National Herald editor accuses Patriarch Bartholomew of archdiocese decline

Theodoros Kalmoukos speaking at the Maliotis Cultural Center in 2024. Photo: Maliotis Cultural Center

On November 13, 2025, the editor of National Herald, Theodoros Kalmoukos, published an article accusing Patriarch Bartholomew of the crisis in the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, reports the UOJ in America .

According to Theodoros Kalmoukos, the policies of the Ecumenical Patriarchate have led the Archdiocese of America to a deep decline. Kalmoukos notes that recent protests in Astoria showed serious discontent among the faithful, who were outraged by the behavior of Archbishop Elpidophoros. 

The editor of National Herald states that "the "dark and decaying condition in which our ecclesiastical life has fallen" is not solely on the shoulders of Abp. Elpidophoros, who is "what he is," but that the chief person responsible for the state of GOARCH is Pat. Bartholomew himself. "He knows everything, sees, hears, and is informed, even by Archon orders, yet chooses to feign ignorance," Kalmoukos writes. "What truly seems to matter is not the well-being of the Church or the Greek-American community, but money. Yes, money above all."

The editor of the American media also notes that the parishes of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America are deteriorating despite the "multi-million surplus" of the archdiocese, and calls on communities to reduce mandatory contributions: "It's time for the parishes to cut in half their mandatory financial contributions to the Archdiocese, or better yet, to decide for themselves how much they can afford to give, rather than being dictated to from above."

It should be noted that the American service of the UOJ reported on the publication by National Herald, which claimed that Patriarch Bartholomew asked the US Archdiocese to fund Pope Leo's visit to the Ecumenical Patriarchate.

Earlier, the UOJ wrote that Phanar-affiliated media outlet suggested creating an Exarchate in Ukraine.

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