Greek metropolitan on recognition of OCU: “It was a real crime”

Metropolitan Seraphim of Kythira. Photo: Kythira Metropolis

Metropolitan Seraphim of Kythira (Church of Greece), in an interview with the Greek outlet Vima Orthodoxias, described what happened behind the scenes when the Church of Greece recognized the OCU in 2019, UOJ Greece reports.

“In October 2019, after an ordinary session of the Synod, an additional day of an extraordinary meeting was scheduled. At it, His Beatitude [Archbishop Ieronymos] introduced a proposal to recognize the autocephaly of Ukraine under the leadership of Epifaniy. I objected, and other hierarchs objected as well,” the hierarch said.

According to him, no voting took place – neither open nor secret, neither by show of hands nor in any other form.

“Although quite a few spoke in support of autocephaly, in total about 33 people spoke – both for and against – while the rest did not speak at all. It was a Saturday; participants were dispersing; some had already left. At that time a press release was being drafted, in which everything was presented as though a vote had been held. But is a vote conducted through a press release?! They simply wrote everything up and announced it as though the Church of Greece had made a decision,” Metropolitan Seraphim protested.

He emphasized that afterward he submitted an official dissent, pointing out that no decision had been taken by the hierarchy through voting. One of the metropolitans then suggested: “If you want a decision – let us hold a vote.” But there was no vote.

Metropolitan Seraphim stated his position unambiguously:

“I personally do not commemorate Epifaniy. I think many do not commemorate him. He entered the diptychs, but I personally do not accept this – I do not commemorate him, and I do not associate with those who have concelebrated with him. I do not want to concelebrate, because I consider it uncanonical – and you see the results now.”

The Metropolitan of Kythira believes the recognition of the OCU became “a real crime.”

“We have the events of the early Christian era – we have the holocaust of three centuries of persecutions. Terrible. And those who were the instigators (in the recognition of the OCU – Ed.) bear great responsibility before God,” he said.

“In my encyclical letters I always mention that this is a real crime. ‘By their fruits you will know them’ – did not Christ say that? Here – you see it,” the hierarch emphasized.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that, according to Metropolitan Seraphim, the UOC is being harshly and mercilessly persecuted by the leadership of the OCU.

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