In a statement to the media on Thursday, December 8, the Bishop of Kythera & Antikythera, Serafim, made a statement regarding the reasons for his recent acquittal by the Second Trial Court of Piraeus and on the occasion of publications of the local and national press.
In his statement, the Metropolitan of Kythera said:
STATEMENT
Metropolitan Seraphim of Kythera & Antikythera
after the trial at the Second Trial Chamber of the Piraeus Plenary Court
(22 November 2022)
After the disgraceful verdict and the acquittal of the above Court, I had no intention of making any statement. However, because an untrue information, which was transmitted through the local press, if left unanswered, may give the impression that the acquittal was based on the lie and deception of the Court, I therefore publish the following statement.
In the newspaper «Kytheraika» (sheet no. 385, December 2022, p.16) and in the column «στά πεταχta» published in 10 rows of the column the following: «The Metropolitan of Kythera was acquitted on 22 November of the charge of committing sacrilege in April 2020 (greetings) although they were banned due to covid. At the time, the Police was told that the relevant circular had not arrived, which, apparently, was taken into account by the Court.
In the «Kathimerini» of 20 March 2020, among others, the following is written: «...The next day the Metropolitan presented himself at the island's police station and claimed that Jerome's circular had not arrived. A case file was formed and he was released».
And in both of the above two publications the news that I had then pleaded to the Police that the relevant encyclical (of the Holy Synod) had not arrived is untrue. The Chief Secretariat of the Holy Synod with the Circular Note No. 1371/619/17-3-2020 sent enclosed the Official Gazette No. 872/16-3-2020, issue B, which included the Decree No. 2867/Y1 of the Holy Synod on the subject: ’Imposition of the measure of temporary prohibition of the performance of all kinds of services and rituals in religious places of worship for the period from 16-3-2020 to 30-3-2020 and requests that the following be done for the period from 16-3-2020 to 30-3-2020’. These two documents were sent electronically on the same day.
The Holy Synod (enlarged with the presence of the Metropolitans of the Attica basin) decided, with its decision of 16-3-2020, to celebrate only the Sunday Divine Liturgy from 7-8 a.m. in observance of the sanitary regulations. However, in the afternoon of the same day, the above-mentioned C.I.A. was published, which in effect annulled the relevant Synodal Decision, and as a result, the I.I.S., through its Circular Note, communicated this decision to the Holy Archdiocese and the Holy Metropolises.
It would therefore be a gross lie if I were to claim ignorance of the receipt of these documents. I wonder how and where this information came from, that i.e. that I declared ignorance to the Kythera Police, because the relevant circular had not arrived in time. In order to refute this untrue news, our dear journalists and any other interested parties may come to the offices of the Holy Metropolis of Kythera and Antikythera and read on the spot the two relevant documents: 1.η March 2020 by Deputy Chief Triantis Ioannis of the Kythera Police Station and 2.Apologetic Memorandum of the above mentioned before the Mr.Prosecutor of the Court of First Instance of Piraeus (By the Head of the Kythera Police Station), submitted on 23the March 2020.
During the conduct of the trial in this matter, our compatriot Mr.Gabriel Nikiforakis, Attorney at Law, was present as a witness for the defence, who can attest that in the Court there was no mention of my ignorance of the prohibitive provision of the above-mentioned Decree, which obstructed the Divine Worship and every Divine Liturgy in March 2020 (from 16of until the 30th of this month). Consequently, my right has nothing to do with what is written in «Kytheraika»: «At the Police then he (the Metropolitan) had pleaded that the relevant circular had not arrived, something which, apparently, was taken into account by the Court’.
The main reasons for my acquittal were: Conflict of duties, in accordance with Article 33 of the Civil Code, the lack of malice and the absence of unfortunate results (cases or death of persons) from my action. There was no violation of article 285, paragraph 3 of the PC. This was stated by the Bishop of Piraeus, Seraphim, an expert on legal matters.
As regards the conflict of duties, I would like to point out that, while as a Bishop during my ordination as Bishop and my Confirmation before the Supreme Ruler of the State, I promised to observe the Holy Canons, the Divine Doctrines of our Orthodox Catholic Church and the Constitution, the then issued C.I was obliged to violate both (the Holy Canons and the Constitutional imperative, article 13, par. 2 of the Constitution, defining the Divine Worship of the Orthodox Church of Greece). This article of the Greek Constitution is not suspended even in times of siege or war, nor is it related to the suspended Constitutional provisions. And, while these are established by our Holy Church and the Constitution of our Motherland, I am not willing to overlook the decision of the enlarged 16of March 2020 Holy Synod, which decided, in accordance with the economy, to celebrate the Sunday Divine Liturgy from 7-8 a.m. and to seal the Holy Churches.
This is what I wish to state, as the trial in this matter is over, in order to remove false news and impressions.
«Glory to God for all in all».
Good continuation of the struggle of the Holy Week of Christmas and a blessed Christmas.
Easily
The Metropolitan
† Seraphim of Kythera & Antikythera
