Details of Dumenko’s possible visit to Mount Athos revealed

Holy Mount Athos. Photo: wikipedia.org

The Greek outlet romioitispolis.gr published information that the head of the OCU, Epifaniy Dumenko, with the support of Patriarch Bartholomew, is planning to visit the Holy Mountain of Athos.

According to romioitispolis.gr, representatives of the Ecumenical Patriarchate are spreading rumors that the “pseudo-Kyivan (in the original: ψευδο-Κιέβου Επιφάνιος – Ed.) Epifaniy intends to visit the Holy Mountain.”

Journalists asked pointedly: “After the slogan ‘Slava Ukraini,’ connected with the Nazi past and the crimes of collaborators in the Second World War – now the pseudo-Kyivan Epifaniy on Athos?”

According to the outlet, “the news that the pseudo-Kyivan Epifaniy intends to visit the Garden of the Mother of God provoked sharp reactions on the Holy Mountain.”

Journalists insist that, “as seen from the agenda of the Holy Kinot for Monday, September 22, 2025 (September 9 according to the old style), the Patriarch sent a letter of recommendation concerning the visit/pilgrimage of the pseudo-Kyivan Epifaniy to Athos, accompanied by Metropolitan Apostolos of Melitene” (Metropolitan Apostolos is the representative of the Ecumenical Patriarchate on Athos, and abbot of the Monastery of Saint Anastasia the Deliverer from Bonds in Chalkidiki – Ed.).

According to romioitispolis.gr, “strong objections arose in the Holy Kinot against the planned visit, especially at a time when, in Ukraine, the clergy, monastics, and faithful of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church are being mercilessly persecuted by the Zelensky regime – and first of all the canonical Metropolitan Onuphry – with the ‘blessings’ of Epifaniy.”

The journalists also claim that “reactions will be expressed publicly once the visit is confirmed by Epifaniy’s letter to the Holy Kinot.”

They add that in order “to avoid protests from the Holy Kinot (as happened during the visit of the American Archbishop Elpidophoros), rumors suggest that an allegedly unofficial visit of Epifaniy is being prepared to two ‘obedient’ monasteries (Xenophontos and Pantokrator), and then, with the assistance of Metropolitan Apostolos, a ‘pilgrimage’ to another two or three monasteries and to the Holy Epistasia – in order to take the necessary photographs and announce that Athos recognizes the schismatic ‘Autocephalous Church of Ukraine.’”

“It remains to be seen whether the planned visit will take place and which monasteries intend to support it,” romioitispolis.gr concluded.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that Patriarch Bartholomew’s words “Slava Ukraini” ("Glory to Ukraine" – Trans.) caused shock in the Greek world.

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