Letters from the Koinotita to the GOC-K synod
Preliminary note from the blog master
Following the union between the Genuine Orthodox Church under Archbishop Kallinikos of Athens and the Synod in Resistance, the blog “Orthodoxie libre” (Free orthodoxy) is pleased to offer you for the first time in English the translation of the letters sent by the old calendarist association, Koinotita to the Synod. It appears that the association sent a certain number of letters to the synod before and after the union in order to have information regarding the details of it. The association could never get an answer to the most critical questions regarding the position of the former Cyprianists. The cyprianists seem indeed practice the double speech saying to their flock that they changed nothing in their teaching and that their departure was justified whereas at the same time the union is presented to the flock of GOC-K as a repentance of the cyprianists. To add more to the confusion, the permanent silence of the synod is worrying .Since the union, the key documents are still missing:
- Translation of the ecclesiological document: past translations in all languages were withdrawn, which makes everybody wonder how the union could be discussed with Romanians and Russians if the translations were incorrect. Note that the translation in common Greek is still unavailable
- A document of clarification and interpretation of the ecclesiological document
- A copy of the documents signed, with the visible signatures
- An answer or refutations to the many questions and critics raised about this union
Such silence really harms the synod’s credibility, strengthens the opinion that this silence is part of an actual tactic aiming at ignoring the protests with the hope that they will fade. According to us, it might indeed justify a break of communion taking into account that, by his declaration stating they renounced nothing from Cyprian of Phili’s teaching, Chrysostomos of Etna might indeed have preached the cyprianist heresy.
Please not that we could not get the appendices of the last letter. The original Greek texts are here and here.
LETTER 1
GREEK RELIGIOUS COMMUNITY
OF THE TRUE ORTHODOX CHRISTIANS
Foundation Year 1926
14 Epidavrou Street, 10444 Athens
Tel.: 210 5126108
Athens, 1st February, 2014 (Patristic calendar.)
Your Holiness, Holy President,
Most Reverend Holy Archpriests,
We monitor as members of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Churchthe conversation that is taking place during the last year between our Holy Synod and the “Ecclesiastic Community” of the Synod in Resistance in order to acquire the mutual further course of the Holy Struggle by the Returning to the Church of those who were cut off.
We observe from what has been announced by both sides, that the conversation is taking place within a reasonably good climate and it is very possible that soon will reach a positive result, something that will be to the great Glory of God.
This expected happy event will arrive to seal an effort made by our Holy Synod for the return to the Church of those who were cut off.
Therefore, as members of the Church and having trusted the spirit as well as the actions followed by our Holy Synod, our request and wish is that all of the conversational texts and the followed procedure of reception and reestablishment of those who return to the Church, to be made known to us, so that we will come to a conclusion in relation to the whole procedure.
This trust of ours to our Holy Synod is also enforced by the fact that the Holy Synod in the past has in fact proved an Orthodox spirit and obedience to the Holy Canon Laws with the initial ordination of the returning clerics, with truthful repentance, from the schisms.
As it clearly relates to a Faith matter, permit us the request and demand, to be kept informed prior to any possible future action by our Holy Synod relating to the “Synod in Resistance Community, but also all of those who keep an Ecclesiastic Communion with them (Common Chalice) so as we will not be in the presence of fait accompli, in which case any update will be gratuitous and with no meaning, as nothing will be able to be changed after a possible concelebrating.
In particular, we kindly ask and we are expecting to be informed in writing in relation to the hereunder questions:
- What do the Synod in Resistance believe about themselves (if they are in or out of the Church) and what they believe about our Church (if it is or not the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church).
- What our Church believes about the Synod in Resistance (if it is or not a Proper Church).
- If they return with true repentance and if they declare that they were Outside the Church and cut off and
- How is the Apostolic Succession going to be settled which they have never acquired as heretics and schismatics and as ordinated by a Monk (THE VOICE OF ORTHODOXY issue number 811).
We hope that all efforts made to have as their outcome, with true repentance, their return for the great Glory of God and thus their according to God enrollment into the Body of the Church will be realized, something that today we call the Union.
With the deepest Respect we kiss your right hand
On behalf of the Management Council
(stamp)
LETTER 2
GREEK RELIGIOUS COMMUNITY
OF THE TRUE ORTHODOX CHRISTIANS
14 Epidavrou Street, Kolonos
10444 Athens
01-03-2014(Patristic calendar)
to Venerable HOLY SYNOD
Your Beatitude Holy Minister
Holy Archpriests
With reverence we kiss your right hand
Our Community was glad, as the congregation of the Church, hearing of the coming return of the “Synod in Resistance” Community (Cyprianites) to the One, Holy and Catholic Church after a fatiguing dialogue of our Holy Synod with this Community.
We wish therefore in this historic moment in the presence of God and feeling the enormous responsibility that possesses us as Greek Religious Community of the T.O.C. having as a basic purpose the defense and preservation of the correct Faith and the active impugn of every heresy, delusion or misbelieve, originated from anywhere, we submit with a warm entreaty the request that the Body of the Church to be informed as soon as possible in relation to the coming return of the “Synod in Resistance” Community (Cyprianites) to the Church.
Note that the abovementioned “Synod in Resistance” Community informed its flock extensively and for a long period of time, by an assembly realized at the Spiritual Center of the Fylis Municipality at Zephiri, on the 27-02-2014 (Patristic Calendar) and the coming Sunday 03-01-2014 (P.C.) they will assemble in Thessaloniki.
Also, during their assembly, according to information, they spoke about the union of two “groups” of the Patristic Calendar, something invalid because our Holy Synod, the clergy and its flock comprise the One, Holy and Catholic Church and they have committed heresy according to the dethrone of the 18th November 1986 and due to this, they are out of the Church.
Also it was said that the abovementioned dethrone for them is a fortification for faith and Justice purposes which fortification had an expiry date.
This is unacceptable for the Church and Patristic Amartyros (Without Witnesses)for the heresy to appear as a Matter of Faith and Justice.
Therefore there is imperative need for the requested thorough updating for the clergy and the flock so as the result of the whole attempt to obtain the acceptance of the whole flock of our Church.
With Respect
For the Managing Council of the Greek Religious Community of the True Orthodox Christians
LETTER 3
ANNOUNCEMENT TO THE RESPECTABLE HOLY SYNOD OF THE TRUE ORTHODOX CHRISTIANS
Athens 12/25-03-2014
Your Holiness, Holy President,
Holy Archpriests
With reverence we kiss Your right hand
Following the latest assembly that was realized on Monday 4/17 March 2014so as the congregation of the Church to be informed by the Holy Synod in relation to the return of the “Synod in Resistance” (Cyprianites) to the Body of the Church and following Your assurance about the existence of their Repentance in writing and of their Renouncement of all their heretic and misbelieve positions, we were waiting for their announcement- which has not been known to the congregation of the Church - as you had promised that would take place prior to the concelebrating and instead you proceeded to communion with them on the Sunday of the Holy Cross Celebration Day.
Because of the above mentioned, that constitutes the basic prerequisite for their by God return was not observed as provided by the Ecumenical Synods and many Holy Canon Laws, with great sadness we are obliged according to Canon 15th of the First-Second Synod to proceed “hitherto time” to the discontinuation of the Commemoration and all Ecclesiastic Communions with Us with the hope that soon, will be known to the congregation of the Church, all the documents that were not communicated up to now that relate as above to the realized return of the schismatics of the “Synod in Resistance” in order to reassess our position.
With respect
LETTER 4
GREEK RELIGIOUS COMMUNITY OF THE TRUE ORTHODOX CHRISTIANS
Foundation Year 1926
Athens 20.3.2014 (Patristic calendar)
ANNOUNCEMENT
“Relating to the Cyprianites Issue”
Reverent Fathers and dear Brothers,
The Greek Religious Community of the T.O.C., is facing critical historic moments for our Church and being fully aware and conscious of its responsibilities in the presence of God and men and according to the 1848 Encyclical of the Oriental Patriarchs, has as its main purpose the defense and preservation of the correct Faith and the active opposition to any heresy or dilution or misbelieve deriving from anywhere.
We also wish at this moment to contribute to the advising of the Body of our Church, the clergy and the people, in relation to the “Union” of the Church with the CUT OFF the Church Community of the Synod in Resistance (Cyprianites). And this because we are obliged to admit with great sadness and heart pain that despite our repeated meetings and our letters (attachment 1) to the Holy Synod and the Holy Synod’s reassurances about providing usin full advise about the rules and the conditions under which the already realized “Union” of the Church with the Cyprianites has been accomplished, in breach of basic canon provisions that regulate such matters, without realizing any formal and official advising of the Body of the Church. The biggest section of the Church congregation is unaware completely of all the serious events that took place up to now.
Summarizing we will only mention the absolute essentials that must be known to every believer, in order to be able to take a stand against the enormously serious event that took place by the concelebrating on Sunday, Holy Cross Celebration Day.
As it is known on the 14.11.1986 the Holy Synod dethroned (attachment 2) CyprianosKoutsoubas due to: 1) He committed the sin of theEcumenism heresy, he cut himself off the Church and he misbelieved to such a point, that he preached that the new calendarists comprise the saving One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church, while we the followers of the Patristic Celebrations we do not comprise a Church (The Voice of Orthodoxy issue number 811). 2) He founded a “Holy Synod” of his own inspiration, he conducted mysteries and he did ordinations something that constitutes great blasphemy and heresy, because the on earth conscripted Church has been founded once only on the day of the Pentecost by the Holy Spirit and 3) He accused our Church as heretic resulting into his being cut off from the Church for reasons of “Faith and Justice” as he claimed, excusing thus his action (periodical “Saint Cyprianos” November 1984, issue 191, page 381).
This accusation against the Orthodox Church as being heretic comprises heresy of the Cyprianites.
During a gathering of their flock (attachment 3) their bishops preached that in the area of the Patristic Celebrations there are three “Groups” and now the “Group” of the Cyprianites with the group of the T.O.C. (our Church) will be united, resulting in the “mutual enrichment of the individualcharismas”. Firstly we deem unacceptable and an obscene blasphemy on their part the characterization of “Group” for our Churchthe One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic.
Also, in the presence of the icon of Christ and the Virgin Mary and in the presence of their flock they preached “with uncovered/naked head” that in 1984 we were cut off the Church (as they claim that we had deviated) for reasons of “Faith and Justice” which means that our Church was heretic), but now that the causes are extinct (i.e. we repented) they are able to return and be united with us.
This sermon of theirs means that the things their flock believed up to date (i.e. their heresy) is correct and thus following the concelebrating of Sunday the Holy Cross Celebration Day we have “COMMON CHALICE” with the Synod in Resistanceeven though the Evangelist of love orders: not even a greeting to the heretics.
Also there is the claim that these Cyprianites Bishops have signed precisely the opposites of what they preached in the presence of their flock “with uncovered/naked head” and that the signed documents are hidden in the offices of the Holy Synod, which no one from us has ever see, even though we requested for them repeatedly.
We do know that all taking place in hiding and with severe confidentiality for matters of faith are not acceptable because our Lord and God accepts only those things that the Bishops preach “uncovered/naked head”, in the presence of their flock. Deceitfulness in orthodoxy is unacceptable, i.e. to preach one thing and sign another.
These Bishopsassured their flock a few days prior to the concelebrating (12.3.2014) that the things they believed in up to that moment were correct (i.e. they insist upon their heresy).
At this point it must alsobe noted that the Cyprianites Bishop Chrysostomos of Etna (attachment 4) while informing his flock, he declared the following: Firstly you must be certain that none of our principles, none of our temperance and none of the spirit that was bequeathed to us by the previous Reverent Archbishop Cyprianos have been put aside (revoked).
The Holy Fathers by the Ecumenical Synods (attachment 5) define that for the return of the heretics the following rules are absolutely necessary and not negotiable:
- Their written repentance
- Their written renouncement of their heresy and
- To declare that they were CUT OFF and separated from the Church
Instead the Holy Synod presented in the internet a unifying ecclesiologic text (as they called it) in which nowhere their repentance and the renouncing of their heresy is shown.
Upon our relative question to the Holy Synod we received the response that this we will be assumed by context of the aforementioned text.
We were also informed us that the said text will be signed by the Holy Synod as well as the Cyprianites.
If in fact in the said text repentance and renunciation of heresy existed, then as the Church signed it through the Holy Synod, it means that the Church also repented and renounce its heresy (this is what the Cyprianites claim since 1984), something unacceptable as the Church bears no sin and has no need of repentance and of renunciation of heresy.
Thus skillfully the proper return with repentance of their renunciation of their heresy was left unsaid.
Why, we wonder so unnaturally forced in the midst of the Holy Lent?
As the abovementioned which comprise the basic prerequisite for the return of the heretics by God, the prerequisites were not observed, as provided by the Ecumenical Synods as well as numerous Holy Canons (attachment 6), with deep sadness, as distressed members of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church we were obliged by Canon 15th of the First-Second Synod to proceed “hitherto time” into the discontinuation of the Commemoration and all Ecclesiastic Communions with the Holy Synod until announcement to the Body of the Church (the Clergy, the Monastic State and the People) of their written repentance and denunciation of their heretic deviation of the Synod in Resistance.
With distress and brotherly love
The members of the Greek Religious Community of the T.O.C.
The members of the Pan-Hellenic Association of Orthodox Christians “ Athanassios The Great”
And the Union of T.O.C. at Rodopolis “Holy Trinity”
Attached Documents:
- Correspondence of the Greek Religious Community
- Dethronement of Cyprianos
- Minutes of announcement to the people and the Synod in Resistance
- Declaration by the Chrysostomos of Etna Exarch of America
- Holy Synods’ Holy Canons and
- Announcement by the Greek Religious Community