By Nick Stamatakis
As you can see in our main photo, the event in Saint Nicholas of Ground Zero on Saturday evening was a “wedding”. It had all the symbolism of an Orthodox wedding, the crowns, and everything else… Only that this time an Orthodox was allowed to marry a non-baptized Jewish person in Church!! Did you notice the person wearing a yarmulka on the right of the photo? Probably a member of the groom’s family…
From what we see, the officiating priest was Fr. Villis, the chancellor of the Archdiocesan District, and also present was Fr. Andreas Vithoulkas, who left no doubt to anyone: he was calling this sacrilege a “wedding” left and right with no shame at all… God sent plenty of signs of his wrath, and it was raining “cats and dogs” in NYC all Saturday – but they were not phased!.. They went ahead with the “wedding”!
(Parenthesis/Update: We are being told that Karloutsos was also present at Saint Nicholas and some rumors fly around that he baptized the groom. If this is correct the couple or the families need to issue a clarifying statement. It was the couple’s website that announced two ceremonies, and thus they violated the Canons of the Church. And it is their obligation to make corrections. It’s not Helleniscope’s business to verify every little rumor – we are focused on the most important facts. But if the baptism actually took place recently, then we have to assume that no Jewish ceremony took place at Cipriani. Or did it?)
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UPDATE 7 pm: One of our readers noticed in a photo published at TNH that the groom was wearing his “kippah” as he was dancing with the bride at Cipriani… In other words, unless this was a “mistake” on his part, Mr. Goldburg appeared dancing here as a devout Jewish faithful – this is precisely the meaning of kippah, being devout to the Jewish faith. The families need to make a statement and GOA also need to make a statement… Fr. Villis and Fr. Vithoulkas – what is really going on?
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Maybe this is why they prefer calling Saint Nicholas a “Shrine” and a “multi-denominational or interfaith bereavement center” and not a Greek Orthodox Church. Maybe this is why the “marketing” team of GOA had started advertising Saint Nicholas as a “destination ceremony” place, a luxury “photo prop”… They will be charging the proper fees for such a ceremony, no doubt…
They closed Saint Nicholas to the public for two full days, Friday and Saturday, apparently to decorate and to preclude any curious passersby… The entrance was by invitation only. But the photos eventually came to us – people will never stop fighting for their faith… Elpidophoros, the ultimate Phanariot, was “whistling indifferently”: While everybody knows he is very close friends with Michael Psaros, and under normal circumstances, he would never miss the “wedding”, he conveniently disappeared and he is not to come back for many days. He can stay away for as long as he wants: He has no place in this Church anymore…
This is the proverbial “straw that broke the camel’s back” or the “drop that made the glass overflow”… We have information on reactions from all levels of this Church, including many Archons and others who had served close to previous Archbishops. They tell us: “This was it”… Totally unacceptable… If this passes, then what is the reason to call ourselves Orthodox? Orthodox as opposed to what denomination or religion? If this passes what is the next step? Let me tell you what might be the next step: A wedding of Turkish President Erdogan’s son or daughter in Saint Nicholas with a Christian… I am exaggerating of course: Their “mufti” (religious judge/scholar) would never allow a Muslim to marry a Christian!!
And when the Archbishop leaves where is he going to go? It’s already rumored that the best place for Eplidophoros would be the monstrous pan-religious Abrahamic House in Abu Dhabi!! This is where he truly belongs!!
This Church cannot take any of his novelties anymore… And the Greek community has had enough of his political games!! Let me count the ways he betrayed our faith and our ethnicity since before he was enthroned:
- Even before arriving in New York, he promoted Papism in Orthodoxy through his writings on “First Without Equals”. In Orthodoxy, 2,000 years of Canons affirm the rule “First Among Equals”…
- He approved “multiple spoons” for Holy Communion with the excuse of the pandemic. But humanity had countless pandemics and no one ever used multiple spoons…
- He formally accepted Turkish diplomats in the Archdiocese and the same was done by some Metropolitans. And two years ago, he took part in the inauguration of The Turkish House in NYC – despite the warnings of Greek and Cypriot diplomats…
- In the “Big, Fat, Greek, Gay Baptism” and elsewhere, he accepted homosexuality as not a sin. What is next? Is adultery, not a sin? Is theft, not a sin? Judging from what the “woke” D.A. in Manhattan and other big leftist/liberal cities do, yes, theft is not a crime anymore, so why call it a sin? That’s why San Fransico is empty of stores, everyone left because “theft is not a sin”… This Church, all of us, have our doors open to all – because we are all sinners!! But we know what sin is – we do not turn sin into a virtue!!
- He even attempted to allow women into the sanctuary a week ago… But thanks to priests and others who gave us the information, this novelty did not pass in the NJ Clergy-Laity Congress…
Enough is enough… We had enough of Elpidophoros and his novelties, along with his total inability to preach the Faith. Every time he tried, he sounded empty like a “tinkling cymbal”… We had enough of his attempts to monopolize our national symbols, the Evzones, and try to make a profit – financial and political – out of them… We had enough of his political preaches on Ukraine and lately, on Africa… What a coincidence!! Anyplace on Earth he goes or cares about has to do with how to stop the Russians!!
Faithless Elpidoktonos,
This Church is not about geopolitics in Ukraine, Africa, and the Middle East and this community is not about your “woke”, leftist, liberal idiocy. This community was, is, and will ALWAYS be CONSERVATIVE. This community believes in God, in Country, and in Family!! We will NEVER change to accommodate your deranged political fantasies!! We will not destroy our children’s lives to teach them that “God brought them to life with the wrong gender”!! Nature may make a mistake or two, but God finds ways to correct even those few mistakes!! Faith overcomes all problems and lack of Faith is the cause of most problems!!
Faithless Elpidoktonos,
IT IS TIME FOR YOU TO GO!! YOU HAVE NO BUSINESS IN AMERICA ANYMORE!! GO BACK TO TURKEY, GO TO ABU DHABI, go anywhere but leave us alone!! YOU ARE DONE, FINISHED, IN AMERICA!! AND DON’T FORGET TO TAKE THOSE WHO YOU BROUGHT HERE ILLEGALLY BACK WITH YOU!!
The People Do Not Want You, Take Your Turks and Go!!”
Δεν σε θέλει ο Λαός, πάρ’ τους Τούρκους σου και μπρος!!
AND IF PATRIARCH BARTHOLOMEW DOES NOT REMOVE YOU NOW THEN THE PATRIARCH IS EQUALLY RESPONSIBLE AND HE HAS TO RESIGN!!
May 21, 2023, n.stamatakis@aol.com www.helleniscope.com
DISCLAIMER: The views and statements expressed in this article constitute constitutionally protected opinions of this author.
This is an absolute disgrace and an affront to Orthodoxy. This is not a blessing, but a marriage ceremony. The priest is wearing his vestments. That is a big deal: if this were just a blessing he would be in a black robe. They have the crowns. Did they take communion? This isn’t just saying ok the guy gives money he gets privileges such as Patriarch comes to West Virginia – that we may not like but we understand. To have an Orthodox priest conduct a wedding with a Jewish groom? (And is the bride baptized?). This really has nothing to do with the bride’s father. Of course he’s been good to church and is doing his best. This is squarely on church leadership. What do they stand for? Why are there some rules for privileged and others for the rest of us.
The priest shown in the photo with the vestments is Rev. Protopresbyter of the Ecumenical Throne Elias Villis. He is also the priest at the church in westchester where Psaros attends.
Yes, this is correct. But Fr. Andreas Vithoulkas was also present…
It’s time to start a lawsuit, since the legal mandate of the GOA states clearly that they have to uphold Holy Scripture, Holy Tradition and Holy Canons… ALL OF US HAVE A LEGAL INTEREST TO KNOW IF GOA is a Bona Fide Orthodox Christian Church or it’s just a disgusting show that mocks the above… So all the baptismal records, the marriage licenses etc… should be public record…
Bravo Nick exposing the “uber monied, secret society’s antics” & their shameless display of irreverence! Money sure bought Shylock Patriarch to West Virginia for our spoiled & disloyal Mickey boy Psaros … wish we could see more photos of this unholy circus. & curious where Rasputin Karloutsos was hiding behind green curtain?
And how does anyone know whether or not the groom had been baptized, or is this just a presumption. Just because a Jewish man is pictured in the wedding does not necessarily mean that the young man was not baptized.
If the was baptized they should announce it and explained that the catechesis lasted one hour!! But even so this is only one of many cases this Archbishop violated the thousand-yr old canons of this Church.
ALL CHRISTIAN (and by Christian I mean ONLY the Orthodox) SACRAMENTS ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC… The fact that they closed access to the Church proves that this was a charade… The website of the couple is CLEAR! There will be two weddings which renders the baptism of both as a mockery… DOUBLE MOCKERY!
Ωρα να ξεχωρίζει η ήρα από το στάρι
I believe a Jewish ceremony took place afterward. If true, then he did not convert.
I have heard the same and now it is now verified… A rabbi was there and performed a ceremony. What kind of ceremony it is not 100% sure but we all have a clue. And we now know that the rules of the Church and the Canons of Orthodoxy were blatantly violated…
It’s not just the likes of Elpi…the clergy should always refuse to engage in heresy, yet those 30 pieces of silver are still quite shiny 2000 years later…
The Body of Christ that was ENTRUSTED to each of them during their ordination with the command to “be guardians” [of the Sacraments and Orthodoxy in general] appears to have a “price level” at which that they are willing to sell… However, if you can’t take the heat, get out of the kitchen!
The words from the Antiphon of Holy Friday Orthros (Holy Thursday evening) clearly resonate here…
«Ἔστησαν τά τριάκοντα ἀργύρια τήν τιμήν τοῦ τετιμημένου, ὅν ἐτιμήσαντο ἀπό υἱῶν Ἰσραήλ.
Γρηγορεῖτε καί προσεύχεσθε, ἵνα μή εἰσέλθητε εἰς πειρασμόν·
τό μέν πνεῦμα πρόθυμον, ἡ δέ σάρξ ἀσθενής· διά τοῦτο γρηγορεῖτε!»
But ultimately, it’s the flock that enables this increasingly treacherous behavior with its passive acceptance and a general lack of reaction…
Where are the crowds that were jeering and throwing “pieces of silver” at the treasonous delegation that returned from that pseudo-council of Ferrara (1439)?
It was those crowds who invalidated the pseudo-council’s “agreements”…
If the people don’t react today, the corrupt leadership will do something even more heretical tomorrow…that’s how politicians operate, too.
The solution is in the epistle to Titus – “after the 1st and 2nd counseling, ABANDON a heretical man…”
There do exist other Orthodox bishops in other jurisdictions that are solid safe-havens for the faithful.
Leave the traitors with empty buildings and empty pockets…
Spyridon was removed as soon as the main flow of capital was used as “leverage” to achieve that result.
Any “spiritual rats” should be starved out, so that they will go find “food” elsewhere…(perhaps a Uniate soup kitchen?)
Otherwise, they will proceed to entirely devour the “sleeping” flock, and lead them to spiritual destruction…
I just agree with papman. Ostensibly, this appears to be a serious disregard for the practice and tradition of the church. Most importantly, it shows that money talks and church practice does not apply to the wealthy. However, as papman suggested the young man may have been baptized. To assume that the young man must prove to a blog, this blog, that he has converted is arrogant foolishness. Let’s be slow to judge and quick to listen.
The young couple announced themselves that they will violate Orthodox Canons and practice with two ceremonies, the Orthodox one at Saint Nicholas and the Jewish one at Cipriani. AND THEREFORE IT WAS AND IS THERE DUTY TO ANNOUNCE IF THE GROOM WAS BAPTIZED. If he was baptized there should not be a Jewish ceremony at Cipriani. BUR AGAIN THEY MADE THE ANNOUNCEMENT AGAINST THE FAITH AND THEY SHOULD CORRECT IT. JK, Stop trying to find something wrong with Helleniscope… We are based on the people and we are the people’s, the faithful’s voice…
My desire is truth through knowledge, as you can see through my statement.
Then see and talk on the facts – and the fact is the young lovely couple violated the Faith by announcing two wedding ceremonies. They are the ones who should explain themselves if there is anything we do not know or do not understand. They created the confusion – along of course with the Church leadership that thrives on confusion of all things related to the true faith…
1) Tolerance and passive acceptance of “dual ceremonies” = mockery of Orthodoxy
2) “Non-sincere” Baptism + “dual ceremonies” (if that happened) = even bigger mockery of Orthodoxy
you may wish to retract your statement that Fr Andreas Vithoulkas officiated the ceremony….the photograph clearly shows that it is Fr. Elias (the Chancellor) who officiated the ceremony…….
I made the correction in the text and in the comments. But Fr. Andreas was also present and was proclaiming that this was a wedding.. If they baptized the groom they should announce it.
Nick…..while I do NOT at all agree with your politics…….your view on this heresy I agree with wholeheartedly……as the service during Holy Weeks says: “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites….. thank you for exposing this heretical act undertaken in the name of absolute power, authority and money…….only now to get you to moderate your political views (just a bit)
Apparently, I have heard through sources that the groom was baptized into the faith prior to the wedding……
See our update – i heard the same rumors. They need to issue a statement.
Sounds like wedding party heard the cries of outrage from Helleniscope and Orthodox faithful and forced Jewish groom to do a Quickie Baptism?
If it’s true, how could they do a Jewish ceremony at Ciprianis?
Apparently, based upon reliable sources, the Groom was baptized priro to the ceremony and the couple abided by all Church doctrine priro to their wedding……(I certainly hope you allow this to post…let’s see where your interest lies: in revealing the truth and transparency or just spreading misinformation and hate).
What you are insinuating is unacceptable (to disgusting). Why are you questioning my interest? Why don’t you question the Archons’ interests. Elpidophoros’ interests, Psaros’ interests? Or the lovely couple’s interests? When one hears Psaros’ talking you have the impression that he is a Metropolitan at the minimum… He did not the rules and Canons of the Church? And they had to wait to the last possible minute to “Fake-baptize” the groom?
P-lease… Baptizing a groom a few minutes before his wedding is a mockery of a holy Sacrament. Your comments about Helleniscope are completely inappropriate and you owe an apology.
Prove it. Documents please. Photos?
My statement was meant for you COV
Prove this Baptism you state happened. Photos, names of reliable sources. Photos. That would help support your claim.
CVG,
Baptism without sincere intent & 100% acceptance of Jesus Christ is never a good thing… In this case, if a baptism did occur, sincere intent would = a single religious ceremony and a formal public rejection of “prior doctrine” (which was standard practice for centuries in our Church).
Did 2 ceremonies occur or not? That’s the key to the “truth” here, even if a baptism had occurred moments prior.
If 2 religious wedding ceremonies did occur literally “shortly after” a baptism, that would constitute a serious spiritual infraction, with spiritual bearing on not only the individual involved, but also upon the sponsor and the priest who did not take care to ensure that the “catechumen” was actually ready to whole-heartedly “join Christ”, and fully renounce “non-Orthodox beliefs”. That’s the “mockery of Orthodoxy” that is being referred to in this case… a situation where the meaning of the words & prayers in a Baptismal ceremony doesn’t really matter, but the Mystery is reduced to a “technical bureaucratic exercise” in order to attain a specific self-serving result…
Markos,
Please do not confuse me as being an apologist for the Archdiocese. I agree with your interpretation of our religious obligations whole heartedly….. I believe your inquiries as to the actual circumstances of the “baptism” are better addressed to the journalist in this thread to uncover and to report upon, Mr Stamatakis
Again you have it wrong. They listed “two ceremonies”, violated the faith and I am supposed to uncover the truth? Please stop this discussion right here. Two ceremonies are a violation – they tried to correct it – LET THEM EXPLAIN…
Horror of all horrors! Women in the sanctuary…🙄
Memo to Deborah:
it IS a horror to start officially letting women in sanctuary as “deaconess” for simple fact that, it’s a Pandora’s Box opening—
soon as you allow that, it’s open season for homosexuals to demand it too.
Look at Anglican Church
how it self destructed?
Soon as they allowed homosexual priests and women ministers?
“Be slow to speak and quick to listen” becomes even more pertinent in this situation. We do not know the heart of the newly baptized. To assume the baptism was a perfunctory event is a harsh and unmerited judgement. The young man stood before, what I assume was a largely Jewish congregation, and identified as a Christian. Possibly, we should be rejoicing. Also think of the ridiculous current common practice in Greece where people baptize their child and marry on the same day.
Nick, you may be the one who should apologize. An apology would strengthen your credibility. You jumped to a faulty and erroneous assumption. To assume that the couple is required to give an explanation to you or any one else is ridiculous and presumptuous.
Apologize for what? For reporting the truth? You mean to tell me that somenone like Psaros did not know the Canons? He owes the apology and not all of us who question his ability to bend the rules as he wishes with his appearance of power. But I have nothing to apologize about and many things to be proud of. If I had not reported it NOTHING WOULD HAPPEN NOT EVEN THIS HALF-BAKED, LAST MINUTE BAPTISM.
Nick, are you suggesting that the baptism only occurred because of you reporting? Is it possible that the baptism was planned well in advance? Be quick to listen and slow to speak. By the way, I doubt Mr Psaros, or the bulk of GOA members, my self included, know much if anything about the Church canons. Most Orthodox, including parish council members have never read the New testament.
Again, they announced two ceremonies in their wedding website…If they planned the baptism well in advance then they should not have two ceremonies… Have you heard the pompous attitude of Psaros talking about the “Faith”? Even if people do not know much they do understand that you cannot go ahead and marry a Jewish guy or a Muslim in Church… You can do it at the city hall…
JK – you’re so Naive!
Is your middle name Pollyanna?
Has JK drank Kool Aid of GOA?
Only a spineless woose “Apologizes” in the face of this obvious darkness!
Shame on your lukewarm attitude;
in holy Bible, God specifically said:
I Spit Out The Lukewarm!
What Psaros gang did was pure charade
& mockery of Orthodox Church, convincing us how truly monied their religion is
If 2 religious ceremonies occurred, that’s the bottom line…did that occur or not? If yes, then Baptism is a secondary issue… and if there was a baptism AND 2 religious ceremonies were conducted, it’s even worse than if there was no Baptism ceremony…
There exist Orthodox Canons forbidding Orthodox Christians from actively seeking and receiving blessings from “non-Orthodox” clergy…
Either way, GOARCH clergy were likely aware of a pending “dual ceremony”, which should normally have been sufficient to prevent this type of mockery…they shouldn’t have knowingly conducted “Part A”, if they were aware of a non-Orthodox “Part B”…
People are sending FB photos from Cipriani but so far nothing I have seen suggests a Jewish ceremony. If anyone has any information please provide it…
he is wearing a kippah, that is enough.
No one’s judging the hearts of this young couple. I can’t imagine any of us wishing them ill. This is not about them. – Having two ceremonies reeks of division; division within their community which is concerning, especially going forward. Plus, “putting on Christ” in baptism and later putting on a kippah to celebrate one’s Jewish faith is almost an oxymoron. In the Church, marriage is viewed as a living icon of the relationship between Christ and His Bride, the Church. – One of these ceremonies was for show. It’s not clear to me which was which. If the true one was outside the Church, no ceremony should have been allowed inside the Church. If the true one was inside the Church, then having a Jewish ceremony should never have happened. (A Jewish party, perhaps, but not a marriage ceremony.) In either case, Elpi exercised poor judgement (again) and he, alone, is responsible for the fallout. – I feel really bad for this couple on so many fronts. Imagine finally getting married and having to come under all this scrutiny. They deserved better than this. WE deserve better than this. The Church is supposed to lead not improvise.
Anybody notice how sterile looking the
Saint Nicholas Shrine looks like?
Outside AND Inside.
It’s as if they deliberately made it look as little Orthodox as possible so to welcome events like this bizarre multicultural wedding?
I am in Bulgaria and my few leva worth is ,firstly I wish the young couple every happiness.
Secondly my personal opinion is they should have married in the town hall and had a blessing after. I don’t know what Judaic law is on this ?
If he denied his Judaism just to have the wedding , it is a double act of deceit that does no good to Moses or Christ.
If he had in his heart converted to Christ and wishes to join the Orthodox Church, surely the baptism would have been done some time before as a private decision from faith? If it was done just for the marriage with no meaning ,well I don’t have to comment.
Will they be seen attending church ? Will he take communion ,or is this a one of meaningless act that demeans Him and the Church and Christ?
Only time will tell.
Above all this is what we see time and time again that the Greek church in USA at official level has become a country club with icons for the rich and we’ll connected. If all these people ,aka gay baptism.etc were regulsr people, so u think any of this would ever happen ? No of course not.
People smell the stench and see the moral corruption and sickened ,they walk away. It’s dying ,if not already dead.
Where is the humility,the spirituality , the zeal of the saints and elders. A d I am not talking about right wing covid obscessed wing nuts either.
Just normal ,practising honest Orthodox Christians trying to live their faith in a growing anti – Christian world where their leaders are turned business men and selling out.
Ανάθεμα στους προδότες της Πίστεως και του Χριστού.
So be I did a bit of web surfing and found that Michael Psaros wife’s maiden name was Robin Goldberg. Strange their new son-in-law’s name is Robert Goldberg. It’s a small world. Here is an old NYTimes announcement – July 31, 1994
Marriage of Michael Psaros and Robin Goldberg
Robin Elissa Goldberg, a daughter of Melvin and Joan Goldberg of Edgewater, N.J., was married yesterday to Michael George Psaros, a son of George and Mary Ann Psaros. The Rev. Robert G. Stephanopoulos performed the ceremony at the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in New York.
The bride, 27, is a marketing copywriter in Manhattan with the Bank of New York. She graduated from George Washington University and received a master’s degree in marketing from Fordham University. The bridegroom, 27, is an associate at Keilin & Bloom, an investment bank in New York. He graduated from Georgetown University.
https://www.nytimes.com/1994/07/31/style/weddings-robin-goldberg-michael-psaros.html
The groom last name is spelled Goldburg – but the difference is only spelling I think – judging with the little German I took in college…
That’s an odd spelling for Goldberg
Perhaps Mrs. Psaros formerly a Goldberg was Jewish? That would explain a lot.
Don’t attack Helleniscope- read the couple’s wedding website – THEY wrote Jewish ceremony. Truth matters. Facts are facts.
THE CEREMONIES
Robert and Alexandra will have a blended day filled with both a Greek Orthodox and Jewish Ceremony. Family and close friends will only be attending the Greek Ceremony and joining everyone at Cipriani South Street for the Jewish Ceremony with the entire wedding party.
TO ALL OF OUR READERS: Please take a look at the update/photo I just added to the text in the 4th paragraph. In a TNH photo, the groom appears to be wearing his kippah as he was dancing with the bride!! Is it a mistake? Probably not… But from now I ask all of you to focus on the problem and not Helleniscope: We are doing a fine job presenting the facts – and we have a lot of support from so many of you! Thank you!!
Groom is wearing a Jewish Yamaka folks!
Sounds like it’s the Archon Mike Psaros who’s converted to Judaism, after all his wife is Jewish so no loyalty to Christ Church.
Mazel Tov y’all !
Greeks marry converted Turks all the time; especially the Greeks from the nearby border islands; they convert them first- especially the island men seem to want to convert the turkeises, who may have Greek ancestry throughout the tumult of time and space. Pray God these follow Christian Orthodoxy… Let’s get all the facts on the table…
True faith? Christians have slightly different beliefs because they are Greeks, Russians, Syrians,Egyptians,Catholics, Protestants, literate, illiterate, etc and we should resist any attempt to impose on them the Holy Inquisition to determine HOW TRUE THEIR FAITH IS!
Our God is LOVE AND MERCIFUL!
Valid points and well written. Congratulations to the beautiful, young couple…however, no Carolina Herrera or Hugo Boss attire will justify this sham and ill attempt of “making things right” in the eyes of our Lord and Savior Jesus a Christ!
Bravo Nick! This is a call to fight for what’s right, not keep the silence as the dirty, wealthy scoundrels are dragging our faith, our Orthodoxy, through the drive thru of fast food hell! This is not only scandalizing behavior, but a reminder of what’s coming if we don’t call them out! Aisxos to all willingly involved! Aisxos to the clergy, the Abp, the Patriarch! Aisxos to the parents on both sides, who have sold out for that memorable bag of silver coins. A sad day for both faiths and families, who think they can once again, buy their way into The KINGDOM of God; the Orthodox Faith…. Truly shameful scandalizing behavior….
Αν θελουμε να παραμεινουμε ΟΡΘΟΔΟΞΟΙ ΧΡΙΣΤΙΑΝΟΙ ας διαβαζουμε το Ευαγγελιο καθημερινα στα ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΑ την ΑΛΗΘΙΝΗ γλωσσα του Ευαγγελιου και τα αλλα ειναι λεπτομερειες.
He wants to unite the jurisdictions and he may have accomplished that very objective: WE’RE UNITED AGAINST HIM. No one wants this. He’s an absolute disaster.
While we are all focusing on Elpidophoros’ pan-heresy of gnostic ecumenism, where all roads up the mountain lead to the same god; and while we may wish him to go away, as indeed he should, we should not lull ourselves into thinking that his departure would solve the bigger problem. While this wedding was going on in Yankee-land, up here, in Canuck-land, during his regular weekly televised show, Sotirios quietly announced on Sunday, May 21st, that (I paraphrase) “the great schism of 1054 was a big mistake, and the Prostestant reformation that followed was another great mistake, and therefore, what the Orthodox Church must do, although some may disagree, is to unite all Christians back together again, so that we can all be one, like the Bible says, and that this is the right thing to do”. He has started, in other words, to prepare us for the consummation of the false union, which I believe was already signed long ago behind closed doors, and is being served to us bit by bit, by way of these shocking events. While Sotirios, and other like-minded hierarchs, may not be as flashy as Elpi with their god-fearless oppositional defiance of the Holy Fathers and Canons of our Church, he is plodding along “on schedule” with the great demise of the Church as we have known it…and no matter how hard we may scream and shout in opposition, which i think we must do as a confession of our Faith, for this is required of us by the Lord, the writing, nonetheless, is on the wall; and God is not stopping it because of how much he respects our freedom to choose. Let’s face it: if you insist on going to Hell, God, who died for your sins, will not force you not to go there.
Nevertheless, not for them, but for us, this schism, I believe is a good thing; because by exercising their free will to follow their misguided gnostic beliefs, all the Elpi followers, Bart followers and Soti followers WILL ultimately GO AWAY when they consummate their false union with the heterodox, by creating the next big schism in the Orthodox Church. This will be the “surgical operation” that Bishop Neophytos of Morphou has been speaking about. How do we know it will be a false union and not one where the heterodox repent and return to true Orthodox teaching? Just like this wedding was a false union in the eyes of God, for all the reasons discussed above, in like manor, (and one might even say this wedding is symbolic of it) there will be a false union of a greater magnitude between the different confessions…and not just the Christian confessions, but also the non-Christian ones, as took place at this wedding. In other words, as is his usual style, Sotirios, on TV last Sunday, only gave us part of the truth. The whole truth is being doled out bit by bit so that we can learn to swallow the poison, or at least that is how they are thinking.
But I digress…for when they all do finally go away as they create their new global religion in the name of a profane love (without truth) and a pseudo-peace (without Christ), keeping all the trappings of every religious tradition, but none of the substance (as in this wedding) we will finally be left alone, literally and figuratively. Then, any hierarch and any priest who does not choose to follow the schismastics, will be free to not join them, with no penalty of defrocking since the defrocking by a schismastic will be meaningless. Then, those hierarchs that do not follow will be free to hold a proper ecumencial synod, which, as Elder Ephraim of Arizona (of blessed memory) foretold, this synod will put everything in its proper place, and will happen after the great war.
There is another prophecy that says when the churches fall, and according to Elder Ephraim, all the churches will fall (but not completely) then all the monastics will leave Mount Athos and go to the people to preach true Orthodoxy. There will be an Orthodox revival. Those of us who do not follow the gnostic regime will have new hierarchs and clergy who we will know without doubt are true followers of Christ. We may be in the minority. We may even be a remnant, and we may even be persecuted, but we will not longer have these scandals in our Holy Orthodox Church.
So my friends, what I am trying to say, is that the scandals will get worse. More things will happen. Surgery is painful. We need to keep our faith strong. We need to continue to speak out, not so much to change the hell-bent hierarchy since they are betraying no signs of remorse, but to sustain and edify each other so that we do not lose hope and we continue to follow Christ with “patient endurance.” Until then, for the sake of the elect, the current Orthodox Church still has the Grace of the Holy Spirit. God, who is always in control of everything, even when the devil is dancing in the altar, is being very patient with everyone, giving people time to repent. At the same time, He is conducting His surgical procedure with great care.
Beautiful statement. I agree.
“Surgery is painful. We need to keep our faith strong. We need to continue to speak out, not so much to change the hell-bent hierarchy since they are betraying no signs of remorse, but to sustain and edify each other so that we do not lose hope and we continue to follow Christ with “patient endurance.”
Thank you, Nick, for asking the right questions and pointing out the inconsistencies in this “wedding”, one of our most important Orthodox sacraments. We must question the inconsistencies, especially in these times when powerful forces are working to upend Orthodoxy in any way possible. If the couple is in good standing with the Church, let the truth come to light. But when the groom wears the yarmulke, there is just cause for skepticism. There is nothing wrong with questioning the legitimacy of this event, it must be questioned so that if there is wrongdoing, it gets corrected, and if there is not, all involved get exonerated.
AXIOS to Helleniscope for bringing this insanity, a lying heresy to light! TY
Helleniscope is no coward. Let us all attend!
Amen. “ It is important to oppose all аntісhrіsts and die with dignity; not to have a cowardly position.”
Blessed Elder Justin Parvu (who reposed in 2013)
And don’t forget to add the LGBTQ “ministry” at St. Paraskevi in Greenlawn to your list that he no doubt sanctioned. HE MUST GO but we need action not just talk. Any concrete steps to do that please report on and I know of many who would be on board for his removal.
In our politics, there is bountiful corruption and lawlessness from the deep state and the Democrat/Rino Marxists. And yet nobody is held accountable…and nobody is ever prosecuted or arrested (except for Trump of course). The Church (and Elpidoktonos/Bartholomew in particular) is mirroring the secular events. There will be scandal after scandal. And nothing will be done…nobody will be ousted…it will be ignored until the next scandal. The other jurisdictions need to rise up against this. But they will not. It seems that this is the way things will unfold…until secular society collapses…and only a remnant remains in the the Church. Be watchful my Orthodox brethren.
I am a little more optimistic on this but also I recognize your cynicism… People were asking why do I think he will be removed. Soon I will make a full article listing the reasons.
But here is one of the many reasons he will leave: Imagine yourself being at the Balkan/East European desk at the State Dept. Your goal among many – is to control the Greek American community in order to influence Greece/Cyprus and Orthodoxy. If AB Elpidophoros has managed to send so many faithful to OCA, ROCOR, and Antiochian, not only do you not achieve your goal, but you are helping the “bad Ruskies”…
I think I ten to learn more towards your POV. Nick. But, I also share in the cynicism of Mikhail.
Also, I agree with what Gail has said: “He wants to unite the jurisdictions and he may have accomplished that very objective: WE’RE UNITED AGAINST HIM. No one wants this. He’s an absolute disaster.”
The hierarchs of the OCA/ROCOR will be concelebrating for the first time this weekend, the GOA-run Assembly of Bishops is in shambles, Metropolitan Saba of the Antiochian Archdiocese is more than likely pro-Russian. All of this points to the other jurisdictions not only united against Elpi, but against the GOA. For those faithful who are left in the GOA that have not already fled to other jurisdictions or fled to the monasteries, what are they to do? How are they to change things?
Bartholomew himself has already said they will not be replacing Elpi, and with the new charter I will assume things will only get worse in the GOA and more people will leave.
When did Bartholomew say that? Do you have a news link? I doubt he said it – we would have seen it…
In any case I will write a follow up article soon.
If I remember correctly I read on here, or Monomkahos, that Bartholomew was quotes as saying that he wont get rid of Elpi because we “can’t have a new archbishop every three years.”
If this quote was true then it really wouldn’t shock me because in a sane world Elpi would already be gone.
Again I will write a follow up on this soon…
I consider myself not so much a cynic…as a realist. There has been so much corruption…and it always seems to be pushed under the rug. Where is the courage of our Hierarchs? I cannot recall one Hierarch in America that stood against the oppressive anti-Orthodox COVID mandates. There was one Bishop who took a stand against Elpidoktonos…and he was promptly embroiled in scandal and resigned. My prayers continue…but I am once bitten twice shy. It is like the boy who cried wolf.
Petros, it’s official?
Bartholomew said Elpi
will not be replaced?
Then a demonstration is inevitable
We have not seen evidence of that…
I am in no way an advocate for LP, but strongly doubt he will be replaced. The GOA bishops have actively attempted to replace him and have not been successful. Rank and file members of the GOA accept LP and do not find fault with him. In my parish, I have not heard one negative word about LP, and after his visit most parishioners were very positive. I don’t think there is a mass exodus from the GOA to other jurisdictions because of LP but because of a variety of other reasons. The antipathy expressed toward LP on this blog is not pervasive through out the GOA.
That being said, LP is not the answer to the challenges facing the GOA but has made things worse.
JK, nobody in the parishes can say much in public, most of all the priests as they are afraid to lose their jobs. But the people are voting with their feet if I judge by the emails I receive and the accounts I hear. Especially in the biggest – and wealthiest – parishes of New York he is been boycotted by the faithful. If the faithful hear he will attend a service or a church event they run away.
For the rest of the explanations, stay tuned. I will follow up with another article soon. But in general you are wrong.
I don’t think you have your finger on the pulse of what is going on nationally. You tend to hear from a limited group of people who I presume are mostly in in the NY area. Additionally, I assume that some of your bloggers are Old Calendarists.
Well you are wrong again.. Let me spread it out for you “nationally”: Boston is up in arms against the archbishop and I don’t think I need to explain why… Atlanta is even worse for a many reasons and because as you move to the South and to the midwest Americans are more staunchly conservative than in the northeast. But if you have liberal NY and more liberal Boston largely against Elpidophoros what do you expect will happen in MAGA Florida and even nore MAGA midwest? Will they accept LGBTQ ministries easier there? And women in sanctuary? And mixed weddings? P-lease…
I rest my case…
jk — you’re off base;
I’m no calendarist and I’m surrounded with countless Greek Orthodox who don’t want Elpi.
In Hawaii of all places! Right?
We shall see. For a variety of reasons, my prayer is that LP is replaced; however, I don’t see a strong candidate waiting in the wings.
That’s exactly the point. This Church should have a say on who will replace him. Whoever it will be he – unlike Elpi – has to know this country and this church and they have to have our approval before they arrive – not the Turkish Foreign ministry’s approval or the State Department’s.
So I will propose soon that a “Caretaker” (“τοποτηρητής”) take over the Throne for 6-12 months until we decide. The best for this short period would be Methodios of Boston.
have you asked ANYONE in the Boston metropolis their feelings about Methodios……beware of what you ask….
Whatever their feelings for Methodios, he is at an old age and the only role he would possibly serve is to lead the Church in the transition process. In any case anyone would be better than Elpi… We have reached a moment when many people tell me they would accept the satrap Evangelos as an Archbishop.. their justification? Anyone who knows this community will be better than Elpi…
It baffles me that the GOA has a plethora of monasteries in America to chose from with holy monks…yet they choose to did the bottom of a barrel of rotten fish.
How then do you decide. Do you set up polling stations in every church with only parish stewards having a vote? Do you have debates among the candidates? Who selects the candidates? The only realistic course of action is for the patriarch to make the choice or the synod of bishops in the US make the choice. Remember, that when the apostles had to replace Judas, there was no vote but rather the apostles drew straws.
JK, how do we decide in Church the “Outside Good Testimony” (Εξωθεν Καλή Μαρτυρία)? Do we set up polling stations? No we do not… No, the Patriarch making decision is NOT the only choice – especially this senile and sinful Patriarch who has violated every single Canon of the Orthodox Faith and has caused a Schism…
I will make my proposal and everybody who wishes can comment. Maybe our “collective wisdom” will lead us to the proper answer..
Are you suggesting that your proposal should become the standard? The church has functioned in a particular way for 2000 years and now you will determine the direction of the Church. The only course of action is to pray that the Lord sends us the proper individual through the 2000 year tradition of the Church. However, I am curious to read your proposal. Evangelos would be worse than LP. Finally, remember that there will never be a candidate that will please everyone. Demetrius was extremely well received and yet a disappointment to many.
You forgot to respond about polling stations and outside good testimony… Why?
Really don’t know what you mean. Obviously, we won’t have polling stations and don’t understand what you mean by good testimony.
It’s the concept widely used in the Church for evaluating the leaders of the Church. Originates in the Epistles I think… It is the process on the basis of which we call some leader “Axios” or “Anaxios”… We do not do polling, we are based on someone’s reputation. If someone does not have the “outside good testimony” cannot become a hierarch… I am hoping I enlightened you but you can find more online.
I assume you are referencing 1 Timothy 3. The problem is that one person may believe a bishop/priest has a good reputation and others don’t. Take for example the person on this blog who supports Evangelos while most do not. Demetrius was highly regarded yet was a failure to many. The only reason I mentioned polling stations and debates is to demonstrate how foolish it is to promote a truly democratic process. Unfortunately, the GOA is strapped with mediocrity when it comes to leadership and things will not change until the practice of having married bishops is reinstituted. The best clergy within the GOA are among the married clergy.
I am still waiting for an answer to the question -do you own a Rudder?
Stop bringing up the Rudder as if it is required reading. The Rudder is almost impossible to understand – and very likely to ridicule – unless you know the theological framework around it. I have said many times that I am not a Theologian and I do not want to be one. I am regular Orthodox who understands the basics of our faith. This is not a theological blog. This is about shining light to the truth. This community was living in darkness for the last 4-5 decades because the press refused to do its constitutionally established job. And so our church, our parishes and our organizations fell victim to the vultures…
The bride’s mother is Jewish, the bride is Jewish. The groom is Jewish. Orthodoxy is just an inconvenient ethnic wart splashed on in infancy. Michael Psaros has spent his entire career trying to make it up to his parents and grandparents that he married off the ranch and outside the tribe.
Is anyone really surprised at this bespoke Off-Broadway hybrid wedding that only money can buy? The practice goes back even to Iakovos’s time. As long as you are Faith, L100, and Archons of Nothing.
Don’t get worked up, have an Ouzo and write another check to Alex.
Hysterical! & damn true. Yup bride IS Jewish.
Nick, the only reason I bring up the Rudder is because in contains the cannons. You assert that the Patriarch has broken every cannon yet you don’t even own a Rudder.
Reminds me of my friends who don’t like Hannity and Carlson but have never listened to them.
Do I need the Rudder to know that homosexuality is a sin? Do I need the Rudder to know that theft is a sin? Do I need the rudder to know that lying is a sin? Do I need the rudder to know that arrogance is wrong? P-lease!! How about jealousy? How about being a contrarian and constantly disagreeable? All these are sins attached to the Patriarch and they are big sins… but if he has violated all these major morality rules that all Christians try to live there life by, why should we dive into the minutiae of the Rudder? I could go on with this argument but we all have better things to fo and even more important to discuss these days.
Are there any protests being organized? When will the GOA faithful rise up against the insanity? Elpidoforos from day 1 has dismissed the concerns of the laity. He has shamed the Church at every turn. This post has received more than 7,000 views. How many would be willing to get on a plane and protest at 8 East 79th street, the GOA headquarters in Manhattan. There should be a way to gauge this? Thank you.
Dear E – there is n o b o d y willing to step up & lead a protest at archdiocese & so the melodrama goes on.
take a look at today’s National Herald about some interesting developments occurring at the recent Archiocesan Council in Detroit and Elpidophoro’s conduct there ……
They do as they please. No rules but 💵gets what you want. And clearly this is what they wanted and had enough money to buy the GOA to look the other way.
It’s a shame to see Psaros and the clergy involved to make a mockery of the Church.
I am a degreed historian, with my Master’s in history, having focused on Ancient Greek to Byzantine history and the history of Orthodoxy. I am almost 75 years old, and am a devout Greek Orthodox Christian, but, in all my life I have never seen or heard of the hypocrisy, the altering and abnormalities that have taken place in my beloved Faith, since this Archbishop came to our shores. We are Orthodox and have survived occupations, destructions and attempts to destroy us, and yet, our Faith with its Laws, Cannons, Traditions and Greek language have survived since the inception of our Chruch as Christ wanted. Now, we have made a mockery of all that is sacred and that our forefathers fought and, in many cases, died for. When will this insanity and manipulation and destruction of our Faith cease? It is well over time, that the Archons of our Church and the Parish Council of St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, in Manhattan near Ground Zero speak up and make their voices heard and demand that our Patriarch of our Faith call him back and give us an Archbishop that will administer the Faith as is by Cannon Law.
Thank you and I pray that my sentiments be more than the effort I put into writing this article.
Respectfully, Sultana Frazis