Athos comments on Elpidophoros' visit to the Holy Mount
Building of the Holy Kinot of Athos. Photo: halkidikinews
On January 23, 2024, the Holy Epistasia of Mount Athos released a statement regarding the visit of Archbishop Elpidophoros to Athos.
In their statement, the Holy Epistasia (the body holding executive authority on Athos – Ed.) "expresses regret about inaccuracies and untruths in various publications on various websites."
On Athos, it was explained that the monks "unanimously decided not to accept Archbishop Elpidophoros into the Holy Epistasia." They emphasized that this "unanimous decision" was made due to the performance of the sacrament of Baptism for the children of a same-sex couple, after which Archbishop Elpidophoros "expressed no remorse".
The fact is that photos of Archbishop Elpidophoros in solemn liturgical vestments appeared on the internet after the sacrament, "creating a false impression of the Church's acceptance of the Sacrament of Marriage between persons of the same sex, which contradicts the doctrines and teachings of the Orthodox Church," it was noted on Athos.
Earlier, the UOJ reported that the head of the Archdiocese of America, Elpidophoros (Lambriniadis), served the liturgy at the Xenophontos Monastery on Athos, after which he performed the Great Blessing of the Water and went to the monastery pier to bless the sea water.
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