Media: Archbishop Elpidophoros chastised by the head of Phanar

At a meeting of the Synod of Phanar, Patriarch Bartholomew severely reprimanded the head of the American Archdiocese of the Church of Constantinople, Elpidophoros (Lambriniadis), because of the scandal with the baptism of the children of a homosexual couple, performed by the hierarch in July this year in Greece, according to the Greek National Herald edition. The meeting took place on August 29-30, 2022, but the incident became known to the media on September 9.

As the UOJ wrote, this baptism was reacted to at a meeting of the Synod of the Greek Church, where the bishops decided to send a letter to the Phanar demanding an assessment of the event. According to the National Herald, Patriarch Bartholomew handed this letter over to Archbishop Elpidophoros with a demand to "immediately" explain his actions and independently resolve the conflict with the Church of Greece.

According to the source, Archbishop Elpidophoros was addressed a number of rather harsh remarks. Patriarch Bartholomew was particularly dissatisfied with the fact that "the environment of Elpidophoros artificially spread the information that the hierarch does nothing without the knowledge and approval of the patriarch." In addition, at the direction of Archbishop Elpidophoros, several critical notes were published in the media controlled by him against the Greek Church and its hierarchs. Moreover, Archbishop Elpidophoros instructed Archdeacon John Chrysavgis, Counselor of the American Archdiocese, to lay a theological groundwork for the baptism of children of homosexuals and prepare relevant materials for the press.

These actions of Archbishop Elpidophoros, according to the National Herald, aroused discontent among both the clergy and laity of the American diaspora, and among the hierarchs and leaders of the Phanar. “As a result, the hierarch did not even dare to visit Bartholomew’s residence on September 1 to sign the Code of the New Church Year, although at that time he was on vacation nearby, in Antalya,” the National Herald noted.

As the UOJ wrote, Athos Kinot stated that an LGBT couple cannot be considered a family and adopt children.

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