5. “A clarification from His Beatitude Archbishop Makarios of Athens and All Greece concerning Archb. Gregory of Colorado”, (Greek original with English translation).

“The letter of our Archbishop Makarios, concerning Bishop Gregory of Colorado, to the Synodical Representative of our Church in the United States of America.”

End the Lies!

Many times our Church has been used self-interestedly by Bishop Gregory of Colorado with the objective of his advancement. Characteristically the name of our Archbishop Makarios was recently used in order to receive a certain Bishop Ambrose. When we informed our readers that this was not true we received slanderous, incendiary and disdainful comments from the Buena Vistites. We then published the Declaration of the Sacred Synod’s Press Office which disputed Bishop Gregory and those with him, whereupon they said the matter concerned Archbishop Makarios and not the Sacred Synod (implying that the Archbishop is not a member of the Synod!). Therefore we publish a personal letter of Archbishop Makarios (with his signature and seal) in order to demonstrate the falsehood and deceit of Bishop Gregory. The letter was provided to us from the Archdiocesan Archives and it constitutes the reply of Archbishop Makarios to the request for clarification by the Synodal Epitropos in America in order to answer numerous inquiries.
Under this official document of our Holy Synod, is a translation in English.
The English translation:
___________________

CHURCH OF G.O.C. OF GREECE

SACRED ARCHDIOCESE OF ATHENS

32 Kanigos str. –  4th floor – p.o 8122 ATHENS 10010 GREECE

Tel. 2103814087 –  FAX 2103812133


Protocol No.: 292 Athens, January 7, 2008 (O.S.)

FOR

The All-venerable Archimandrite

Nikiforos Groce, Synodical Epitropos in the U.S.A.

Dear son of my mediocrity in the Lord, All-venerable Fr. Nikiforos, The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

To answer the letter you sent me on December 29, 2007 (O.S.) and your inquiries to me concerning “Archbishop” Mr. Gregory, know the following:

It is a complete lie that Mr. Gregory has sacramental communion with our Sacred Synod.

Our Sacred Synod during 2006 and also again during 2007 rejected petitions concerning the above mentioned application-wish of his.

It is also a complete lie that with my blessing and approval he “received” (with whose authority and by what means?!), the completely unknown to me, Ukrainian bishop Mr. Ambrose. Simply put, for a long time Mr. Gregory asked only my personal opinion, with letters and persistent telephone calls concerning the way he should “receive” Mr. Ambrose. From the beginning I did not consider Mr. Gregory’s question a serious one, believing that only a Synod of Bishops can accomplish something like this and not simply one bishop alone. Therefore, after the continuing annoyances from Mr. Gregory, the only thing I did tell him was that certainly he first needed a statement of true faith. I never said or meant that only the confession of faith was adequate neither that he had my blessing to “receive” him! Neither would I ever give him this without the Synodical opinion of my fellow holy Bishops!

I am astounded at the cunning and the apparent mendacity of Mr. Gregory, which are not fitting for a bishop, as well as for the illegal taping of telephone conversations which is – at least in Greece – prosecuted by the law.

Finally, once and for all, as such also from the referring November 16/29, 2007 Declaration of the Press Office of our Sacred Synod, our Sacred Synod is not having any sacramental relations with the aforementioned Archbishop Gregory since 2001, when he uncanonically seceded from our Sacred Synod, and never gave approval or blessing for the ordination or reception of anyone under the lost and peculiar Mr. Gregory for whom we bear no responsibility concerning his actions.

Likewise I personally never attempted anything similar, every opposing slander when necessary should be repelled and silenced also by showing this letter.

The Archbishop

[Seal] [Signature]


+Of Athens and All Greece

MAKARIOS