EDITOR’S NOTE (Nick Stamatakis): According to this report by Romfea.gr, also reported by Orthochrostian.com (both below), Bishop of Medeias Apostolos, prompted by the Secretariat of the Patriarchate, requested from priests in New Jersey reports on the “intrusion” of ROCOR and other Russian parishes into GOA parishes… Well, well, well… They finally realized that the Greek faithful would NOT take their games anymore and would move to other Orthodox Churches. ROCOR is the prime magnet, not because it is Russian but because this Church keeps Orthodox tradition. The same is true for the Antiochian Church.
My advice to the degenerates of Phanar and their “brothers in crime” in America: There is a limit to whatever you can do legally with this issue, as in this country, we still enjoy the freedom of religion. Furthermore, one of those faithful who very consciously moved to ROCOR (many years ago) – while he grew up in a GOA family – and still serves as a deacon at a ROCOR parish in New Jersey is federal Judge Stephanos Bibas, whose legal stature and intellect are unsurpassed. Judge Bibas became widely known for rejecting one of the Trump campaign motions after the 2020 elections. He is a devout Orthodox, and made his choices after deep study and self-reflection. If I were you, Bishop Apostolos, I would take back this disgusting letter IMMEDIATELY… GOA has enough lawsuits against her; you do not need one more… Shame on you, anyway, for transferring the divisive political games from Ukraine to the American Orthodoxy…
We will be moving to any Church we choose, Russian or Antiochian or other… Or we will stay home and pray on our own…
Stay away from this issue, you Phanariotes…
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CONSTANTINOPLE STUDYING ACTIVITY OF RUSSIAN CHURCH IN NEW JERSEY, ROMFEA REPORTS
New York, March 24, 2023
Abp. Elpidophoros (left) instructed Bp. Apostolos (right) to conduct a study to present the results to Pat. Bartholomew. Photo: Romfea
The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America is preparing a report on the activity of the Russian Orthodox Church in New Jersey to be presented to Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople, reports the Greek outlet Romfea, with reference to its own sources.
According to the report, Bishop Apostolos of Medeia sent an email to the clergy of the Metropolis of New Jersey asking for information on the activity of Moscow Patriarchal and Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia parishes, and also parishes of the Orthodox Church in America within the boundaries of the Metropolis of New Jersey.
The bishop writes in his email: “Archbishop Elpidophoros of America forwarded me a letter from the Chief Secretary of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, with which he requests that we present to Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew a report on the presence and work of the Moscow Patriarchate within the Holy Metropolis of New Jersey.”
In particular, the bishop asks for a list of Moscow and ROCOR parishes, and whether these parishes have any interaction with the GOARCH clergy or parishioners.
“In addition, my personal request is that you also provide me with a report on the OCA parishes in your area,” Bp. Medeia adds.
A report will be compiled from the information gathered to be presented to Pat. Bartholomew as soon as possible.
According to their official websites, the Moscow Patriarchate has 6 parishes directly under it in New Jersey, ROCOR has 14, and the OCA has 25.
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Ο Επίσκοπος Μηδείας ζητά πληροφορίες για την δράση του Πατριαρχείου Μόσχας στην Ι.Μ. Νέας Ιερσέης
Του Αιμίλιου Πολυγένη
Επιστολή μέσω ηλεκτρονικής αλληλογραφίας (e-mail) απέστειλε σύμφωνα με πληροφορίες της Romfea.gr στους κληρικούς της Ιεράς Μητροπόλεως Νέας Ιερσέης, ο Επίσκοπος Μηδείας κ. Απόστολος.
Με την εν λόγω επιστολή, ο Επίσκοπος Μηδείας φέρεται να ζητά από τους κληρικούς στοιχεία και πληροφορίες σχετικά με την δράση του Πατριαρχείου Μόσχας, της ROCOR και της OCA στα όρια της Ιεράς Μητροπόλεως Νέας Ιερσέης.
Ο Θεοφιλέστατος στην αρχή της επιστολής μεταξύ άλλων τονίζει: “Ο Αρχιεπίσκοπος Αμερικής κ. Ελπιδοφόρος μου διαβίβασε επιστολή του Αρχιγραμματέα του Οικουμενικού Πατριαρχείου, με την οποία ζητά να προσκομίσουμε στον Οικουμενικό Πατριάρχη κ. Βαρθολομαίο έκθεση για την παρουσία και το έργο του Πατριαρχείου Μόσχας εντός της Ιεράς Μητροπόλεως Νέας Ιερσέης”.
Στη συνέχεια ο Επίσκοπος Μηδείας παρακαλεί τους κληρικούς να δώσουν τις παρακάτω συγκεκριμένες πληροφορίες:
1) Ρωσικές Ορθόδοξες Ενορίες κοντά στην Εκλησία σας και που βρίσκονται ακριβώς κάτω από το Πατριαρχείο Μόσχας ή υπό την δικαιοδοσία της ROCOR
2) Παρακαλώ να με ενημερώσετε εάν κάποια από αυτές τις ενορίες έχει οποιαδήποτε αλληλεπίδραση μαζί σας ή τους ενορίτες σας
3) Επιπλέον, προσωπικό μου αίτημα είναι να μου παράσχετε επίσης και μια αναφορά για τις ενορίες της OCA στην περιοχή σας.
Ο Θεοφιλέστατος ο οποίος έχει και τις ευθύνες για την λειτουργία της Ιεράς Μητροπόλεως Νέας Ιερσέης, ζητά να διαβιβάσουν την έκθεση το συντομότερο δυνατό, ώστε να μπορέσει να ετοιμάσει ο ίδιος την έκθεση για τον Παναγιώτατο.
Κλείνοντας ο Επίσκοπος Μηδείας μεταφέρει τις πατρικές ευλογίες του Αρχιεπισκόπου Αμερικής κ. Ελπιδοφόρου, και εύχεται καλό υπόλοιπο της Αγίας Τεσσαρακοστής.
The GOA has been instructed to ‘study’ and collect ‘information’ on the Russian (and OCA) parishes in New Jersey? What for? Probably to see how Orthodox Christianity really works, and how they evangelize successfully!
Are these people getting stupider? This is bizarre even by the standards of the Archdiocese. What Christian ethics could possibly justify treating other Churches with such hostility and suspicion?
And what business do they have concerning themselves with what other Churches do?
Spying is the type of things cults might do if they suspect people might leave. Is there no one at the Archdiocese or the Phanar who sees how twisted this is?
These scum disgust me and I’m Greek Orthodox. Well, did Elder Ephraim of Arizona warn us that wolves would enter the church.
So are American & Greek flags finally up by St. Nicholas Shrine?
No they are not. We are eating for the Archbishop to keep his promise.
Do you all not get it yet? These hierarchs work for the elite. Stop trying to gain non-corrupt outcomes from a corrupt system. These hierarch actors have masterfully created the outer appearance that they are receptive to our concerns when their decisions are predetermined.
Talk directly to God. You no longer need these beasts in cassocks to guide you.
Ήθελέν τα έπαθέν τα ο Οικουμενικός Πατριάρχης με την άχρηστη επέμβασή του στην Ουκρανική Εκκλησία του Ονουφρίου. Οφείλει να ανακαλέσει τη διάσπαση της Ουκρανικής Εκκλησίας και να συνδιαλλαγεί με τη Ρωσική Ορθοδοξία, εναντίον της οποίας πρώτος αυτός επετέθη. Άλλως η Ρωσική διείσδυση θα τον διαλύσει αλλά θα είναι αργά γιά κλάματα.
I think you all missed the point. You have the puppet useless Bishop Apostolos in NJ now who thinks he’s this theologian playing everyone with his fake smile just like his so called buddy Elpidophoros. Always camera ready and acting. And the Oscar goes to…
People are leaving the parishes and going to the Russian ones for a reason, to find sanity to find peace to find happiness. And not having to deal with all this non religious, So called Archbishop. This is why they are calling for the report. A census of how many parishioners left and went to the Russian Churches. It’s all about the money they lost, they don’t care!!! Unless Elpidophoro and his possie leave we won’t come back!! How sad is it that we Greek Americans have been invaded by the Turks once again!!
I am not Greek, but I did go to 2 Greek churches (in 2 different states) and I left both of them because the priests were too ecumenists for my taste. Ecumenists priests are heretics and not really orthodox–they preach a delusion, a new gospel. One of them literally screamed at us and told us that we must unite with the Catholics. Even my 5th grade son was alarmed by this, asking why is the priest yelling. I left that day and never went back. Yes, I did go to a Russian Church when I used to leave in NYC and it was an amazing experience. I felt as if I was in a real Church.