EDITOR’S NOTE (Nick Stamatakis). There is nothing more Christian than a sincere, heartfelt apology… And such, it seems, was the apology by Bishop Athenagoras of Nazianzos for his participation at the Hindu Temple. “…I understand that, recently, I made a mistake. I thought I was obedient but should examine things better before acting. I am sure many of you here have heard of my visit in October to a new Hindu temple recently built in New Jersey. I would like to take this opportunity to apologize to all of you and to all who may have been scandalized by my visit there…” You can see his apology and his original speech at the Hindu Temple, written by AB Elpidophoros, in the video below... The question we all have is when AB Elpidophoros will issue an apology for his numerous missteps and mistakes… Following the video please connect to Monomakhos.com for an excellent analysis from George and Gail…
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Bishop Athenagoras Apologizes
As you know, Monomakhos, as well as other Orthodox websites, recently criticized Bishop Athenagoras of Nazianzen for participating in the consecration of the Hindu temple in New Jersey.
On the attached video below (beginning at 2’12”), His Grace clearly realized his mistake and –with some qualifications–offered a public apology while visiting St Anthony’s monastery in Florence, Arizona.
(Courtesy of Byzantine, Texas)
This is not the time for us to second-guess His Grace. Gail and I appreciate his apology if for no other reason than he acknowledged that we were scandalized which he regrets. As a result, he regrets being there altogether.
We appreciate his apology and thank him.
The greater problem here, as we see it, is that he was roped into doing something that again demonstrators how bereft we are of mature eccelsiascial leadership within the Greek Archdiocese. It has gotten so bad, that even our Fathers in Christ at Mt. Athos, brothers of Archbishop Elpidophoros under Patriarch Bartholomew, want nothing to do with Archbishop Elpidophoros due to his repeated missteps, and yet unlike His Grace Bishop Athenagoras of Nazianzen, he doubles down rather than apologizes.
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Scandalizing Greek Church is a fashion trend it seems by majority Hierarchs! Nonetheless, Bishop Athenegoras deserves a medal for apologizing!
Has anyone heard any Greek clergy apologizing?
This public apology draws attention in a bad way to AB Elpidoforos…
he’s the one who must apologize the most!
First of all what kind of apology is it if he declares and accepts he is unWorthy but then keeps his position? That’s a fake apology… Also apologizing in what he thought would be a private setting in the middle of the desert is NOT an apology. I don’t know for how long the unworthy and ANAXIOS Bishop of Nazianzos will continue to be a Hierarch of our Church but everywhere he goes he should NOT stop apologizing for his gross and intentional betrayal of OUR Church. EVERYWHERE HE GOES HE NEEDS TO APOLOGIZE SPECIFICALLY for this transgression and he NEEDS TO CONFESS HIS FAITH… He was too scared to state his faith at the Hindu Temple… what an excellent opportunity to preach to the Indians like Apostle Thomas did! Also notice the oxymoron… He claims that his presence there would be to show Christian love to the Hindus… but what kind of Christian love would that be if he says “I will only come if there is no prayer! to a consecration of a religious temple!” Is that respectful to the Hindus? NO OF COURSE NOT! It’s hypocritical… But by his presence he betrays his own schema betrays his own faith and tradition and spits on the face of ALL OF members of our Church! In short Athenagoras’ presence at the Hindu Temple was disrespectful to the Hindus, to the Christians and to Athenagoras’ himeself and Elpidoforos’ himself… How low should we allow these unworthy hierarchs to sink? We need to relieve them of their Hierarchal duties because it looks like the Crown is too heavy for their weak and feeble shoulders.
Nope…this isn’t an apology…it’s a publicity stunt…”damage control” because he got “caught”.
Bishops don’t make “mistakes” like this. This is intentional. He knew exactly what he was doing. There are Canons. They should be applied. Bishops are held to a higher standard than laypeople. Athenagoras is citing “obedience to a 2nd Master (Elpidophoros)”, while not mentioning his obligation of obedience to Christ and the teachings of the Church.
He should be defrocked, or if he wants to avoid that, he should resign from the ranks of clergy.
No matter if he is sincere or not, he put himself under watch. There will be no second apology for similar issues… He will be finished.
Did you see the video of his apology. No one was paying attention to him because he was not sincere. “I made a mistake BUT I had no choice.” What kind of apology is that? Everyone has a choice! You either offer incense to Ceasar or you die by the sword. That was the extreme choice but it was still a choice and people chose to rather die. The modern version of Christianity is to betray God and then…apologize… kind of like Adam in the garden. “It wasn’t my fault God, because the woman you gave me told me to eat the fruit you told me not to eat. Sure, you told me not to eat it, but she’s my wife; I had no choice.” Give me a break! What a lame and tearless apology!
Very well said!
This cannot look good for Elpidoforos; remember the domino effect?
But the Hindu leaders of NJ temple must be laughing over this
“This is the last straw”, “he will be finished”
Or words to that effect, I have read on this site multiple times, but the Hope Killer is still hanging on !!!
Have faith, there is the eye of Justice (and Faith) watching from above… He is part of a global God-less system that will disintegrate in front of our eyes. We can all see the signs…
If a Bishop disobeys the orders of his Archbishop, can he still be defrocked? I would like to understand the worst possible case scenario for him if he went rogue on Elpidophoros. No one seems to want to become a martyr, which I think is what we need to start turning the Church around and back on the right track.
Trust me, he is not the one to turn the church around