodosy were given concussions, burned eyes and skin, broken bones, etc
Schismatics are those that are outside the canonical OC today. Past schismatics are not a problem, they are not beating up people and even killing them. You clearly don’t want to tell the truth so you are bringing up some past stories that are irrelevant to the violence of the OCU schismatics against Ukraine…
Montenegro does not want their own church. Get your facts straight. The SCHISMATICS Montenegrins want their own church. I have read they are doing something like this in Romania, too. Some moron went there and created his own schismatic church. This is NOT how the OC functions. We can’t have Patr. Barto blessing shisms everywhere, that no one here except you and Joseph L recognize. That is the protestant way, not the orthodox way.
No, the Balkan nations do not want to be part of the EU, NATO and have their own church. The powers of the world want that. I lived over there and it was imposed to them. They did not want it, just like millions of Ukrainians do not want Barto as their patriarch, but he is pushing himself in.
Phanar wants to be the leader, but no one is following. It’s embarrassing! There is no glory at Phanar. “Yes, Bartholomeu wants to bring back to the fold, what was part of the original Orthodox church.”, but he can’t, so he figures he will steal UOC churches to make the numbers look good. But they are empty! No followers, you see! It’s like an wanna be actor trying to make it to Hollywood but he can’t. No talent to have a strong following. His numbers in Goarch are lowering. Same in Turkey. No one wants him in Ukraine except a few schismatics. What can I say? The trees might like him more than people.
Alexandria patriarchate that ordained a woman deacon and Barto encroaching on the russian church’s territory, had it coming. What do you expect? You know every action has a reaction, right? You are not being truthful, almost every month local churches are calling for a council. But Barto doesn’t want it because he would have to waive bye bye to OCU. Yeah, let phanar unite with the catholics, so they are going to be outside the OC and let the rest of us be orthodox. He is the enemy of the millions of people of Ukraine that he is hurting. Have you heard about the nuns that were thrown out in the snow from their own monastery recently? Oh, no! Of course not! Not part of the propaganda you consume.
No, no favoritsm, I call him Barto because others here call him Barto. It is short. for Bartholomew. Doesn’t mean anything bad. Same for Elpi. No I am not partisan, I am against schisms, and Barto the CEO of schisms. He will go in the history as a trouble maker for the canonical OC and a CEO of schismatics. If Kirill would do this, causing violence and even death to the Ukrainian orthodox people, I would be just as critical.
When does Bart have time to pray? He has wrapped himself in governmental affairs which involve murder and mayhem.
Excellent post!
…and here it goes, just what I was writing about yesterday:
https://spzh.eu/en/news/90546-head-of-schismatic-church-of-montenegro-files-an-appeal-to-phanar
Legalizing the defrocked, unrepented schismatics of OCU created a precedent. Now every schismatic “church” can “ask” to be given legitimacy.
It shoud be noted that the schismatic “church” of Montenegro that is “asking for autocephaly” is NOT the canonical church. So this is very important, because, like OCU, this is a schismatic structure. When Barto says he gave Ukraine it’s autocephaly because they asked for it, what he actually means is
he gave the small schismatic structure of OCU a piece of paper, saying it is autocephalous because the schismatic OCU “church” asked for it (not to be confused with the Canonical UOC, that is represented by millions of Ukrainians and it the largest OC in Ukraine, which never asked Barto for autocephaly).
With anti-historical propaganda like this (“distinct peoples”):
…As Ukrainians and Russians are distinct peoples, the Ukrainian people had petitioned Moscow to allow them autocephaly for decades, only for their appeals to fall upon deaf ears until His All-Holiness signed the Tomos of Autocephaly for the Orthodox Church in Ukraine….
Who needs any more convincing that the Archon’s text is not to be taken seriously?
“distinct peoples”? Give us a break….Go ahead, Archons..try proving your point by doing a DNA test…what do you think you’ll find in the Ukraine? You will find Russian, or Uniate (German, Polish, Lithuanian) DNA…there won’t be any “distinct Ukrainian” in there…
And if that’s not enough, just the fact that Ounoufry’s flock is staunchly resisting being “absorbed” by the illegitimate schismatic Uniates (who Bartholomew agreed were illegitimate and schismatic in his 1992 and 1997 letters), that fact alone should prove to you that there is no “homogeneous population” within the boundaries of whatever the world used to call the Ukraine…
The damage the EP has done is incalculable. He knew that by intruding into Russian territory it would set off a chain reaction of events that could very easily erupt in open military conflict.
There is no way around this.
Now, let me be a little sarcastic: Bart has found a way to deal with the influx of converts to Orthodoxy in America. That is, continue the byzantine treachery that the Phanar is famous for. As for Elpi, come out as a wokester and drive those interested in Orthodoxy out of the parishes.
Who ever said the Archons were ‘pretending’ ignorance???
Even the GOAA didn’t care how they made their money !
Well, thank God for the Holy Saints Hierarchs and Patriarchs of Constantinople. Constantinople had its share of Holy Saint Hierarchs and Patriarchs but also its share of those hierarchs and patriarchs that went on a power trip and tangents and abused their power by drastically departing from canons. The Church continued, but they are mortals. They caused some damage but then they were gone. It is Christ that is the Head of the Church, not them. They hit it hard from all directions, but it stands, because it is not of this world. And it will stand until the end of time.
A supposedly “ecumenical” patriarch should care about the unity of the Orthodox world. Bartholomew instead is creating one schism after another! Orthodoxy has never been so divided like today and mostly because of Bartholomew’s actions. But surprisingly enough, he seeks for unity with the Catholics, the Protestants, the Jews etc. Definitely a Freemason…
I have a correction to make. He is not the worst Patriarch since Meletios Metaxakis. He is worse than Meletios Meaxakis. In my opinion, he is the worst Patriarch in the history of Konstantinople.
The surprising thing about the Archon’s “brief guide” is that there’s no mention at all about the war in Ukraine. It is specifically this war that made Patriarch Bartholomew change his mind about Ukrainian autocephaly. Sure, there was schism in Ukraine (over autocephaly no less) before the war started in 2014, but it was reasoned that the Russian Church could take care of this. After all, wasn’t it the Russian Church that granted autocephaly to Georgia in 1943, to Poland in 1948, to Czechoslovakia in 1951, and to the OCA in 1970? Wasn’t it reasonable then to assume that the Russian Church might grant autocephaly to Ukraine also?
Joseph,
You are embarrassing yourself again. Stop talking about autocephaly for Ukraine. The schismatics are not a church so they don’t need autocephaly. It is a structure that is made up of defrocked priests and fake monks. Literally, if you would follow what is going on there, you would know that the “monks” are actually working and are paid by the minister of culture. They get paid to be there, yes. But they are no monks. They don’t even pray. One of them smarter than the rest and more humble, left, he said there is not prayer there. Those guys are there hoping to become bishops and pretend they are monks, but they are not. They do not need autocephaly because they are not a church. Don’t compare Georgia, Poland, and Czechoslovakia with those guys who work for the government. The “bishops” of OCU tell the faithful that they can eat meat during lent because not eating meat is Russian propaganda. Seriously? I know you are ok with braking the canons but even for you, how many are you willing to break? And I am not here to tell you this like a pharisee, I have my own sins, but I would never break a canon on purpose.