Dear friends,
As you may already know the Sacred Synod of the Church of the GOC of Greece under Archbishop k. k. Makarios has joined with an ecclesiastical jurisdiction from the United States named HOCNA (the “Holy Orthodox Church in North America”).
This union brought an unpleasant predicament to the membership of the Sacred Synod with the result of a bishop separating, Metropolitan Christophoros of Mesagaias and the Islands, and some number of clergy and Temples in Greece and abroad.
As the administrators of Omologitis we have discerned the just and canonical severance of Metropolitan Christoforos because it is known even to those with little knowledge concerning ecclesiastical matters that for a union of two diverging jurisdictions a written common statement of Orthodox Faith is demanded and a renunciation of any “deviations”.
Because of the above we have taken the decision to join the position of His Eminence Metropolitan k. Christoforos and to continue the objective struggle we have embarked upon.
The Team of Omologitis
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We have attached a photo copy of the Encyclical of Metropolitan Christophoros (also in pdf) and a translation of the encyclical below.
Click the photo to download it in pdf format.
The translation:
ENCYCLICAL
Salamina, October 15/28, 2013
Fathers and Brothers in Christ, Beloved Children in the Lord,
I find myself in the unpleasant position of informing you that from October 11/24 of the current year I have taken myself outside the Synodal arrangement under Archbishop Makarios of the G.O.C. of Greece, for reasons of conscience.
The main reason is that I am unable to accept the union of the above-mentioned Synod with the “Holy Orthodox Church of America” (HOCNA) because of them not supplying a written renunciation against all those known ecclesiological deviations and fallacies. From the beginning I supported this union and I expected a canonical type of union, according to the Orthodox tradition, namely a written common Confession of Faith and a renunciation on the part of HOCNA of everything that it is attributed to them concerning deviations from the Orthodox Faith and Tradition. During my oral and written protests I always received the promise of the expected God-pleasing written testimony and proof, nevertheless in vain.
Consequently, on the one hand of not being capable to accepting the ridicule of months and, secondly in denying a hypocritical participation of myself in this ecclesiastical body, I decided to sever myself from it, remembering the Sacred Vryennius saying: “There is a bad concord and a good disagreement. It can be good to be torn and bad to be in agreement. Among whom friendship becomes the ambassador of loss, to those, hate becomes a case of virtue. And better of the hateful union is the apathetic space between them.”
Wishing to all, as the Lord God enlightens all of you, the illumination of His True Light, I remain,
With best wishes and blessings,
THE METROPOLITAN
+ Christophoros of Mesogaias and the Islands
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Tags: Bostonites, Concerning proposed inter-communion between our Sacred Synod and HOCNA, HOCNA, Holy Cannons, Name-Worshippers, Onomatolatreia
