CHRISTIAN SPARK

Issue 268 – Athens – 1964
Metropolitan Augustine Kantiotes

(Republished at Athens in 1987 in ANTI-PAPAL DISCOURSES,

by Metropolitan Augustine Kantiotes, pp. 91-119)

GUARDIANS, BE VIGILENT!

“We shall not deny thee, O beloved Orthodoxy”

(Joseph Bryennios)

Yet again, my beloved readers, from our small guard-post, which for a twenty-year period we are keeping, as much as lies within our power, we shall shout to the pious/godly orthodox Greek people the saying: Guardians, be vigilant! The supreme duty before our orthodox faith does not permit us to be at rest, but obligates us, too, to cast forth a voice of protest, for whatever during these days of ours are occurring at the expense of the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church, the Orthodox Church. The matter for which we shall protest, is the tactic (scheme) of the Ecumenical Patriarch before papists. More specifically. It is the … patriarch Athenagoras. For, unfortunately, [with] no existing powerful figure or personality of a hierarch at the Phanar, capable of reacting [dynamically] against the arbitrary and anti-canonical activities of one man, the Ecumenical Patriarchate in essence does not exist. There exists only Athenagoras, administrating this historic Patriarchate according to an absolutist, totalitarian manner, to the greatest harm of Orthodoxy. In other times, during which superior hierarchs lived at the Phanar, a patriarch like Athenagoras not only would not be able to stand upon the throne, but he would be introduced to the ecclesiastical court for the violation of sacred and holy Canons and would be sent to Mount Athos, so that he might wash away through the tears of sincere repentance his canonical crimes…

The Censure and Rebuke of the [“Christian] Spark” (Spitha) Constant

This is not the first time that “SPARK” is occupied with the anti-canonical activities of Athenagoras. For a twelve-year period and more we have not ceased ringing the bell of danger on account of this patriarch. In the midst of the silence of a cemetery the “Spark” raised the voice of protest and censure. Now if from that time it was heard, we would not have been found today before the sorrowful developments, which the foolish and unbridled tactic (scheme) of the patriarch. For the evil would have been cut out at its root. What first and what second should I mention of whatever we censured and rebuked patriarch Athenagoras in writing and orally? The “Spark” censured patriarch Athenagoras, because, in an official patriarchal document, a writing of a chide teacher of spiritualism, this same system in and of itself satanic, he characterized as being “worth of attentive study”, a fact, which becoming known broadly among spiritualists in Greece not a little strengthened their movement. The “Spark” censured, second, patriarch Athenagoras, because, while the Holy Synod of the Church of Greece by an encyclical condemned the shameful exhibition of the naked fleshes of Greek women in the notorious beauty contests as an act treading against Christian morality, the Patriarch the gates of the Patriarchate and received the star-Hellas and was photographed with her, and the picture was purposefully published in an Athenian newspaper for the strengthening of the worldly view that beauty contests are not prohibited since even a patriarch blesses them. The “Spark” censured, third, patriarch Athenagoras, because he entered into a mosque and prayed together with ottomans. The “Spark” censured, fourth, patriarch Athenagoras, because he performed a memorial petitionary service and petitioned that God place the unbaptized, the ottomans, in the dwellings of the elect and saints… But recently, also, when in the middle of Athens, there was an invasion of masons, who came from the ends of the earth to hold an international convention, the editor of the “Spark” at a conference of representatives of orthodox religious bodies, rose up and said that, so long as persistent rumors, not proved false, bear saying that patriarch Athenagoras and his first organ, Iakovos of America, are masons, masonry will raise impudently its head, boasting that among its elect members she has even peaks of the Orthodox Church. The the patriarch then Athenagoras we said then that our conference must turn and direct a fiery question to him telegraphically: “Your All-holiness, the masons who came here are boasting that you too are a mason. We entreat you, disprove the scandalous rumor, which is shaking Christian consciences”. Unfortunately however, at those conferences expediency prevailed, so that the Patriarchate might not be exposed!

Light or darkness? Behold the question, which on the occasion of the activities of the patriarch we persistently direct ourselves to the Phanar asking the orthodox there: what after all does the Patriarchate there represent? If this Patriarchate, which is considered to be the eye of Orthodoxy, was become endarkened (obfuscated) so that it is not capable of discerning between light and darkness, between truth and deception/error, between orthodoxy (right belief) and cacodoxy (wrong belief), this for the orthodox world signifies a great spiritual disaster. For here too the word of Christ can find application: “If, then, the light in you is darkness, how great is that darkness?” (Matt. 6:23).

Finally, growing tired from our constant protest, we were compelled in the “Spark” an open letter to patriarch Athenagoras. And we had hoped, that this letter, which moved [and touched the hearts] of the pious/godly greek people, would find some repercussion in those at the Phanar who are administrating and directing the lots of Orthodoxy. But unfortunately no attention was given to it. But quite the opposite, we collected not a few insults from the mouthpieces (spokesmen) of Athenagorian politique in America. Now we, upon seeing already that more than approximately three million orthodox Hellenes of America, Europe and Australia, dependent spiritually from the Ecumenical Patriarchate, are in danger on account of the tactic (scheme) of the patriarchate of suffering deep corruption of their religious and ethnic conscience, we – I say – through a special article clearly pointed out that there it is absolutely necessary that the this Hellenic homogeneity abroad must become dependent ecclesiastically upon the Authocephalos Church of Greece, which Church of Greece should be elevated to a Patriarchate. Thus Athenagoras and his “apprentices/helpers” would not be able to thresh Hellenism abroad, and to call Turkey their most beloved fatherland, and to embrace and hold joint prayer with the multi-named heretics of the West.

These things for twelve-year period we were saying and writing, re-echoing the thoughts and feelings of the faithful children of Orthodoxy domestically and abroad, which they would express to us, orally and in writing, their states of unrest for the tactics (schemes) of the patriarch. But unfortunately we were not heard. The appropriate measures were not taken. A strict line was not circumscribed. And patriarch Athenagoras strengthened his destructive journey. And behold the last events of the meeting of the patriarch and the pope – a meeting, which, wholly arbitrarily, and without previously coming to an understanding with the rest of the churches of Orthodoxy, he sought after and achieved – are coming to throw light upon the psychosynthesis of patriarch Athenagoras, and for it to be proved that this man thinking as he thinks, and acting as he  acts, ultimately ends up constituting a great danger for Orthodoxy.

New Heresy

Certain theologians, being influenced by the contemporary global currents, recently now suck on as a caramel candy the word ecumenicity, ecumenical spirit, ecumenical movement! A nice word! But beneath this word is hidden the most fearful danger for Orthodoxy. What danger? We shall present it with an example.

… A woman is faithful to her husband, She does not allow some third person to enter in to their relations. Constantly she remembers the public promises that she gave before God and men. But this same woman happens to be a woman of rare beauty, and she entices the gazes of many. On account, however, of the woman’s honorable nature (integrity), whoever would dare to approach her and make a proposition concerning immoral relations, immediately she would repel him with wrath. And if he would persist, a strong slap by the honorable woman on his impudent face would make him come to his senses. Degenerate subjects, knowing this full well, utilize another method. They try to ascertain in what things this same woman takes pleasure. If, that is, she loves poetry, philosophy, fine art etc.. And from these things the secret lover will be grabbed by, and with great skill he will look to begin an innocent conversation on the subjects that are to the woman’s liking. How beautiful is this poem! How nice is this icon (image)! How amazing is this theatrical work! How sweet the music! Thusly begins the dialogue…And the simple and unsuspecting woman is left to be led astray in long conversations with the imposter, whose heart, during which time his tongue utilizes rhetoric concerning philology (literature) and fine art, skips beats in the secret hope of dominating the woman. And, since through conversations there is created a climate of great familiarity and mutual understanding, then “the fateful [thing]” shall finally come, that is, the dishonorable act, the shameful union, which began with an innocent dialogue, just as at one time in Eden the most cunning serpent with a sweet dialogue succeeded in deceiving Eve.

Do you understand, my beloved, what we want to say? Our word is parabolical, in the form of a parable.

The woman, concerning whom we speak of above, is our Orthodox Church. She is the beauty. She is the one clothed with the sun, according to the marvelous icon of the Apocalypse or Revelation. She is the one drenched by the sun, wearing on her head the crown of twelve stars and the moon under her feet (Rev. 12:1). She, the Orthodox Church, remained faithful to the Lord, to the eternal Bridegroom. She guarded pure the oral and written tradition of the Lord and the apostles, according to the god-insprired advise: “Stand fast, and hold onto the traditions that you have been taught either by our word or by our letter” (2 Thess. 2:15). This, the Orthodox Church, for 19 centuries is waging a powerful and bloody struggle against the multi-formed deception/error, against the variously named heresies, which sought to defile and corrupt her purity. Now one of the most fearful heresies is also papism, which on account of its errors/deceptions, its absolutist, totalitarian spirit and the fearful crimes she provoked the creation of Protestantism and the dividing up of all of Christendom. Yes. The papists are heretics, as the orthodox periodical “Soter” (“Savior”) rightly stresses in its last issue. The Orthodox Church’s persistence in the piety/godliness of her fathers her enemies, and indeed papism, know full well. And because these enemies through many examples have been persuaded that through war upon one single front they are not able to capture the fort of Orthodoxy, they have lately moved on to another tactic (scheme). They began a new war. The war of peace. Worse than the war of the crusades. Do you not hear the speech of the serpent, who is seeking to corrupt the precepts of Orthodoxy out of our simplicity? (2 Cor. 11:3). Behold what the serpent is saying:

O Orthodox Church! Why do you remain afar? Do not be afraid of me. I am not a dragon. I am a sweet angel that brings you the message of peace. I have no aim to touch you on anything. Hold on to your dogmas and traditions… Those are for theologians…I invite you to may salon to converse about other matters. To create together a common front against hunger, against misery, against atheism, against communism, against war etc.. Do not these issues move or touch you? Does not this proposition enthuse you? Come then to conduct our dialogue on a high level, on the level of ecumenicity and mutual understanding, and you will see how beautiful our meeting will be!

Our Orthodox Church! Our pained and martyric Mother! Shall you accept this proposition? Shall you open dialogue with papism? And do you not see through that in this proposition the danger exists, through the incapability and unworthiness of those representing you, for there to be created a situation to a terrible degree favorable to your enemies, in which, without you realizing it, you will fall into the lap of papism and there will occur…union, the falsely named union, spiritual adultery, the most dishonorable act, which could ever possibly occur and for which there will be need for centuries of repentance, and the orthodox, who will want to play the role of mid-wife of the Orthodox Church, there shall come a time when they shall sigh and shall say: This tongue, which spoke rhetorically about ecumenism and mutual understanding, let it be cut. These feet, which would run to meet the portrayed, hypocritical friendship with Orthodoxy, let them rot. These hands, which signed letters and memoirs of ecumenicity, let them fall!

This, my beloved, in a parabolic and realistic word is the much spoken of theory of ecumenicity which these “chanoi” Mongolian monarchs, or fools, are gulping down.

The theory concerning the ecumenical movement, under which all the forms of heresy can be housed, even the most one-sided elements, constitutes, we repeat, danger for the Orthodox Church. Because it devalues the importance of dogmas, these eternal truths of divine revelation, which, being formulated marvelously in the brief terms and definitions of the Ecumenical Synods, are the bones and the spinal column, without which the body is transformed into a flabby and formless mass. It depreciates, devalues and undervalues the sacred and holy Canons, which the followers of ecumenicity call anachronistic, dated and rusted weapons. To speak generally, it undervalues Orthodoxy on the whole, concerning which the followers of ecumenicity say that it is selfish and self-pleasing and a blasphemy for us to think that she only she is the true Church, possessing pure and unadulterated the truth of divine revelation. Thus the dogmas and morality, indisruptively united in Orthodoxy, in the ecumenical movement are tending towards vaporization and for [only] the deceptive form of love to remain. Thus the theory of ecumenicity and grabbing [and bundling] together of peoples, being supported by worldly and political circles of the age, for the buttressing of a secure peace invading already into the spiritual world, in which compromises are unacceptable, it can provoke conflict, confusion and unrest, a real Babel. Dough is useless, if it is mixed with other elements and loses its operative energy. And Orthodoxy is excellent dough, the dough of truth which is able to knead the whole mixture, but with the prerequisite that it remains unmixed with alien elements, clean. It is for this reason that the enemies of Orthodoxy are followers of the theory of ecumenicity. And we do not hesitate for this reason to call ecumenicity a new heresy, against which the Orthodox Church must defend herself with every power.

An Untimely Meeting

By the germ of this new heresy, unfortunately, patriarch Athenagoras has been attacked, who with his ecumenical title wants to give, by his getting mixed up in the ecumenical movement, a different meaning from that meaning, which would beat the hearts of his predecessors. He wants to be called ecumenical by heretics, papists and protestants, why not also by Mohammedans. To all, to the right and to the left, everywhere he spreads smiles, embraces all, all for him are good and saints. What does it matter of they are not orthodox? Thusly Athenagoras succeeds in collecting from all the heretics and those thinking in a worldly manner praises and applause. And in his person is found the application of the Lord: “Woe unto you when all speak well of you!” (Luke 6: 26).

Being goaded as by a gadfly and inspired under these ideas concerning the ecumenical movement patriarch Athenagoras accepted or rather sought out to meet with the pope, without examining the motives from which the pope moving showed a wholly   eager disposition for the meeting, without previously asking and getting advise from  sister orthodox churches concerning this meeting, without, most important, being afraid of the grave consequences, which an untimely and superficial meeting with the pope would have upon all of Orthodoxy, with the pope, – I say – who, it is worthy of note, is not disposed to take even a single step back as regards the principles of papism. Now that the pope had no disposition for a sincere approachment, but under theatrical embracings were hidden the cunning designs of unrepentant papism, this is indicated by the following events.

1.      From the church of Bethlehem the pope directed to all Christians of the world the pronouncement, in which among other things he said the following:

‘The union of the Churches is not possible to be achieved at the      expense of the truths of the Faith. The door of the flock remains open. The   reception shall be very warm.”

Who does not understand what these words of the pope mean? A serious Athenian newspaper commenting on the pope’s pronouncement wrote:

“Obviously the pope means as              ‘truths of the faith’ the Catholic                               dogma, and as ‘flock’ with an open door (as many as are faithful enter in)                                 the Catholic Church. That is,         the lost sheep of Orthodoxy are invited to            return to the bosoms of Rome,                                which will eagerly forgive them! And to                           other such achievements with health, lord Athenagoras, embassador of                  your most beloved fatherland Turkey!…”

2.      The pope during his pilgrimage to the Holy Places was accompanied also by the patriarch of the uniates Maximos IV, a fact that testifies that he has no disposition [or intent] to abolish the deceptive schema/form of the unia. And in a sacred temple of the westerners, Saint Anna’s, the pope received all the hierarchs of the uniates, conversed with them most sweetly and blessed their “Christian” work in the midst of Orthodox.

3.      The throne, as a religious newspaper listed, upon which the pope would sit, was higher than the throne upon which the patriarch sat. A behavior reminding one of Ferrara. Where is the meeting on equal terms by the two sitting in First Seats?

4.      The pope denied to go through the pilgrimage route, for which the one orthodox person guarding it declared that only once it is opened for the catholic, the pope that is, pass through. Where is his humility? If it were possible at all the sites of worship at the holy land the flag of the Vatican would be waving!

5.      In a telegraph, which the reverend metropolitan Axomis lord Nicholaos sent to the pope by which it was being asked that the pope take back the libel of anathema that he submitted in 1054 upon the holy table of saint Sophia, Cardinal Humbertos, in answering said the pope did not lift the excommunication, but made mention of other things, concerning mutual humility, love, understanding, conciliation…

Despite all the above [considerations] the patriarch continues to persist, that the present pope is borne by pure dispositions, and for this reason a trip by the patriarch to Rome and Florentia is being pre-announced, for the Orthodox Church to thus suffer new humiliations. And what is worse, as his official document, the patriarch, expressing himself enthusiastically for the warm reception, which he chanced to receive in Greece during his last visit, says that the Greek people are for the catholics and seek union with them! In this regard we give patriarch Athenagoras the following answer. The honors, which he chanced to receive in Greece, were not being given for his person, because as patriarch until today he did nothing courageous (manly) and high, or sublime in behalf of our fatherland, in season or out of season and to the point of disgust speaking everywhere, wherever he stood, concerning his most beloved Turkey and exhibiting the  Turkish grandeur. So the honors were not referred to his person, but to the institution of the historical Ecumenical Patriarchate. Let it be allowed us to remind you as timely a certain myth, according to which a donkey driver loaded upon the poor four-footed animal on the left and right of its back two icons, of Christ and of the All-holy Virgin Mary: and seeing that the yoked beast, during its traveling in various places a large and innumerable crowd would come forth and get on its knees and worship, the miserable animal thought that these special honors were being render unto his being. And for this reason it began to become prideful, to stretch its ears and to walk majestically. But the donkey driver within a short time removed this self-deception from him. A few strong wippings and the dumb animal came to its senses… The myth is instructive! And as regards the other, that the Greek people is seeking union with the roman catholics, now that things are beginning to reveal themselves, Athenagoras and his entourage will learn in a short while, how mistaken his information is concerning the dispositions of the Greek people, which the persons who approached him during his visit here related to him. Let grace be unto those who for reasons of respect for the glorious history of the Ecumenical Patriarchate restrained the faithful people from entering into the Metropolitan church of Athens, when Athenagoras was liturgizing and his fame was being sung, and to shout, with a powerful voice, the [saying] anaxios! (“unworthy!”)

The Patriarch a Mason?

And how justified would this function be, if even there were no anti-canonical activities of the patriarch! Because after the surprise the Greek people by newspapers was informed that in Paris a book was published, entitled “The Sons of Light”, in which it is mentioned that patriarch Athenagoras is a mason. We asked for and saw the book. And truly, on page 313 the name of patriarch as a mason is mentioned.

Il avait des raisons plus particulieres de s’interesser a ce problime. Epris d’ idees oecumeniques, sans se douter alors qu’il reunirait un concile de ce nom, les movens qui pouvaient rapprocher l’Eglise romaine des Eglises protestantes et orthodoxies. Lui paraissaient d’un interet considerable et il placait en tete la maconnerie. Dans tous les pays protestants, de nombreux members du haut clerge etaient macons, tel le primat d’ Angeleterre, Fisher, archeveque de Cantoorbery. Mgr Roncalli avait suivi et encourage les efforts de certain orthodoxies pro-romains, notamment du comte Pangal, ancient minister des Affaires etrangeres du roi Carol et souverain grand commandeur de Roumanie, aujourd’hui decede, et de l’ ancient president du gouvernement de l’Ukraine, Marcotoune, 33 rue Cadet. Le patriarche de Constantinople Athanagore etait macon, egalement.

To be sure this book by the author Roger Peyrefitte, as is indicated on the cover, bears the character of a novel (roman). But we ask: If in a novel a common citizen is mentioned by name as a thief or fornicator or murderer, would he remain indifferent? Can one insult an honorable citizen in a novel? As many of those in Greece who read the book have been scandalized. And because also by other printed materials of a Kerkyrarian living in America there is the accusation that the patriarch and the archbishop of America are masons, the patriarch ought to, caring for his honor and esteem, disprove the accusation that he is a mason, an accusation having defrockment (unrobing) as a consequence, insomuch as masonry is a denial of Christ. So long, however, as the patriarch does not proceede to disprove this accusation, in the consciences of Christians, who read this book, in the daily Athenian newspapers and in printed materials out of America the dreadful news, the scandalization remains, in account no longer of journalists, but on account of the patriarch himself, who remains indifferent or does not want, for reasons he knows, to disprove this news. A Patriarch who is a mason on the ecumenical throne is an “abomination of desolation standing in a holy place”.  The non-disproval strengthens the suspicion that behind the last theatrical meeting of patriarch and pope is hidden the finger of international masonry operating abroad internationally, which seeks not the union of the “churches”, but the humbling and humiliation of Orthodoxy, which remains the hard core of the Christian world, which with a mania masonry seeks to smash to pieces. Now in the presence at the side of the patriarch of the big businessman of cinematography Sp. Skoura, whom the patriarch called great offikialion of the Great Church of Christ, rewarding thus the … shameful production of movies, constitutes a new proof of the superficiality with which the patriarch is utilizing the patriarchal office. Advisors of Skouras, are Anthony Papas and Pierre De Mets … Naturally, whoever gives money and fills the treasuries, he, regardless as to whatever he believes, is declared not only a benefactor but also an advisor. Thus mammon is governor of the Church.

Should we continue the revelations of the psychosynthesis of lord Athenagoras? We shall reach the root of the evil. We shall reach abnormal days for our nation, during which clerics “spotharchides” who ruthlessly seek to rise to high offices, trampling upon recognized values of contemporary clerics, have achieved in throwing themselves upon enviable hierarchical thrones like wildcats. How they rose up to the thrones the veteran honorable president of the orthodox society “Three Hierarchs”, Mr. Pan. Barymbopiotes, knows. And the very reverend Father Gervasios Paraskevopoulos, preacher and spiritual father of Patrans, published in this regard a revealing article in the periodical “Anaplasis” ( Re-Creation; Re-Formation”) (issue no. 21/1954, p. 301). Among those thusly entering the sheep pen, just as it is too, that the manner of election of the bishop is according to holy Chrysostom and other fathers of the Church the touchstone of his worthiness or unworthiness, then we say that patriarch Athenagoras did not enter into the administration of the Church by the door, but “from elsewhere”. He is neither god-elected nor people-elected. And according to saint Nicodemos the Hagiorite, one can not expect any good from such-kinds of bishops. Because deep spirituality is absent, humility is not there, Christian grandeur is lacking.

The Responsibilities

For all the above reasons set forth above we consider patriarch Athenagoras wholly unsuited to take on the highest problem, the untangling of the relations of the Eastern Church and the roman catholics. All and whatever things touch the hands of this patriarch, except for the mysteries, shall be transformed into a disaster and a curse. Athenagoras, whom for a series of years we censured for various activities of his, is a danger for the Church. Working to be people-pleasing (“anthropareskian”) he is displeasing to God and to Orthodoxy. A new Bekkos is being hatched. But for this, also at fault are the hierarchs in the Patriarchate. Because the majority of them have ended up becoming servile. And being indifferent for every thing and for whatever anti-canonical action of the patriarch, they are heard to be saying: “What do I care? Let him do whatever he wants”. No bishops unfortunately exist in the Patriarchate, but little [Lilliputian] episcopals (“episcopidia”), as the ever-memorable metropolitan of Samos, Irenaos, used to say. These “little episcopals” constitute the obedient organs, which Athenagoras send forth everywhere, for the achievement of the aims of the ecumenical movement. The Patriarchate, as we have said, in essence does not exist, but only man’s ego, capable [only] of corrupting orthodox consciences through flattery and of bringing the ship vessel of the Church into the center of the whirlwind, or tornado, precisely where the pope and the rest of the heretics desire her to be. Now the few thousand orthodox remaining in Constantinople are unable to react against the patriarch, as would have reacted of course were they to be found on free Greek turf.

But the bishops of Greece bear responsibility too, and indeed those of Northern Greece, who commemorate his name in the holy churches. Certain ones from among them, as professor Mr. N. Tomadakis, notes, are distinguished for their theological equipment, and they ought not to have allowed a theologically unequipped patriarch with his little episcopals to lead the church down a cliff. Until when, O shepherds, shall you remain indifferent? Until when shall you sleep? Until when shall you watch dispassionately the ship of the Church to be guided by an incapable man into rocks and reefs?  Do you not see that on the occasion of the untimely and foolish and vainglorious meeting of the patriarchate with the pope there is danger for a new shaking up of the Church to be created, and the old division into unionists and anti-unionists will return and knit new dramas? Or have you not heard that the patriarch during his last visit to Greece spread about unsparingly metals to journalists and other factors capable of influencing the common opinion, and that now these people with fanaticism are supporting the destructive for the Church tactic (scheme) of Athenagoras, and are strongly and skillfully and rabidly waging war against the archbishop lord Chrysostom, who for only this reason is worthy of religious and national gratitude? It was fortunate that at the last convening of the Holy Synod strong voices were heard, like that of the saint Trikkis, declaring that, if the patriarch continues following the same scheme, we shall not follow him. But this is not enough. Against the patriarch, whom the saint of Argolidos indicted and denounced for serious canonical transgressions, ecclesiastical justice must move as swiftly as possible. Athenagoras must be rendered incapable of doing harm to the Church. He must be defrocked and set outside of the battle. Some other hierarch, known for his orthodox views (phronemata) and excellently equipped theologically, must be elected and take the rudder of the Great Church of Christ and proceed to cleansing the manure of Avgeiou, which has gathered together around the Bosporos. Tolerance has lasted long enough, which for matters of such-kind of nature is transformed into guilt and crime. The banners of Orthodoxy must be raised by strong hands. Lay people and clergy, as many of us who believe in Orthodoxy, not only as a support but also as the purpose of our nation, as one man, seeing our most honorable orthodox faith in the greatest danger, are in duty bound to rise up and with a thunderous voice shout to Athenagoras and his company, followers of the new heresy of ecumenicity: STOP, sirs, you will not pass in Greece! We shall not permit you to bring us before an accomplished fact, against which the large mass of people will no longer will be able to react. We shall not allow you to sell us off to the pope.

Now to the new generation, the generation that is easily led astray by deceptive mottos, we turn and repeat the words of the ever-memorable Korais, who, living in the midst of a roman catholic environment and knowing the papists well, wrote the following most significant things to the accusers of Orthodoxy and praisers of roman Catholicism:

“For this superstition they deride us and to it they attribute the obstinacy   of the common people not become united with the papists, and its firm resistance         to those autocrats desiring to unite…But to this superstition (if superstition ever         gave birth to anything good) we Greeks of today owe our existence. Without this      most fortunate obstinacy of those before us, and superstition would increase still   more, and the highly populated orders of the western monastics would devour the           land of poor Greece, and the neronic criteria of the holy inquisition would burn          the Greeks, as they burned many thousands of westerners, and the Eastern             Church will become subjected, as a single head, to the pope.”

Finally, in these critical moments, during which Orthodoxy is in jeopardy, from this small guard-post we trumpet to all the faithful, Greek men and Greek women:

Orthodox! Remember whose Church you are children. Remember the rivers of blood that our fathers shed for the preservation of our faith to be unadulterated. Not even an iota did these people subtract or add to our faith. Remember the motto of the heroes of 21’. First for the faith and then for the fatherland those ever-memorable men struggled, who by their blood founded the unique throughout the world orthodox nation. All these, visible and invisible heroes and martyrs, shout to us from their graves: Children, stand upon the bulwark of Orthodoxy. GREEKS, BE VIGILENT!…

A Powerful Contender Against Papism

“The antichrist are: the one is the pope and the other is…Curse the pope, for he shall be the cause”

KOSMAS AETOLOS

(See our book by the same name, Athens, 1987 9th ed., pp. 286, 348)