Athonite Monks condemned Pan-Orthodox Council as heretic

Sixty monks and elders of the Holy Mount wrote an open letter to the Holy Kinot in which they condemned the by-past Council of ten Churches as anti-orthodox and “predatory” and demanded to stop commemoration of Constantinople Patriarch Bartholomew at worship services. It is reported by RIA News.

In their letter the Holy Mount monks call the Kinot to convene the “holy synaxis” for the only topic – to condemn texts of the Crete Council. The letter says that the elders studied “texts of the so-called Holy and Great Council, as well as replies of outstanding theologians and metropolitans”. “The conclusion is that the Council was anti-orthodox, predatory, and heretic,” the letter states.

The monks of Mount Athos declared the Council legitimizes ecumenism heresy at officially and at the highest level, whereas other schisms “have at last achieved their goal – to recognize sects as churches”, i.e. “papacy alongside other schismatics are recognized as Churches rather than heresy.” According to the letter, the Council ignored the role of monkhood and particularly the attitude of Holy Mount Athos to papacy and ecumenism.  

Therefore we request and expect you, viewing it as your spiritual obligation and duty, to convene an extraordinary double synaxis and condemn the so-called council for the foregoing reasons as heretic, non-canonical, and predatory,” the letter says.

The elders warned unless the Kinot condemns it, then they will have to do it on their own and stop commemorating of the Constantinople Patriarch at worships. The letter was signed by the Great Lavra brethren, those of the Vatopedi, Hilandar, Pantocrator, Kutlumus, Stavronikita, Filofiel monasteries, as well as monks and elders of the populated areas of Kareia, Kapsala, and different small monasteries.   

It will be reminded, Athos has a direct church subordination to the Constantinople Patriarchate.

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