In
the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Gathered by the Grace of the Holy Spirit, with one mouth and one heart,
we declare to all Orthodox Christians, where-so-ever they may be, and
confess before God and men, the following:
a) In 1924 the introduction of the new Papist calendar, which was
condemned and judged by the three Pan-Orthodox Councils of 1583, 1597
and 1593, and which served as the first step of the Eastern Orthodox
Church’s entry into Ecumenism, caused a real schism triggered by
clearly doctrinal, namely ecclesiological, reasons. Therefore the New
Calendar “Churches,” formed in 1924 and afterwards, are
schismato-heretical and the “mysteries” held by its celebrants are
not recognized, since Divine Grace, according to the teaching of the
Fathers, does not act upon schismatics. The Genuine Orthodox Christians,
in 1924, remained faithful to the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic
Church, adding nothing and omitting nothing, and thus continued and
continue to be the faithful members of the Body of the Church of Christ,
and they—both Clergy and Laity—represent and express Her.
b) The deviations from the above Confession – Ecclesiology by each of
the false brethren caused various schisms, first of which was that of
the former Metropolitan of Florina, Chrysostom, in 1937. These schisms
have a Doctrinal – Ecclesiological cause, namely, the blasphemous
theory regarding the so called “potential but not actual” schism of
the new Papist calendar. A similar schism of ecclesiological nature is
proven to have also occurred in the Genuine Orthodox Church of Romania
by the Old Calendarist group in Romania which received its succession of
Episcopal ordinations from the New Calendarist, Galaction Cordun. This
group accepted the Florinite cacodoxy and identified itself with the
schismatic Florinite faction of Cyprian of Phyle, with which its
successors and followers march. These ecclesiological deviations are
condemned and averted by the local Genuine Orthodox Churches of Greece,
Africa, Russia, Cyprus and Romania.
c) But the following newer schisms of 1995 and 2005 in Greece and
Cyprus, absolutely have the same Doctrinal – Ecclesiological origins
with that very Florinite schism of 1937, and essentially serve as the
continuation, extension and broadening of the same. By all of these
schismato-heretics, of 1995 and 2005, an attempt was made, albeit
unsuccessful, to interrupt the Apostolic Succession, as much as with the
failed “cheirothesia,” as with all the other traps and deceitful
methods since 1971, and finally with their audacious and brazen en masse
retreat, in 2003, from what was in essence and actuality a simple prayer
of absolution into a “cheirothesia.” They pursued this, not only to
disgrace the Apostolic Succession, but also to make the Confession –
Ecclesiology baseless and void, and thereby the recently deceased New
Calendarist Archbishop Christodulus could “resolve the old calendarist
problem,” as he had planned.
This Confession, which we formulated unanimously at the first encounter
and discussion between our local Churches about the topic of union, is
the same Confession which our Fathers preserved in the midst of
persecutions, “without innovation and without reduction,” and upon
which we, as upon a firm foundation, stand. We also secured our unity
and that of our flocks, in our Mother, the One, Holy, Catholic and
Apostolic Church, and through her we are preserved upright and unharmed
by the innovators and heretics of the current ecumenistic apostasy.
Today, we also promise to preserve this Confession, and to also confess
our common march, because this Confession, as “handed down by the holy
Fathers” and according to the very Confession of the One, Holy,
Catholic and Apostolic Church of Christ, is the most secure confirmation
that we are strengthened to be genuine members of the Body of Christ and
participants in His salvific divine Grace. According to St. Maximus the
Confessor, “Christ the Lord called that Church the Catholic Church
which maintains the true and saving CONFESSION of the Faith” (Minge
P.G. 90, 132), and according to the Seventh Ecumenical Council,
“whoever has this confession is a genuine son and participant of the
Catholic Church.” The Church can even be “preserved among three
persons,” according to the Holy Fathers.
We also officially declare this same Confession now, in order to confirm
and seal the complete ecclesiastical unity of our local Churches, which
we accommodated and declared after the discussions, verdicts and
decisions of our Holy Synods of the local Churches of Greece, Africa,
Russia, Cyprus and Romania.
We specifically DECLARE that:
a) We embrace, accept and confess whatever the Holy Apostles and
God-bearing Fathers in the Ecumenical and Local Councils handed down to
us to preserve, “adding nothing, and subtracting nothing”, because
“he who accepts modernism or innovation denies the faith of Christ and
falls under the eternal anathema”, according to the decision of the
Pan-Orthodox Council of Constantinople in 1848. The Holy Apostles and
our Holy Fathers, convened together in the Holy Spirit, gave unto us
“that which they received” from Christ, therefore it is necessary
and beneficial for us to preserve this sacred Heritage, because in the
future we will need to “give our word” on the day of Judgment, that
we have wholly preserved [that which we received]. Likewise in the
present declaration we refer to the Confessions of St. Photius the
Great, Patriarch of Constantinople, St. Gregory Palamas, Archbishop of
Thessalonica, and St. Mark Eugenicus, Bishop of Ephesus. The later
bishops, clergy and fullness of the laity, also followed their path even
until the contemporary confessors of the Genuine Orthodox Church, as
much in Greece and Cyprus, as in Romania and Russia. Also following this
Confession were the Blessed Bishops of Greece, Matthew I of Bresthena,
Matthew II of Bresthena, Chrysostom of Messenia, Agathangelus of Tenus,
Meletius of Attica, Bessarion of Tricala, Demetrius of Thessalonica,
John of Thebes, Eumenius of Crete, Lazarus of Bresthena, Panaretus of
Larisa, Gorgonius of Citrus, and, for the most part of his life (until
he was misled at the end by his evil advisors), Andrew of Patras. Also
following this Confession were the Blessed Bishops of Cyprus, Spyridon
of Trimythus and Epiphanius of Citium; those of Romania, Victor of
Bucharest, Nephon of Tomis and Clement of Iasi; and those of Russia,
especially Joseph of Petersburg, Andrew of Ufa, Peter (Ladygin) of
Glazov and Barnabas (Belyaev) of Pechersk, and several other New Martyrs
and Confessors. We also, following their remnant and teaching and
declaring their Confession to all, exclaim to them MEMORY ETERNAL.
b) We recognize the consecrations which occurred in Greece in 1935, 1948
and 1995 (we only refer to these dates because they constitute special
stages in the history of the Genuine Orthodox Church of Greece), as
dogmatically complete and perfect, Orthodox and Canonical, and not
needing any “cheirothesia” or “prayer of absolution.” The
decision of 1971, [prepared by the then Bishop Laurus Shkurla of
Manhattan,] which occurred as a result of sly onslaughts against the
Genuine Orthodox Confession and the uninterrupted Apostolic Succession,
was never fulfilled in Greece, firstly because [the decision itself] was
hidden by the Delegation [consisting of Bishops Callistus and Epiphanius
and Fathers Eugene and Calliopius], and was only revealed much later by
the Florinites, and, secondly, because it was never declared to be a
cheirothesia, but rather, according to the statement of the Delegation
and later by Metropolitan Philaret Voznesensky of New York, it was a
simple prayer of absolution, [which was only accepted by our Synod] to
nullify every argument of the Florinites, who refused to unite with the
Church because of the “single-handed” [consecration]. This prayer of
absolution was tolerated in Greece, because it had no relation to the
dogmatic uprightness and fullness of the mystery of the single-handed
consecration. But much later, especially from 2003 onwards, [various
hierarchs and clergy of our Church,] “with bared head,”
reconstructed the meaning of the prayer of absolution into a so-called
“cheirothesia as upon schismatics,” thereby giving substance to the
unsubstantial (according to the Church) “cheirothesia.” An example
of this is the so-called “condemnation of the cheirothesia” enacted
by those surrounding Nicholas (act no. 3280/28.11.2007), [who, in
“condemning” the cheirothesia, have suggested that there actually
was one to begin with, and have thereby] blasphemed against their own
Apostolic Succession, which they have now denied. We, on the other hand,
confess that the consecrations of 1935, 1948 and 1995 are complete and
perfect, and we place under anathema all those who prate otherwise and
attempt to cover up the “discharges” of the Drama Magistrate’s
Court 46/91 and Piraeus Magistrate’s Court 54/76 [in which the leaders
of today’s Gregorian and Nicholaitan factions, respectively,—while
still members of the Church—secretly defended their orders in the
local Magistrate’s Courts based on the so-called “cheirothesia” of
1971, a blasphemy which, no doubt, led to their later fall from the
Church, in 1995 and 2005, respectively].
c) We, as genuine shepherds of the Church, therefore condemn and place
under anathema both New Calendarist and Old Calendarist Ecumenism alike,
as well as the schismato-heresies and blasphemies created by the above
forms of Ecumenism, which vainly war against the Church of Christ. In
particular, we condemn the Pan-heretical Encyclical of the Patriarchal
Synod of Constantinople in 1920 and the false Pan-Orthodox Council under
Meletius Metaxakis in 1923. We specifically condemn the
schismato-heresies ensuing from the above, namely, that in Russia caused
by Antoninus Granovsky and the Renovationists (1922), in Greece by
Chrysostom Papadopoulos (1924), in the regions of the Ecumenical
Patriarchate by Gregory (1924), in Romania by Miron Cristea (1924), in
Alexandria by Meletius Metaxakis (1926), in Russia by Sergius
Stragorodsky (1927), and in Cyprus by Cyril III (1928). We also condemn
the ensuing schisms in Greece by the former Bishop of Florina,
Chrysostom Kavourides (1937), the former Bishop of the Cyclades,
Germanus Varykopoulos (1943), the former Bishop of Corinth, Callistus
Makris and his successor Cyprian Koutsoumpas (1977-1979), the former
Bishop of Messenia, Gregory Roussis (1995), and the former Bishop of
Piraeus, Nicholas Mesiakaris (2005). We also condemn the schism in
Romania currently led by Blasius Mogarzan. All the above heresies and
schisms were created by the dark and antichristian centers of Papo-ecumenism,
and that which hides behind it, namely, Judaeo-masonry, which has been
warring against the Church for 88 years. But, just as today’s
Confessional Inter-ecclesiastical Council makes evident, “The Church
is warred against, but she overcomes; she is insulted, but she stands
most bright; she is rocked, but she does not sink; she receives blows,
but she does not fall (St. John Chrysostom).” The slaughtered lamb of
the Apocalypse rose victorious. For “they will make war against the
Lamb, but the Lamb will overcome them (Rev. 17:14).” And “this is
the victory that has overcome the world, even our Faith (1 John 5:4).”
Finally, by our current Synodical Act, we openly declare the always
existing (according to our common Confession – Ecclesiology) UNITY
between our local Churches, recognizing each other as brethren and
fellow servants in Christ. Calling upon the Grace of the Holy Spirit, to
heal anything ailing and fill anything missing, we seal our unity with
an embrace in Christ, with a greeting, and with the Communion of our
Lord’s All-immaculate Body and Blood from the same Cup.
In the year of our Lord, 2008.
The Holy and Sacred Pan-Orthodox Synod
+ KIRYKOS, by the mercy of God, Metropolitan of Mesogaia and Lavreotiki
+ MATTHEW, by the mercy of God, Metropolitan of Nairobi and all Kenya
+ SERAPHIM, by the mercy of God, Metropolitan of Kiev and all Ukraine
+ PARTHENIUS, by the mercy of God, Metropolitan of Citium and all Cyprus
+ CASSIAN, by the mercy of God, Metropolitan of Bacau and all Moldavia
+ GERONTIUS, by the mercy of God, Bishop of Vrancea.