(UPDATE – 5.40 PM). Some in our audience communicated to me a very important point: Metropolitan Nathanael had a good opportunity in his hands to show the world that he is a proud leader of the Church and community. For example, his dress code could have been “all black,” and he could have added on his shirt the symbol of the cross and the words “Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Chicago” – or something to that effect. If he appeared in a way that would be in accordance with his sacred office, the reaction from the people would probably be different – even though he would have violated the “monastic” code… At least he would have shown pride for his Church and Community. Instead, he chose to hide the most important part of his identity and to be secretive and elusive… Very much like the Archbishop did in his infamous gay baptism… What a shame!...
By Nick Stamatakis
Never a boring day in the news business!! We thought we had seen everything, but this must be a first in Orthodoxy – please correct me if I am wrong…
Metropolitan Nathanael of Chicago was seen and photographed yesterday participating in the 2022 Chicago Marathon… Yes, my friends, the youngest Metropolitan of GOA took a break from going to Church for Sunday service and instead took part in the Chicago Marathon. And finished it in 5:20:15!!… Our congratulations to the fairly young Metropolitan!
In our days, the whole Istanbul Patriarchate is hell-bent on applying globalist and novelist ideas in all aspects of Church life. Just last week, Patriarch (and Pope) Theodoros of Alexandria was heard to proclaim, in his speech at the event in his honor in NYC, his goal to add female deacons (deaconesses?) in the Church. Did he also mention the need for this novelty to be agreed upon in an Orthodox Synod? No, he did not. Like all globalist hierarchs, he thinks it’s up to his “immense” personality to make such decisions… By the way, I have heard the rumors that Met. Nathanael is using altar girls – and please, you, our readers in Chicago, provide more info if this is true… Again, is this his own decision and policy?
Nathanael could practice sports more privately, and no eyebrows would be raised. He could have an exercise machine or a private gym in his home or run all he wanted in a more private setting… He could even play basketball with GOYA in a parish gym and very few would say much, even though the circumstances for abandoning the “raso” for a Metropolitan would be much stricter than those for a priest… But if you leave Sunday service to participate in the most public sports event in the city where you serve, dressed like a “regular guy”, then you are breaking the rules… And you are violating the respect owed to your sacred office and title. You are not a holder of public office or a military officer who suddenly decides to wear sports clothing and run in the Marathon. These are secular officials, while you are holding a sacred office, and you are a successor to the Apostles of Christ! And above all, you are a monastic! You cannot make this jump to secularism as if it is normal and expected!…
But when the Patriarch lives in the wealthiest neighborhood of Istanbul, next to the villas of Turkish Presidents and other leaders overlooking the Bosporus, competing with them in materialism, when he cares the most about his bank accounts in Switzerland (and please let me stop here – I could write a lot more on his sinful life) what do we expect? When AB Elpidoktonos had made it a standard policy to secularize everything, from the multiple spoons to the priests’ clothing and haircut, what did we expect? The slippery slope to secularization will be the abolition of everything sacred and the demolition of the Church…
A final note: Met. Nathanael should get credit for not choosing to run in the “Non-binary” section of the Chicago Marathon (Please link here to the Chicago Tribune)!! But give him some time, and God only knows what he will do next year!!
October 10, 2022, n.stamatakis@aol.com www.helleniscope.com
DISCLAIMER: The views and statements expressed in this article constitute constitutionally protected opinions of this author.
What else will we see, God only knows!!
Which further justifies the parents who taxi their kids to Sunday morning soccer/tether ball/hootball/baseball etc instead of Church…like those kids will score lucrative pro ball careers…Like the mom who asked the priest where she should take her seven year old…great example there, Bish! Make sure you cultivate all those future gyro makers to fund your “lifestyle”
Back when I was a kid, my parents set the priorities. God first, then home, then good grades…no excuses. Parents are parents, not friends. Bishops are spiritual leaders and educators, not running buddies
And to think that the reason the antimension (αντιμηνσιον) came into existence was because it was not physically possible for a bishop to simultaneously attend every parish service in his jurisdiction…back in those early days bishops were actually saddened they couldn’t attend all parishes at the same time…nowadays it doesn’t seem to phase them to be absent from “all” their parishes.
It would be an interesting question as to how any metropolitan can defend running the marathon as an excusable “exception”, at the same time when the faithful who attended services were chanting or responding to these well-known liturgical phrases:
καί πᾶσαν τήν ζωήν ἡμῶν Χριστῷ τῷ Θεῷ παραθώμεθα
(…and our whole life (we offer) to Christ our God..)
πᾶσαν νῦν βιοτικὴν ἀποθώμεθα μέριμναν
(…now lay aside every worldly care…)
We may also recall this important excerpt about “scandalizing my brother”, from the first letter to the Corinthians (substitute “eat meat” with “run a marathon on Sunday”, perhaps?)…
Διόπερ εἰ βρῶμα σκανδαλίζει τὸν ἀδελφόν μου, οὐ μὴ φάγω κρέα εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα, ἵνα μὴ τὸν ἀδελφόν μου σκανδαλίσω. Οὐκ εἰμὶ ἀπόστολος; Οὐκ εἰμὶ ἐλεύθερος;
As a final point of “pondering”…we can’t even begin to speculate about how the 10 Commandments apply to the case of bishops, especially about “keeping one day of the week Holy”… There may have even been some Canons violated here…the experts should examine those details.
Either way, if this is a valid photograph of a metropolitan running in Sunday’s marathon, the word Anaxios comes to mind for sure, with all the Canonical repercussions that this term may entail.
But keep on joyously filling up those donation trays, o ye “sheep”…even as your “shepherd” is running a Sunday marathon as a “personal sacrifice” on your behalf…
Make your home a church now. God is separating the wheat from the chaff right in front of our very eyes. Thank you Helleniscope for your hard work and revelations.
Metropolitan Nathanael has changed the entire Metropolis of Chicago into a business organization. Now we know why priests in his Metropolis can never get a hold of him, it was because he is too busy training for the Marathon.
And now we know why his Chancellor, Bishop Timothy, was in NY at the Patriarchal Liturgy, because he was representing Nathanael who couldn’t make it because he was too busy running a marathon.
Hey – soon we’ll see AB Elpidoforos running too with bf Vassily…
these two –
always ready to scandalize Orthodoxy as they yell Skasila mas
The world is going to the dogs…
O Tempora O Mores!
‘Εχουμε χάλια!
Poor Nathaniel lost his mind years ago before being Bishop, it’s tragic, we chatted back then and I was flabbergasted with his leftist brainwashed drivel. SMH…
Go help our confused Nate
I guess I can’t be upset any more about parents choosing sporting events for their kids on Sunday mornings…
As you can tell I did not criticize his need to exercise his body. But when you assume the “monastic” title and office of “Metropolitan” you must follow these rules that come with it for life. Make no mistake – he is a monastic above all else. Would you admit someone to monasticism if they would enter secular life, back and forth at will? This, among so many other issues…
I don’t know much about Bp Nate, but am not scandalized by him participating in a marathon. Concern for his physical well-being is encouraging. Our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit and we should take of them. Many clerics are over weight and don’t take care of themselves. Additionally, one can run a marathon to the glory of God and put aside earthly cares while running. I find exercise as a valuable opportunity for prayer and often find myself connecting with our Lord during exercise and specifically running.
Care must be taken to not criticizing every action of every bishop/priest. Would we applaud or criticize a lay person who participated in an athletic event on a Sunday? Judgement must be exercised with caution and humility.
It doesn’t matter if you don’t know much about Bp Nate (or maybe you actually do know him and you are intentionally posting here in a unsuccessful effort to defend him), but this was never a debate about exercising the body, so your angle of approach is missing the mark at best…in fact for many centuries now, monastics believe in “hard physical labor” to tire and exercise the body all day. Yet, monastics don’t miss any services either, no matter how hard they labor their bodies…
This discussion is simply about the facts surrounding juvenile, selfish, unbecoming, irreverent, and immature judgement as well as about priorities set by someone who is supposed to be a role model. It is certainly not Orthodox tradition for Bishops to take a “day off” on Sunday in favor of engaging in personal athletic activities. Whether or not you (“JK”) personally find that jogging places you into a prayerful state is totally irrelevant to the poor example of a bishop “skipping church on Sunday” that is being reported here…as others have posted on this thread, in this secular nation, youth sports events have been a plague for Orthodox family attendance during Sunday services…what message does a “shepherd” who skips Sunday services in favor of “exercise” send?
Finally, in the secular world, when someone “skips” a mandatory meeting, there are usually repercussions, and oftentimes they lose pay as well, if they aren’t simply fired. Is the metropolitan willing to abandon 1 weeks’ pay from the annualized sum, which, when I last looked at the details of the budget line items that were approved back in 2014, appeared to be about a quarter million dollars annually for most metropolitans…? How many other weeks has he (and others) been absent? Zero consequences will only encourage future lapses in judgement, maybe even worse than this one.
So does “jk” stand for “just kidding”?
Like Nathaniel, I suspect most of the GOA hierarchs are corrupt to the core. Including the archbishop, who treats the faithful much like Erdogan treats the Turkish people–like submissive subjects. There is no room for dissent.
From the start the archbishop has rejected church teaching and succumbed to the woke agenda: BLM, abortion, surrogacy, etc… He closed our churches and defended draconian lockdowns.
He thinks we are too ignorant to notice. He offers “oikonomia” (pastoral leniency) only to ideologues who support the woke agenda. There was no “oikonomia” during the covid madness for those who were against the Mrna jab and believe in informed consent and personal liberty. As a result, people lost their homes and livelihoods. What kind of hierarch does this?
May his days in America be numbered, and may our Lord have mercy upon his soul for deceiving the faithful and for pushing a vile globalist agenda.
May the good priests rise up for truth.
The archbishop fools only himself.
If we clutch the pearls over every little foible we find in our leaders, soon we will have no necklace left, just a narrow noose.
No Manny, it’s not just little pearls we’re clutching – it’s an entire necklace!
We are talking bout serious violations against Orthodox faith and protocol…
Bishop Nathaniel already had a petition to remove him years ago but worse than Nate
is the monumental disaster AB Elpidophoros.
This disgrace has got to be deposed asap!
Not much of an accomplishment…he averaged a 12:30 minute mile, that is walking speed…not jogging nor running
H ομογένεια του Chicago πρέπει να τον στείλει να φοράει μόνιμα αθλητικά ρούχα και να τρέχει όπου θέλει !!
Phil, can you walk/run 26 miles at that pace. Seems like an accomplishment to me.
JK … yes…. for a person that walks a lot, it is not a big deal… not easy, but very do-able. There are charity events that do the Boston marathon course every year on a different day than the actual marathon. These type of events are more appropriate for walkers. To get an official race number to merely walk a marathon is not a path I would recommend. Perhaps he intended to run but got injured… we will probably never know.
Look at his legs in the photo.
He is not running. He is walking.
If he had brought the news from Marathon like that,
the Persian fleet would have been there before him.
Brendan and Phil, completing a marathon is an accomplishment even if you don’t run the whole distance. I am curious if either of you could accomplish that task. Additionally, I realize Sunday is not the best day to participate in a marathon, but the organizers do not plan around church services. I think the bishop should be commended for his effort.
Not all marathons are on Sundays. There seems to be one in Des Plains, IL, this coming Saturday.
Fr, there is one in Alaska as well. Do you know how a person feels after a marathon? They want to get home as soon as possible not get in a car and drive for several hours.
I think, when Alaska is equated, in relation to Chicago, to a suburb of Chicago, it is time for me to bow out of the conversation.
My advice is if he likes to dress this way, he should dress like this always. Why the charade? Disgrace. Can you imagine Saint Paisios or Saint Porphyrios or Saint Nektarios (who also happened to be a bishop) or any other saint that was in the priesthood dressing like this and abandoning their post in church on a Sunday-the day the Lord said we should dedicate to him, and instead going to run in a marathon???? Where do these people get the idea that they are better than the saints to act this way?
What kind of example does he give to the flock he is supposed to be leading when instead of being present at church as the leader on Sunday-he instead abandons his post to go run in a marathon dressed as a jogger? and I’m supposed to see him later on in his robe and wearing his cross and respect him? why? because he changed clothes so now it’s “priest time”? Nathaniel do you think you’re being “cool” or “progressive” and that this will draw more people to come to church? you are deadly. This behavior will TURN OFF people-not the opposite. Even a non-churchgoer will be disgusted because people can tell who values and respects what they are and represent. You should immediately repent in public to everyone in person and online during a Sunday liturgy-only then will you gain the respect you now lost.
Being a cleric is not just another profession like being a garbage man-it is a lifestyle do you understand that? which means the job does not end at 5pm or when you take off your robe. If you want your cake and to eat it too then be a man and resign, and go into the world and work hard like everyone else does- but you won’t because you want to enjoy the benefits of having people respecting you for free- and every other perk that comes with it including a generous salary. You think you can be a priest one minute and whenever you get in the mood live like a lay person? You are GREATLY mistaken if you believe God is ok with that.
A priest or hierarch is not determined by his clothing. Did Jesus dress differently from his contemporaries? Nope, everyone knew who He was by the life he lived, not his dress. Yes, in Orthodoxy clergy have taken on traditional modes of dress depending on the culture in which they live. However, who is to say that the traditional way in which the contemporary ordained saints in Greece dressed is the model for dress in the US? The clothes do not make the priest, bishop or monk. His life does.
As we say in a proverbial Greek expression, “τα ρασα δεν κάνουν τον παπά” (the vestments do not make the priest)… But this is a little different than simply abandoning his official clothing. Because his is not a “job”, not even a service like the military, where an officer can take off his official clothing and be like one of us. I would be curious to see if any Catholic bishop has done the same – I truly doubt it… Are we – the keepers of the faith supposedly – to abandon tradition faster than the Catholics? I have nothing personal against Met.Nathanael, I have even hinted in the past that he may be the likely successor to AB Elpidophoros – and many in the Chicago area were furious in my commentary. It was the lack for respect in the office he is holding and the community he represents that is questioned.
And finally, if we go down that road, the road of “Jesus had no different clothing than his contemporaries”, I have a question for you: There were no Bishops, no Archbishops and no hierarchy then. Are you ready to support abolishing the hierarchy? Because I am for it… And I see no serious reason for its existence… They can easily be replaced by “term-limited” elected officials to serve “organizational issues” (like expanded ministries, and similar). And then the clergy-laity congresses will take their true meaning…
First, I affirm what papman stated. Jesus wore no distinguished garb. That is why Judas had to identify Him with a kiss in the garden. I guarantee you that many early bishops Kim Chryosotom would not have been caught dead in the outfit that modern bishops wear.
Nick, the Catholic bishop where I live plays golf and tennis. I have friends who golf with him and others who have seen him playing tennis. Additionally, there are several Catholic priests who with out at the same gym where I work out.
Nick, if I understand you correctly, you want to abolish all clergy because the offices of Bp, presbyter and deacon did not exist at the time of Jesus. You are correct there were apostles who ordained the 3 levels of clergy mentioned in the NT- check Timothy and Titus. Your thinking would rob the church of great men like Basil, Chrysostom and the Gregories and countess others, who were Bishops.
Why would great men like the ones you mentioned abandon the Church? They would find their mission in synodical structures. Actually, many of them shined in the Great Synods… Especially in our age, great teachers with charisma and faith, can easily reach millions. But somehow, we have to control the permanent power structures that may fall into the hands of corrupt leaders such as the ones we are dealing with today…
More frequent local clergy-laity congresses may be the best avenue, especially in our time when we can organize regular meetings easier (and some of these can be done remotely). And then in the more permanent structures (as I said in ministries, missions and such) we can have “term limits”.
Our forefathers put all their wisdom to establish checks and balances in the American Constitution, knowing the limits of human nature. We can “steal” and adopt some of their ideas. The number one problem in today’s GOA is corruption. The American Justice system as we have seen has been rendered very slow and inefficient… So we have to provide practical solutions.
The first Eucharist ever was celebrated at the Last Supper…this was the first time that Christ officiated as the “Great Arch-priest” (Heb 7:17), to train the “New Bishops” (Apostles) on how to celebrate Liturgy in the future.
Christ was obedient to the Old Testament Law until the end…this is well known. In those days, only the Priests of the Temple (Pharisees) wore the garments that distinguished them from the rest (and we have references of those several times). Therefore, how does this illogical argument that “they didn’t wear clothing differentiating them from the rest” hold any root here? It makes no sense given the societal and Old Testament regulatory environment of the time. Christ had to demonstrate restraint and patience, and this is why he was born in a cave, without fanfare. However, the people DID acknowledge Jesus on multiple occasions as “Rabbi”, so the conscience of the people was not fooled…They knew EXACTLY Who they were encountering (he WAS different from the rest), with or without a “formal” tonsuring or vestments as an Old Testament Priest. [Incidentally…If Metropolitan Nate were resurrecting the dead while running the Marathon, the tone of this thread would certainly have been quite different…but that’s not the case, is it? The Marathon participation was a totally selfish act, devoid of spiritual purpose.]
The fact that it took some years (after severe persecutions) before that tradition became established in Christianity is irrelevant at this point…Subsequent Canons have been established by the Ecumenical Synods establishing tradition… The Priesthood is one of two “non-mandatory” Mysteries of the Church (the other is Marriage)…it is totally voluntary. If you don’t like the rules that govern the Orthodox priesthood, then you should remain a lay person, plain and simple. Otherwise, you risk adopting a Protestant mindset, making your own rules and establishing your own “Church”…
And even if one would try to argue that some Canons are “man-made” or “questionable”, the aforementioned excerpt from 1 Corinthians 8:13 still applies here…”if it’s going to scandalize the flock, don’t do it…” Even Metropolitans can’t argue with that scriptural reference, can they?
How would we explain Apostolic Succession if were to do away with leadership of the Church?
When under pressure from faithless leaders, we will do without apostolic succession… the faith itself is more important than apostolic succession… What’s the use of apostolic succession if it depends on corrupt and faithless leadership?
“The life he led”
So what life is the Bishop leading by doing this on a Sunday when he should be in a church somewhere? What example?
Or will you say next that the church isn’t a building and you can worship from anywhere, even a marathon?
Markos, the celebration of the first eucharist is nothing like what is done today. Just take a look at the icon. The words of institution are the same but the practice is completely different. Additionally, are you saying Jesus wore distinctive clothing or not? I can’t follow your reasoning.
I’m beginning to think these Hierarchs
know they can do anything stupid
because
there’s no leadership to fire them?
Krickers. The man is a goofball…did you expect anything else?
I get it now!
Nathaniel is another Kardashian Hierarch
just like Elps the 1st Kardashian AB.
I think I’ll vomit 🤮
https://results.chicagomarathon.com/2022/?pid=list
Can I ask you where you found your results for Metropolitan Nathanael? I carefully searched on the
Chicago tribune website and no results posted for him .nor does that that bib number he’s wearing exists , as it looks photoshopped by you.
Today we further investigated the case, and our sources gave us the news that “during the clergy meeting this past Tuesday Nathanael confirmed that he was at the marathon. He said he didn’t expect such a big deal to be made about it.” Regarding the photo and the registration, we cannot explain what transpired. But we have asked the Chicago Marathon office and are waiting for their response.
As I explained in another comment, I have nothing personal against Nathanael and I received harsh criticism last year when I hinted that he might replace the Archbishop. In Helleniscope we practice this most basic Christian teaching of sincerely apologizing if we made a mistake. So far in the 3 years of operating this website – and despite the fact that we made very serious revelations about grave scandals and other criminal acts – we did not need to issue apologies except in one rather minor issue.
So have no doubt: We are doing the right thing…
Nathanael should make an announcement and explain himself… He shouldn’t give explanations to clergy only..
Nick, as I understand your comment, you wish to restructure the Orthodox church based on the US Constitution rather using the scriptures and the Frs of the church. You miss the point, or purposely avoid the comments I made about Catholic clergy and the Saints I mentioned. The saints were administratively BISHOPS and you wish to abolish the episcopacy and replace it with the US Constitution.
I think that we all agree that our main problem in the Church today (and not only the Orthodox Church) is abuse of power and corruption. Both are directly related to the great political and other powers concentrated in the elaborate hierarchies. I don’t think I need to elaborate on that. Let me just say that just 38 years ago when I first stepped foot in the US, Americans seemed to me (and were) a very honest and hardworking people. Most honest among them, to my surprise, were the businessmen. Why? Because most of them were not affiliated with a “bureaucratic establishment” the source of all problems if we follow the thinking of the “Founders”. What makes us believe that the ecclesiastical bureaucracy is any better? It is not. And until we tackle this problem we will be as frustrated as we are today. The best way to tackle it is to follow the spirit of the “Founders” and apply it to the Church. In other words we need to decentralise the Church and give the power back to the states, sorry the parishes I meant. Do you see anything anti-religious, anti-Christian or anti-Orthodox in this?
Nick, certainly abuse and corruption are significant problems in the church;however, I do not agree that these are the main problems. Where you wish to follow the spirit of the founders, I believe we should follow the spirit of the scriptures, the Father’s, the Saints and our Lord Himself. You are free to believe what you wish.
Additionally, you conveniently avoided responding to my statement about Catholic bishop and priests.
I did get the comments on the Catholic Bishops. Are we going to accept it as an example of appropriate behavior? Are we going to accept that theirs is a regular job or service and at the end of the day they can drop their “job uniform”? Are we going to forget that our bishops are “monks”? Do monks play golf in the evening? My point is simple: If we are going to go back to the early days, then we just need our priests and Their immediate supervising authority will be their parish. The local clergy-laity (which can assemble more often, let’s say monthly or quarterly) and its more permanent (but term-limited) committee can decide for more serious issues. No need for one-person unchecked power other than Jesus Christ. With the little I know, Chrysostom with his charisma, faith and oratorical skill would have shined as part of any assembly – in the same way that many of our todays priests can. Where does the Lord speak about bishops, metropolitans and Archbishops and patriarchs? Looking back in hundreds of years of history, their majority were corrupted by the power of their office, they lost their faith and they scandalised their flocks… In today’s Orthodoxy, the overwhelming majority, probably, over 75% if I had to guess, are corrupted by the power of their office. Ours are also mostly homosexual, who find themselves struggling with their personal choice or peculiarity and use and abuse their office in various ways… or are we to accept married hierarchy? By abolishing hierarchy we avoid the issue of having to deal with such issues…
I am not sure how the result got deleted, but my wife also searched and it was there the day after the race. The video of him crossing the finish line is still up for now: https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/sports/chicago-marathon/watch-2022-bank-of-america-chicago-marathon-finish-line/2963125/
Chicago Marathon Finish Line: 1 p.m.-1:30 p.m.
from 5:38-5:53 of the video (race clock reading 6:05.45-6:05.59), just left of middle, into middle, and then departing camera to the left, bib number H 34058.
AMERICA*
Chicago
Marathon.
Results: Marathon
Unofficial Results | Last Name: Symeonides | First Name:
Nathanael Bib Number: 34058
Place
Gender
Name (CTZ)
No results found.
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mika:timing
( another confirmed “no Result” found)
Today we further investigated the case, and our sources gave us the news that “during the clergy meeting this past Tuesday Nathanael confirmed that he was at the marathon. He said he didn’t expect such a big deal to be made about it.” Regarding the photo and the registration, we cannot explain what transpired. But we have asked the Chicago Marathon office and are waiting for their response.
As I explained in another comment, I have nothing personal against Nathanael and I received harsh criticism last year when I hinted that he might replace the Archbishop. In Helleniscope we practice this most basic Christian teaching of sincerely apologizing if we made a mistake. So far in the 3 years of operating this website – and despite the fact that we made very serious revelations about grave scandals and other criminal acts – we did not need to issue apologies except in one rather minor issue.
So have no doubt: We are doing the right thing…
Nick, read the Epistle to Timothy chapter 3 and Titus the first chapter. Clearly, there were Bishops, priests and deacons in the early church. Clergy are not an innovative of the modern church. Incidentally, these verses indicate that the bishops were married. Now whether the qualifications for clergy are followed as St Paul directed is another issue. Your modeling of the church after the constitution is not the biblical Christian model. Again, you are free to promote your own innovative thinking which is inconsistent with 2000 years of church history. Granted there is corruption in the church, but you can’t change the church based on the corruption.
Incidentally, you were the one who brought up the Catholic church not me.
Nick, please don’t be so disingenuous you lose credibility.
This is a forum for free discussion and exchange of ideas in good faith. The excerpt from Timothy describes the qualities of a deacon and a priest and should be followed. I have referred many times to the “god reputation” (“Εξωθεν καλή μαρτυρία”)… Timothy describes councils of elders… These are compatible with what I have said.
I will admit I am not educated enough on the specific biblical verses, but I am well-read and educated on historical and social issues. All HIERARCHICAL social institutions – and Churches are not an exception by any means – suffer from the same problem, the concentration of power (and money and everything else) to a small bureaucracy. There is no reason for the existence of this bureaucracy unless it supports political power. Example: Without the “Emperor” of Constantinople, the “Ecumenical” Patriarch has no reason for his existence as an office. Parenthesis: this is part of why some wanted to move the Patriarchate to Washington DC. Similarly, this is part of the Russian’s argumentation for the “Third Rome”…
We want the Church away from all these political relations. We can already see the destruction they are bringing in front of our eyes in Ukraine and elsewhere…
The book “Lives of the Holy Apostles” published by Holy Apostles Convent and Dormition Skete in Buena Vista CO and drawn from material contained in “The Menology of St. Dmitri of Rostov” and “The Great Synaxaristes of the Orthodox Church” will shed much light on the deeds and lifestyles of the original apostles (of whom the current crop of bishops are successors). You will not find poncy apostles wearing fancy crowns demanding to be addressed as “Your Eminence,” living in deluxe accomodations, mincing about in stylish athletic garb on Sunday mornings, or schmoozing with the rich, famous, and politically powerful as the moderns are want to do. The originals were known by their first names, lived in voluntary poverty, worked for a living in dirty, menial jobs, and spent their spare time preaching the gospel, healing the sick, casting out demons, and teaching and baptizing new Christians. Most of them were martyred. My favorite is the “Life and Struggles of the Holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian” whose travels and deeds were recorded in remarkable detail by his disciple Prochorus. The modernist plague of corruption descends from the ancient Imperial Byzantine court and the modern neo-Ottomans (Turks with Greek names) of the Phanar. St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco led a modern era life much closer to the pattern established by the Holy Apostles than these controversial “Eminences” who promote schism, heresy, faithlessness, and immorality.
Panos, you forget one important fact-11 of the 12 we’re married. They obviously had to support their families.
Frankly, he looks more GAY than a RUNNER. That’s some weird get-up. And if he ran on a Sunday AM instead of leading his troops from the front, then he deserves to be relieved of command.
“Rules for Thee, but not for Me”
The Archie Bunkers used to mock Iakovos playing baseball and marching with MLK, just as the Al Bundies now mock Nate’s marathon and Elp’s BLM.
Iakovos was wearing his robe when playing baseball – this was a famous photo and all of us remember it. Please be factual and fair if you want to write comments here.
Surely, you must acknowledge that taking a few swings with a baseball bat is different from running a marathon. I know from reliable sources, that Iakovos would go to St Thomas and go swimming- yes in a bathing suit.
And I know for a fact that ALL our hierarchs take a shower daily naked… Those who don’t smell very bad – and they stand no chance in the company of the big donors…
Some live in villas with swimming pools – so they occasionally take a jump…
Guys, we have to get a little more serious here, although I always enjoy some laughs..
Really, please let me know one GOA bishop who owns a villa with a swimming? Nick, this is reckless journalism.
How many times did I write about the multimillion dollar villa of Bartholomew overlooking the Bosporus? You don’t pay attention… I am not 100% sure if it includes a swimming pool – I would be surprised if it didn’t… yet again, what do you need a swimming pool if you have the glorious Bosporus at your feet? I will find out for you… But the point is not the swimming pool but the life in luxury of someone who is supposedly a monastic. Bartholomew’s predecessor, Patriarch Demetrios, lived in a little room in the Phanar… And when he died and was laid on the coffin they saw the holes in his shoes…
If you need a local example look into the luxurious mansion Alexios of Atlanta built for himself…
Do you want me to go on? I will.. I will start investigating further about swimming pools and the rest…
You should investigate before you accuse. I have seen the homes of 3 GOA bishops and they are certainly not villas with pools.
You asked and I replied. When the head of the Church is given to luxury what do you expect? Should I remind you that AB Makarios of Australia ordered the purchase of a $6.5 million home overlooking Sidney Harbor? Just last year I reported that Emmanuel (formerly of France) right after it was known that he desecrated the Metropolis with the “Bulgarian Gay escort scandal”, he bought a $1 million house in the wealthy northern suburbs of Athens? The story of building a villa by Alexios of Atlanta is 6-7 years old… How much more investigation do you need? I was part of uncovering in some of these stories. They are all following the Head of the Church in the Phanar who is as corrupt and filthy and sinful as one can get…
The essence of the issue here is a good bishop’s loving dedication to his Lord and his diocese (or metropolis).
Every Sunday is a day upon which the parishes of the diocese celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. A Eucharistic celebration of that occasion cannot happen without the presence or the blessing of the diocese’s bishop, as he is Christ’s representative to the diocese. All the mysteries flow from Christ through the bishop to the clergy and people of the diocese. Unless the bishop is deathly ill, or has some other extraordinary Eucharistic commitment, it goes without saying that he must be present in his cathedral or one of his parishes on any given Sunday.
(I understand that it is customary for a bishop to be present for a Sunday liturgy nearby even while traveling on vacation. Correct me, please, if I’m mistaken.)
Furthermore, since he is the guardian of the Apostolic Tradition for his diocese, it is the bishop’s duty to preach the Gospel and otherwise teach the people, rightly dividing the Word of truth. Also, since he is the chief pastor of his flock, dedication to the salvation of the souls of his people demands that he be present for their loving care, even beyond delivery of Word and Sacrament. A good bishop will be approachable and ready to hear the personal concerns of his people and respond to them, Sunday by Sunday, parish by parish.
It’s a tall order, but that is what they signed up for at their consecration.