EDITOR’S NOTE (Nick Stamatakis). Today’s event at the White House was remarkable. President Trump was as gracious and entertaining as ever, referring to many community members and praising their participation in the “American Dream.” AB Elpidophoros, with his awkwardness and inadequateness, fumbled up concepts and symbols of war and peace and almost messed up the event – his kissing up to Trump was all too obvious… He likened Trump to Emperor and Saint “Constantine the Great”…. but you can judge for yourselves by watching the video below. Elpidophoros can kiss Trump’s behinds all he wants – but Putin will let both him and Patriarch Bartholomew pay the price for Ukraine’s “CACOCEPHALY”…
QUESTION TO ALL GREEK-AMERICANS: When will we manage to set the clerics aside to where they belong, the Churches, and we will elect our leadership far and away from these unworthy and incompetent priests and hierarchs? When will we push these traitors, these “Ottoman-worshippers” to the side? How ironic to celebrate “Greek Independence” with these Phanariotes who value the “Sultan Erdogan” more than they value Greece?
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Orthodox archbishop likens Trump to Emperor ‘Constantine the Great’
Greek Independence Day, on March 25, marks the beginning of the Greek revolt against Ottoman rule in 1821 and overlaps with the Feast of the Annunciation.
The highest-ranking cleric of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America (GOARCH) on Monday championed President Donald Trump’s leadership and likened him to the Roman Emperor Constantine I.
“Through your leadership, you embody the values of our Christian faith & love for the Gospel. You remind me of the great Roman Emperor, Constantine the Great,” Archbishop Elpidophoros told Trump at the White House during an event to commemorate Greek Independence Day.
The characterization is notable, not just due to the comparison of Trump to an Orthodox saint, but because Elpidophoros is generally regarded as ranking among American Orthodoxy’s more liberal leaders. He has spoken at both the Republican National
Constantine, moreover, ranks among the most famous and noteworthy of Christian saints. Venerated as St. Emperor Constantine the Great, Equal of the Apostles, in the Orthodox Church, Constantine is credited with Christianizing the Roman Empire.
Though the details of this process are in dispute, the traditional narrative states that Constantine received a vision of a Christian symbol (there is debate as to whether it was a cross or chi rho) prior to the Battle of Milvian Bridge in 312 A.D., which he then had his soldiers paint upon their shields to ensure victory. Some accounts include the Latin text “In hoc signo vinces” or “In this sign, you conquer.” Under his reign, Christianity achieved legal status, the church convened the Council of Nicaea and established the Nicene Creed that many Christians still recite to this day. His saintly status is more complicated in Roman Catholicism, though he is venerated in both that church and in the Anglican Communion.
After the event, Trump issued a statement declaring a “national day of celebration of Greek and American Democracy.”
“America is inextricably tied to both ancient and modern Greece. We are tethered by history and tradition, the struggle for self-governance, emancipation, and rebirth,” Trump said. “Our Founding Fathers drew inspiration from Greek philosophers and statesmen to form the tenets of our new Republic, now enshrined in our Constitution. Our national character has been shaped, in part, by the indelible impact of Greek influence in the arts and architecture, language and literature, and academia and military tradition.”
I agree that we should have leaders that are not churchmen. But America is not a good fit for such a scenario. For instance, if our community was repressed as the blacks were before Civil rights, then, a leader could emerge, The only approximation to a non-religious leader that we have is the president of AHEPA. I am no longer an AHEPAN, but I can see such leadership as being appropriate.
I disagree… the problem is not with Clergymen leading our nation (which practically as leaders of the Church have primacy over our earthly Caesars) or our communities but the Problem is when our Clergymen become sick with the Heretic and Schismatic Vatican virus of the Pope who wants to be an earthly political leader rather than a servant of our Lord and Savior the Messiah of the Biblical Hebrews (not to be confused with the PseudoJewish, PseudoSemitic Zionist usurpers of our times) Jesus Christ whose CONCEPTION we celebrate today on the feast day of Evangelismos (mistranslated by the Angloservile ignorants as Annunciation!)
The Ludlow Massacre, as well as the related “Greek Immigrant tent city burning” in Kansas City a little over a hundred years ago are true American history events that demonstrate unspeakable repression, hostility, as well as “lynching” of Greeks. Yet, nobody knows of these shameful events… almost nobody even knows that there are Greek American authors that wrote about these subjects, when they should be taught at every parish, in theory. A true leader outside of the church really didn’t emerge from any of that. Many celebrities, but perhaps not “national leaders” of the Greek diaspora.
To have AHEPA openly lead the Greek-American community, would be even more terrible! A Masonic organization that says clearly in their constitution that their goal is the assimilation of the Greeks in the American society!
They are doing a “good” job hiding behind every archbishop and live like parasites in every Greek church. They suck a portion of the money of the unsuspected Greek faithful parishioners and transfer it to their lodges. They are mainly responsible for the dehellenization of the Greek churches and for shutting down many Greek schools! They are responsible for the treasonous Prespes agreement, since Kammenos is their member! They are responsible for the destruction of Greece by Mitsotakis, since he is also their member! They don’t need more publicity…
Is Elpi still planning to go to the rainbow-flag draped St. Bartholomew’s again this year to demonstrate his patriotism and love of traditional Orthodox values and Canons?
Nobody will be surprised if he does… but we will make sure President Trump knows how “woke” he truly is.
I have been doing my level best posting on X the heretical and global nature and intentions of the current regime: AB Elpidoktonos and Pat Bart. Trump must be forewarned against any agreements or promises made with Greeks in Black Robes in high Holy places of employment.
Well Elpidoforos is still servile to the enemies of Christianity be it the Vatican, the Protestants, the Turks, the Globalists and the woke Marxists… He is servant of every Christ Hater, except Jesus Christ! I pray and hope that he will change heart, mind and demeanour and rise up to the high calling he at least superficially seems to have signed up for by becoming a Clergyman and Hierarch of the ONE, HOLY, CATHOLIC and APOSTOLIC CHURCH! A Church of Saints, Martyrs, Confessors of Faiths and believers!
Elpidoktonos knows most Greeks love Trump – he’s got egg on his face
PROS:
It was short and sweet unlike Demetrios’s torturous speeches that frustrated presidents
Trump enjoyed himself
ELPI used clear English
The Cross was a great gesture
The room was boisterously MAGA
Alex Bidenopoulos was kept far way from the event
CONS:
Bearded men in black robes, head gear, and pictures around their necks that look like Bin Laden confuse the Americans and the press.
The message of who represents whom is confused. Are we Greeks only , are we the Orthodox Church of All Orthodox , why are we represented by faith leaders if this is a political event, is ELPI a Greek or a Turk? It’s all fouled up , America doesn’t have it as a priority to unravel Byzantium. (which doesn’t exist any more, BTW).
The Constantine metaphor was too much and inappropriate to an American leader. Constantine murdered his son.
ELPI failed to give context to the strategic importance of our faith or of Hellenism to America and he failed to THANK America for all it has done for the Greeks . Could have been done in 5 sentences.
All good points. Regarding who represents us, other ethnic groups in America have religious leaders but in secular events such as celebrating “Greek Independence” (or lobbying Congress or the State Dept. for any issue), shouldn’t we have an umbrella organization with leaders alternating or elected every3-4 years to do the job? I realize that the “Ethnarchs” (such as AB Makarios of Cyprus and many others – no to mention AB Iakovos) is a long standing issue in our history (9 out of 10 of them damaged Hellenic interest).
But given that the Patriarchate is under the boot of the “Sultan” Erdogan or the Turkish Foreign Ministry, what business does Elpidophoros have representing us in the White House or anywhere else in DC? Did he mention the word “Greece” once yesterday? I am not sure… He certainly didn’t mention “Ottoman Empire”, understandably.
COMPARING ANY PRESIDENT TO ANY EMPEROR IS WRONG ON ALL LEVELS.
I am not clear as to the thinking of Archbishop Elpidophoros concerning this matter, but for myself I see a very pertinent comparison: Both Constantine I and Donald J Trump were persons who had led sinful lives but who then positioned themselves to protect the rights of Christians.
I wish Trump the best.
I have been repeatedly disappointed in Abp. Elpidophoros over the years going all the way back to his time as an archimandrite at the Phanar, but I thought this was pretty good!
Agree to many comments here. The Italian-Americans for example do not have a religious leader representing them. This needs to change. Archbishop Elpidophoros was awkward and insincere in his comments and came across that way. President Trump is weary of Greek-Americans because he is very aware of the role Karloutsos played in undermining him.
It’s appalling the Orthodox Observer newsletter they send out did not include any photo of AB next to the President ‼️
“They” only liked headlining Archbishop was at White House but no pic of Trump??
I’m going to telephone Archdiocese + ask why!!
Because all of his PR is done out of Greece by Leftists. True.
ΑΝ ΟΝΤΩΣ ΥΠΑΡΧΕΙ ΣΧΕΣΙΣ ΤΟΥ TRUMP ΜΕ ΤΟΝ ΜΕΓΑ ΚΩΝΣΤΑΝΤΙΝΟ ΤΟΤΕ ΠΡΕΠΕΙ Ο ΠΡΟΕΔΡΟΣ ΑΥΤΟΣ ΝΑ ΜΑΣ ΕΠΙΣΤΡΕΨΗ ΤΗΝ ΠΟΛΗ,,,