Church of Crete accuses govt. of interfering in election of metropolitan

The Synod of the Church of Crete. Photo: the Church of Crete’s website

The Holy Eparchial Synod of the Church of Crete issued an official statement condemning the interference of state authorities and the Patriarchate of Constantinople in the election of a new metropolitan of Kydonia and Apokoronas. The statement was published on the website of the Church of Crete.

The conflict sparked after the death of Metropolitan Damaskinos, when his see was left vacant. The Synod of the Church of Crete accused “various institutional figures” of unacceptable interference “with the aim of avoiding the election of a specific person to the position of the new Metropolitan of Kydonia and Apokoronas”.

The Synod was particularly outraged by the legislative initiative of the Greek government to misinterpret the textual provisions of the Statute of the Orthodox Church of Crete, based on which, supposedly, the Church of Crete is precluded from filling a vacant Metropolis by electing a Metropolitan from another Metropolis of its own.

“It is noteworthy that the prevailing view of the theorists of ecclesiastical law in the country accepts that in Crete the filling of a widowed Metropolis by a Metropolitan of another Metropolis of the Church of Crete is not excluded,” the statement of the Synod of the Church of Crete emphasizes.

According to sources, this measure is aimed at preventing the election of Metropolitan Amphilochios of Kissamos, widely regarded as the most likely candidate for the seat in Kydonia.

“This unusual interpretative provision essentially introduces a change in the existing legal status of the Church of Crete and creates an unacceptable and dangerous precedent, where the State, through interpretative provisions, will be able to unilaterally amend the Charter,” the statement reads.

Earlier, the Holy Eparchial Synod held a five-hour session on the issue of electing a new metropolitan but ultimately failed to reach a decision due to deep disagreements. Shortly before the session, the Synod members received an official letter from the Patriarchate of Constantinople urging caution and discouraging any decision that would involve the transfer of a metropolitan from another Metropolis.

In its address, the Synod of the Church of Crete “calls on the pious people of the Great Island to be vigilant and pray” and appeals to the Greek government “to refrain from taking actions that significantly distort the existing status of the Church of Crete.”

The situation highlights the growing tensions between the Church of Crete, which has a semi-autonomous status within the Patriarchate of Constantinople, the Greek government, and the Phanar regarding church governance and canonical law.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that the Archbishop of Constantinople accused Dumenko of violating the norms of the Tomos.

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