Metropolitan Amvrosios of Kalavryta: Orthodoxy was betrayed in Crete

Metropolitan Amvrosios and Patriarch Bartholomew. Photo: Romfea

A meeting of the Holy Synod of the Church of Greece was scheduled for November 22 to determine the Church’s position on the outcomes of the Council of Crete, AgionOros reported, citing Romfea.

Metropolitan Amvrosios of Kalavryta delivered a strongly worded critique of the documents adopted in Crete. He described the gathering as a “so-called Holy and Great Council” and accused Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of having “harmed Holy Orthodoxy and thrown the doors wide open to ecumenism.”

According to the hierarch, what occurred in Crete amounted to “a betrayal of the Orthodox faith.” He linked this to the recognition of the existence of other Christian “Churches” alongside the “One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic” Orthodox Church.

“Until yesterday we called them Christian confessions, but now they have been granted the title of CHURCHES,” Metropolitan Amvrosios stated with indignation. “Thus, error prevailed in Crete. Today we have acknowledged the right of other confessions to bear the ‘historical name’ of ‘Church,’ and one of the next generations will recognize them as Churches equal in status,” he emphasized.

The Metropolitan expressed the view that ecumenism in our time is taking “not timid steps, but leaps.” He stressed that unless the fullness of the Church rejects the erroneous documents adopted in Crete, Patriarch Bartholomew will be given a free hand to act “without restraint” in the future.

Concluding his message, Metropolitan Amvrosios called on all Orthodox faithful to unite “in the struggle for the Orthodox faith.”

As previously reported by the UOJ, Archbishop Ieronymos II announced that the Church of Greece would determine its position on the Pan-Orthodox Council on November 22.

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