By Panagiotis Ant. Andriopoulos
«Eat, you blind man, first cleanse the inside of the cup and of the dish, that the outside may be clean also» (Matt. c. 23).
Metropolitan Seraphim of Kythera sent a letter to the Holy Synod of the Church of Greece in December 2021, for «heterodoxies» of the Dean of the Faculty of Theology of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki Chrysostomos Stamoulis, who «touching the boundaries of heretical teaching».
Kytheron did not receive a reply to this letter, because the Synod - apparently - did not give the importance that Seraphim would have wanted to what he called «a most grievous heresy and blasphemy.».
But the appropriate and catalytic response for «Stamoulis theology» got it today (Thursday, May 26, 2022) the Metropolitan of Kythera by the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, who awarded Professor Chrysostomos Stamoulis the title of Archbishop of the Church, in the presence of His Beatitude Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens and All Greece.
This move by the Church should have given the Metropolitan of Kythera some reflection on his own role, his own presence in the Church.
But because I have no illusions that Seraphim of Kythera will get the message, I will make it clearer to him.
In its recent circular «Invalidation of sacred categories», «responds» (in part A), to my text ’AN ATTACK ON PROFESSOR CHRISOSTOMOS STAMOULI BY CITY SEPHEMES, FISHES AND DETACHED GYMPHOTS«.
For the first time he replies to me after several years of writing to him about his unacceptable attitude in the Church. The metropolitan of Kythera knows me very well through my articles - even the one concerning him - but it seems that he is meeting me for the first time! Let's say.
So, he writes to the I. Synod to inform it about the «heterodoxies» of Stamoulis, who?;
He who fought and despised the Holy Synod of the Church of Greece for its participation and the signing of the decisions of the Holy and Great Synod of the Orthodox Church in Crete (2016).
He who fought and despised the I. Synod and for the recognition of the Autocephaly of the Church of Ukraine, to the point that the I. Synod was forced to respond to his complaints: «On the occasion of the announcement of His Eminence Metropolitan Seraphim of Kythera, which was posted on the internet, regarding the October 12th. decision of the Holy Synod of the Hierarchy of the Church of Greece on the Autocephaly of the Church of Ukraine, which was communicated by a Press Release by the competent Press Committee, it is announced and clarified that, as all the Hierarchs present can testify, and as it has been recorded in the official Minutes of the Holy Synod, the issued Press Release, which was based both on the proposal of His Beatitude the Archbishop and on the discussion in which 33 High Priests participated, as well as on the conclusions, which at the end of the discussion His Beatitude announced, was read in the hearing of all, and after corrections made by the High Priests, took its final form and constituted the decision of the Hierarchy».
The one who fought and despised the decisions of the Synod on the response to the pandemic of the coronovirus, up to the point that the I. Synod announced about his case: «With regret, His Beatitude the President of the Permanent Holy Synod has ascertained, and His Eminence the Synodal Prelates have agreed, that especially His Eminence the Metropolitan of Kythera, Mr. Seraphim, and through his newest text to the Permanent Holy Synod, is speaking out against its Decisions, insisting that he does not understand the criticality of the difficult and extraordinary decisions of the Permanent Holy Synod for public health and the protection of human life, is self-persecuting and puts itself far from the collective effort of the Church of Greece, which as a whole strives and works both for the integrity of the Divine Worship and for the observance of sanitary measures».
Besides the completion of the investigative procedure for Seraphim of Kythera is still pending, concerning the issue of the attitude he took regarding the timetable for the celebration of sacred services during the Easter period of 2021, in defiance of the decisions of the Holy Synod.
The one who, while being completely irrelevant to the cause of the Inter-Christian Dialogues, denounced at the I. Synod (2010) the experienced in the Dialogues and Professor of the Theological Faculty of the University of Athens, Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Messinia for «ecclesiological aberration» (sic).
He who continues to scorn the Holy Synod and its encyclical on the «Operation of websites on behalf of ecclesiastical bodies and on behalf of clergy and monks» (15/1/2015), where it is explicitly and categorically stated that: «...both monks and clerics of all ranks should not forget that they do not lose this status and do not turn into mere private individuals when they disseminate their views on the internet, just as they do not lose it when they express their views through the press or in a public space. The respect which their solitary or priestly form inspires in the public of their readers cannot be used to develop divisive discourse, propaganda, support for factions, or the expression of personal empathy, insulting the honour and faith of a layman or a clergyman, or even causing schism towards the local Bishop or those who have the responsibility for the administration of other Metropolises, Orthodox Churches and Patriarchates, i.e. for pursuits that belong to human pathology, are not part of the salvific purpose of the Church and cause division in its Body. Public discourse which reproduces the above-mentioned characteristics is not simply «illegal» or «immoral» or «irregular». It is a discourse totally unconnected with the Church, it constitutes «heresy», i.e. the diversion of the cleric and the monk from the mission to which he or she has voluntarily committed himself or herself, and a preference (heresy) for a personal version of his or her duty as a cleric or monk and the content of the ecclesiastical event, and, as such, it is a discourse to be condemned».
But for Seraphim of Kythera, the Synodal circulars have no value. He writes them in the old shoe leather and in his text «Invalidation of sacred categories» he writes unabashedly: «It is a special honour for the Archimandrite or any other Cleric, when he defends doctrinal and other serious issues of the Orthodox Faith and Tradition and even opposes University Professors» and then fully covers his clergyman Paul Kallika when he writes:
«The Director of «Kytheraika» Mr. Calligeros extends his criticism to another priest, Fr. Paul of the parishes of Karvounades - Keramotos. He accuses him of commenting on the actions of High Priests, Archbishops, I. Synod and Patriarchs. As a Clergyman and Theologian he considers certain actions and initiatives (especially those where Orthodox Clergy of all ranks merge and co-pray with heterodox and irreligious), that it is contrary to the Orthodox Tradition, the Holy Canons and the Dogmatic Creeds of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church and expresses its pain and concerns».
Time has run out for the anti-clerical attitude of Seraphim of Kythera, who, instead of dealing with his small province, which he himself, as he reveals to us in «Hiero-categorical anathema», is incapable of shepherding, wants to correct Patriarchs and Councils.
«Scandalized» by a meeting between the Ecumenical Patriarch and Pope Francis and sent him a letter (11-4-2014) and the Patriarch replied wisely and succinctly: «The guards have knowledge.». The funny thing is that this is exactly the phrase used by Seraphim of Kythera addressing the director of Kythera: «Do the guards know,» Mr. Calliere.
And at the end of his text «Invalidation of sacred categories» he writes: «These are the explanations I wanted to give to our reasonable Flock, considering it my Pastoral duty to give this information, because as it turns out, some people are trying to sow weeds in the «spiritual field» of Kythera and to shake the trust of the Shepherd in the Bishop, the priests and our local Church and to bring unrest to the Christ-filled People».
This is written by the One who does exactly the same in the Orthodox Church. With his own writings and those of some of his clergy, he is sowing weeds in order to shake the trust of the faithful in the Ecumenical Patriarch, the Holy Synod and so on.
What else can one say about the case of Kythera, other than the psalmist:
«...and of Pharisaic hypocrisy, with...».
The positions expressed in the “Opinions” column are binding on the signatory and are not necessarily positions that express Kythera.News
Biography of Panagiotis Andriopoulos
He was born in Patras. He studied Theology at the University of Athens, Byzantine music with Lycurgos Angelopoulos and European music at the F. Nakas Conservatory. He participated in many choral groups and in research projects of the K.SY.M.E. (Centre for Contemporary Music Research). She is a collaborator of Manolis Hatzigiakoomis in his large recording project of church music and was a member of the internationally renowned Greek Byzantine Choir of Lycurgos Angelopoulos. From 1995 to 2001 he was the programme director of the TV station of the Patras Metropolis of I. Metropolis Lύχnos.
In 2004 he founded the Artistic Ensemble «Polytropon», with which he presents in Greece and abroad original productions based mainly on Greek poetry and music. Among them: «The Patriarch's Notebook», «Hieratic Poetry», The musical work of Eva Palmer - Sikelianos, «Gustav Mahler by Manos Hadjidakis», «The Arabia of Vassilis Tsitsanis, Matsi Hadjilazarou, Nikos Skalkotas and Manos Hadjidakis», «Cavafy of Syria and the Middle East», «The music of the Christians of the Middle East», «The Pyrrhic languages of Yannis Christou», «Patrinoi composers - Patrinoi poets», «The Polychronia of the Kings», «Icetiria» (based on the book of the same name by Pan. Rizou), tributes to Lycurgus Angelopoulos, Andrei Tarkovsky, the Russians of the Diaspora, Dmitri Shostakovich, Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, etc.
He collaborated with Thanos Mikroutsikos in the «Patras 2006 - European Capital of Culture» and with Alkis Baltas in the «Patmos Religious Music Festival» (2006 and 2010).
He has presented his productions at the Great Music Library of Greece «Lillian Voudouri» at the Athens Concert Hall, the Goulandris Natural History Museum in Kifissia, the Numismatic Museum, the Hellenic American Union, the Katakouzinou House, the Municipal Theatre of Patras, the music stage «Angelon Vima» and other selected venues.
He has sung works by contemporary Greek composers, such as Constantia Goorzis at the Munich Music Academy in 2008 and has performed as a soloist with the Patras Orchestra. In May 2014 he presented «The Patriarch's Notebook» in Hannover, Germany. He is systematically engaged in the research of the Patrina music tradition (scholarly and Byzantine) and in this context he edited the digital album «Quartets of Patrina Composers», which has been performed by the New Hellenic Quartet.
Since 2017 she has been collaborating with the famous choreographer and flamenco dancer Israel Galvan: in the framework of documenta14 (Athens and Kassel) she participated in the production La farsa monea and then in Israel Galvan's production La fiesta, in an international tour (Grec Festival Barcelona, Avignon Festival France, performances in Luxembourg, Montpellier, etc.).
He has been awarded the title of Archbishop of the Great Church of Christ by the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew.
His studies have been published in various scientific volumes. He writes articles in theological and cultural journals and maintains two blogs: Private Road and Light of Fanar (which covers exclusively the Ecumenical Patriarchate).
The blog “Private Road” by Panagiotis Andriopoulos:
http://panagiotisandriopoulos.blogspot.com/
The blog “Light of the Lantern” also by the same person:
