Suddenly, the “Orthodox Observer” posted yesterday last month’s news that the Archbishop gave a “historic” address at the National Intelligence University on the topic of “Russia’s Weaponization of Religion in the Ukraine Conflict”. Why now? Because Elpidoktonos (and the whole Patriarchate) are in a panic as the Ukraine game has been all but lost – it’s a matter of time. The Archbishop in particular is rejected WITH PASSION from every corner of the community and everyday we get more information that he is counting his last days in America!!
By Nick Stamatakis
It was four years ago, almost to the date, that I coined the nickname “Elpidoktonos” (Hope-killer) on the fateful day of his election to the throne of America. One of the primary reasons I wondered in the title “Will he prove Elipdophoros (“Hope Bearer”) or Elpidoktonos (“Hope Killer”)?” was the fact that a few months earlier, he had written an essay on “Religion and Geopolitics in Ukraine”, an essay that had raised a lot of eyebrows. Why? Because Elpidophoros was known to be not the brightest academic star (and recently we received a verified account of his lack of academic skills from his teacher Ms. Laliou. But at that time, it was clear that a Hierarch of the Patriarchate with limited knowledge of Theology was attempting a venture into Geopolitics…
Then came a very well-researched article by Sophia Iliadi in Veterans Today, titled “Greece: A high-ranking cleric turned out to be an Agent of Turkish Intelligence”, (link here to its re-post at OCL.org), suggesting that his rapid rise in the Phanar hierarchy was due to his Turkish intelligence ties. And now, four years after his election, we have proof that AB Elpidoktonos fully implements his role. Not only that, but all Archbishops of the Patriarchate, especially Elpidoktonos, and Makarios of Australia, are on their way to subvert the active Greek communities globally and “neuter” them…
Then we had his infamous essay “Primus Sine Paribus” (First Without Equals), in which he heretically parted ways with the synodical Orthodox history and practice and suggested that the Patriarch does not need Synods, but he could make decisions on matters small and big – and these decisions are to be followed by all. The top Orthodox theologians, led by AB Anastasios of Albania, rebuked this thesis and threw it to the “trash can of history”, where it belongs…
I was among the few writing on Ukraine and the proposed “autocephaly” these days. It was evident to all of us in this small group where this was leading. It was about turning the Patriarchate, always a US foreign policy stronghold, into a political tool. From this point on, the declaration of autocephaly of the 20% of Ukrainian Orthodox, the Patriarchate would be not just a passive stronghold but an active “agent” of US Intelligence and Foreign Policy – in the same way that Victoria Nuland and Jeffrey Pyatt were agents in 2014 in Maidan Square.
And so when we see that he gave a “historic” address at the National Intelligence University on the topic of “Russia’s Weaponization of Religion in the Ukraine Conflict” (below), we cannot take him seriously… It’s laughable for the Phanar to accuse Russia of the same things it has done without any shame, causing a Schism in Orthodoxy…
Furthermore, it is ridiculous to accuse the Russian Patriarchate of playing a “national role” when it is known that throughout Byzantine History, the Patriarch was always playing this role and was always used by the Emperors for political purposes. The title “Ecumenical,” (which the Constantinople Patriarchate claims) has no meaning without an Emperor supporting it; the theory of the Moscow Patriarchate being the “Third Rome” stems from this lack of an Emperor supporting the Constantinople Patriarchate. And the entire idea of moving the Patriarchate to Washington DC, repeatedly floated by Karloutsos and others, is based on the concept that the “American Empire” would fulfill this role…
Finally, another question arises: Why did Elpidoktonos decide to publicize his address at the Intelligence University now, a month later? What is he trying to tell us? “Look, say what you want about me, but I warn you, the DC establishment protects me!!” or maybe “Be afraid of me; the establishment – the same establishment who allegedly killed JFK and recently threw out Tucker Carlson – will be after you!!”
Well, my friends, this is precisely how losers think… The DC establishment and the Constantinople Patriarchate are now acting like the losers they are… They are in a panic! Their corrupt and idiotic game in Ukraine has been lost!
Elpidoktonos, in particular, has been rejected with passion by every segment of the Greek American community. How could a traditionalist and conservative community, who repeatedly voted for Donald Trump at over 80% (please read my analysis by linking here) be led by this leftist Archbishop? Impossible!
I cannot even count the many recent rumors and pieces of news from the Phanar, Greece, and every corner of America (especially Astoria!!) that tell me the same thing: Elpidoktonos is out! He is counting his days in America! Amen!
This Church and community cannot wait any longer!!
April 27, 2023, n.stamatakis@aol.com www.helleniscope.com
DISCLAIMER: The views and statements expressed in this article constitute constitutionally protected opinions of this author.
BELOW IS LAST MONTH’S NEWS THAT THE ORTHODOX OBSERVER SUDDENLY DECIDED TO PUBLISH TO SHORE UP THE STATUS OF ELPIDOKTONOS… NOTHING WILL SAVE HIM!!
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His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America Delivers Historic Address to the US Intelligence Community at The National Intelligence University in Washington, DC
April 26, 2023
Bethesda, MD – His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America was the honored guest at the National Intelligence University’s Presidential Lecture Series where he addressed the faculty and student body on the topic of “Russia’s Weaponization of Religion in the Ukraine Conflict.” This historic visit marks the first-ever address by the spiritual leader of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America to the US intelligence community. The National Intelligence University (NIU) is the US intelligence community’s elite flagship academic institution, and its faculty and students are comprised of members of all 18 agencies of the intelligence community (including the CIA, NSA, NGA, FBI, etc.) as well as all branches of the US armed forces.
NIU President Dr. J. Scott Cameron extended an invitation for His Eminence to visit NIU and to share his unique perspectives, insights, and experiences about the religious dynamics of the Ukraine conflict. Facilitating the event was Dr. Jake Sotiriadis, Director of NIU’s Research Center for Futures Intelligence and senior Air Force intelligence officer, who moderated the discussion for the hundreds of attendees in the university’s auditorium. His Eminence delivered a speech on the Ecumenical Patriarchate’s granting of autocephaly to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and discussed the implications of Russia’s distortion of the Orthodox faith in the Ukraine conflict. In recent times, these topics have been increasingly coming into focus within Western academic and political circles. His Eminence sought to make a meaningful contribution by enhancing the US national security community’s awareness of the ideational aspects of war and conflict. His Eminence answered numerous questions from students and faculty who appreciated his unique knowledge and personal experience of a convoluted conundrum that demands both nuanced understanding and a sense of urgency.
His Eminence presented NIU President Cameron with a copy of a book on the Ukrainian Church authored by the Archbishop, which will be displayed at the NIU library, as well as a commemorative icon in honor of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America’s centennial anniversary. After receiving a standing ovation from the audience, Dr. Cameron presented a commemorative NIU folio to His Eminence and thanked him on behalf of the NIU academic community.
Upon concluding the lecture, His Eminence traveled to Istanbul, where he is now participating in the synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople.
Photo courtesy of The National Intelligence University
The Patriarch and Archbishop have blood on their hands. Stay away from their churches at this moment in history.
A trusted source revealed over lunch today that at a recent meeting of clergy of NY/NJ diocese that a speaker from Fordham University who is also an archon spoke about the archbishop’s multi-generational goal of having women serve as full deacons just as the men do now and they’re encouraging the use of altar girls.
Apparently, another topic discussed were how the hymns that are used in the parishes during Holy Week, the same ones that have been chanted for generations, are anti-Jewish and should be changed. I heard this same speaker who has so much influence in the GOA even referred to his own children, his own flesh and blood during the talk as ‘godless New Yorkers.’ These are sad times for our Church, God help us!
OMG is all I can say! Devils have invaded the GOA. The devils are part of the woke movement.
Stand your ground!
What is the issue with restoring the female diaconate to serve the needs of the church today? And, why are females not allowed to be altar servers? Or perhaps in a modified fashion by participating in the processions but not going into the altar? Many churches have sacristies next to the altar, and the fans and candles can be stored in there for the girls to get, and they can remain in a front pew for the rest of the liturgy. You see nuns who have been blessed to be in the altar all the time throughout the world doing what needs to be done. The Church has a tradition of a female diaconate, and it was not a slippery slope to a female priesthood. The order fell into disuse for various reasons, and fear certainly had nothing to do with it. I have seen female altar servers in several churches, and I rejoice that they are being given the opportunity to serve in such a way. Sometimes in processions, sometimes cutting the bread, sometimes serving the wine and bread after Eucharist (a practice in many OCA churches), serving in the narthex tending to the candles.
Papman – the monastic nuns are not regular women, they’re not of the secular world.
But guaranteed,
if you allow regular females into the alter, then just like the Episcopalians who allowed women ministers, it opened Pandora’s box for homosexuals & now Anglican Church is a has been
Absolutely correct. We do not have an issue with female participation in certain capacities. Our issue is the Pandora’s box…
It is not all a slippery slope. Neither are faithful, older widowed women “regular” women. Why not have them serving as deaconesses in capacities that are needed right now? That is a response of fear, not freedom in Christ that He will guide and provide all that is needed to stay within the boundaries of the Church.
The faithless leadership of this church cannot be trusted with such “novelties”. They are not following Christ and they have proven it in so many occasions.
Papman,
I think you totally misunderstood the Churches’ tradition surrounding the role of a “Deaconess”.
First of all, the word διακονος (deacon), means “assistant”/”servant” in Greek. Maybe we can agree with that so far.
Unfortunately however, today we quickly forget that there is a serious linguistic distinction between the word διακονος and ιεροδιακονος (hierodeacon), which is the EXACT source of this confusion. The prefix “hiero” describes and denotes EXACTLY WHO is officially TONSURED with PRIESTHOOD, and who is NOT. The term hierodeacon is found all over our official prayer books. “Deacon” as a Liturgical function is a modern-day truncation of the word “hierodeacon”, and disappointingly enough, even in some modern “official” publications of Liturgy books that are circulating in the faithful’s hands, making the confusion even worse….And there is no such thing in our tradition as a “hierodeaconess” (ιεροδιακονισσα)…This settles the debate about who is tonsured, and who is not.
Hence, our own “watering down” of the term from “hierodeacon” (Holy assistant / servant) to the more common “deacon” (assistant/servant) is the root cause of this absurd confusion. This is also a great example of why we have hundreds of denominations and heresies out there…people are not focusing on the precise meaning of the original Greek. We will gladly learn Spanish, French, or anything else as a precursor to earning a college degree, but we won’t invest much time in learning a few hundred “key words” that will help us understand our Faith and Liturgical Tradition…
I am willing to bet that most folks are also unaware that adult baptism was NOT conducted in the metallic mobile “fonts” of today, and that adult baptisms in Byzantium were not even “public spectacle events”, but that even deep into the latest years of Byzantium, the Baptistries were separate private chambers, where the adults would actually be baptized in the nude…yes…that’s right (plenty of liturgical history books you can read on that)…so it was only the priest and the one being baptized in that chamber, basically with a curtain separating from others attending the service, and another “dressing room” (αποδυτον) next to the font, so that the newly illumined could put on the “robe of illumination”, and walk out to the main body of the Church…It was in these days of course, when IF the adult to be baptized happened to be a woman, that it was totally appropriate for the priest to enlist the ASSISTANCE of another woman – a “Deaconess” (Female Assistant/Servant), to anoint the nude woman with oil, to obviously minimize physical contact with a male priest, etc. Notably, it is reported that they also usually selected the oldest (grandfather) priests in age for this particular purpose…because this tradition of baptizing adults in the nude disappeared during the years of Turkish occupation, so did the need for a “deaconess” to anoint adult women’s bodies with oil prior to Baptism…that’s a pretty normal outcome…sure, let’s revive the ancient tradition, but in the correct context, with Byzantine Baptistries, and not a twisted context…
Hopefully we can put this nonsensical debate to rest at this point…let’s make a valiant attempt to open a serious history book before we “open up” our personal opinions on “innovative” topics like this, please…
Mr. Stamatakis,
This is an interesting article. I’m curious as to your thoughts, as well as the thoughts of other readers. If the archbishop’s days are numbered in America, where do you think he will end up? Who will be a replacement who will truly uphold Hellenism & Orthodoxy in America? What can the laity and clergy do now to reclaim our archdiocese?
This is, as you understand, the subject of a different article. I have said many times that his replacement should be elected from the faithful of America, not necessarily American-born BUT very familiar with our country. For the rest I will try to answer soon although there were occasionally some possible answers.
I’ve discovered It’s not just Republicans who cannot stand the Turk Elps – I know a Democrat couple from church who also cannot stand this disaster as AB
As Greek American I am sickened to see the videos of the persecution of the Ukrainian Church. I am sickened by the Patriarch and the Archbishops collusion with the evil of Washington and Kiev. Is this how an Archbishop is supposed to behave?
Not a word on the persecution of Ukrainian bishops, priests, and faithful. Not a word about Turkish threats to seize the Greek islands.
The Phanariots are only Greek when it comes to attacking the Russian Church.
We need an autocephalous Orthodox Church in America that is a an actual Orthodox Church not under the influence of anti Christian governments. Good riddance to Bartholomew and Elpidophoros who are interested in power and undermining Orthodoxy. ANAXIOS Bartholomew and ANAXIOS Elpidophoros!
Nick,
Thank you so much for standing firm in your faith and serving as an example for right practicing Christians. All of us need to know we are not the outcasts. We have been infected by a cancer but by prayer and fasting the cancer will be no more!
Mr. S., Were you at the Bowling Green Parade today? Any of your astute observations will be appreciated.
Also, did the Greek Flag find a home at the Shrine today?
I was not at the Bowling Green Parade but I will post some photos soon… No Flags at Saint Nicholas… The Archbishop in several occasions called it a Shrine – not even a “Greek Orthodox Church”…
The St. Nicholas “project” might be summarized by future Church historians as:
A) a $80 – $100 million “investment” on “leased land”….have you ever invested in building something expensive on someone else’s land? Sounds like a great idea, doesn’t it?
B) an adventurous forensic accounting exercise…an “investment trail of funds” reportedly linked to the “sudden” pivot in 2017 of the Phanar’s official stance on Philaret and his followers (Epifanios et. all) in the Ukraine…as well as the subsequent “report” of Poroshenko’s generous reciprocal “gift” to Phanar that supposedly “balanced” that “forensic accounting equation” (rumors of about ~$40 million…about 500k for each of ~80 bishops)…by the way, there is a Church Canon against “Simony”…(tonsuring in exchange for $$$), named after the first perpetrator of this type in that famous event in the book of Acts…
C) a “tourist trap” designed to generate revenue…if you have millions of visitors to ground zero each year, and you happen to succeed in “selling” a souvenir in the amount of $5-$10 to about a million of them each year, that’s better “revenue” than what you would get from any parish…worship appears to have been a “lesser goal” of this project…
D) the “perfect venue” to repeatedly violate the Canons of the Church by hosting common prayer sessions with heretics, in the name of Global Peace. It is a hard “sell” to justify a Greek flag at a Globalist, “inclusive”, revenue-generating Uniate center, especially on leased government land…it’s not a consulate, or private property…someone has to give permission, and we haven’t seen the terms of the lease contract that they signed…
As the Greek village saying goes….”you have seen the cheese, but you have failed to see the mousetrap…”
Very well summarised…
Lots of great comments. I’m not Greek but I find myself following Bartholomew because he is causing so much damage to the OC.
1. I guess they call it a shrine because as some of you already mentioned, I believe they want to be all “inclusive” and get money from everybody, no matter the religion, so that seems the main goal. That cross on top of the shrine is so awkward. It seems to small and hidden, even the proportion to the building seems off
2. No Greek flag, because then it would appear it is a Greek OC and that’s “racist”
3. I was not aware that it doesn’t own the land–very, very bad idea, look at what is happening in Ukraine, the goverment is taking over the churches and it appears they will change use, at least on some of them, making them museums. transferring them for arts and crafts use, rahab centers and who knows what else. This is a disgrace. Barto and Elpi must go before the OC is shredded any further
Does anyone know why these 4 bishops are attacking Father Peter? Well, we know about Elpi and can’t expect much, but how about the other 3? I only met one of the 3. Wasn’t impressed. I do love Fr. Peter and would like to know if anyone knows anything about this:
https://orthodoxreflections.com/fr-peter-heers-why-him-why-now-is-the-american-deep-state-involved/
Many thanks!
I can only hope “Catastrophoros” is on his way out but I’m not going to hold my breath! I think it is going to take a major rebellion from many, many parishioners in every corner of the country. it is also going to involve a major stoppage of cash towards the archdiocese and the phanar.
The thing is, we really don’t need them to send another one just like him to take his place. God forbid, we could be in worse straits. It would be nice to elevate one of our own who understands the ethos of being Orthodox in America.
God Help us!