"A real crime": Hierarch of Greek Church speaks about violations during the recognition of OCU by the Synod of the Greek Orthodox Church

The hierarch of the Greek Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Seraphim of Kythira, sharply criticized the process of recognizing the OCU in 2019 by the Synod of the GOC, calling it a «real crime.» The bishop said that no vote on this issue was held among the episcopate of the Greek Church, despite official statements.

In an interview with the Greek edition of Vima Orthodoxias, Bishop Seraphim said that in October 2019, after the regular meeting of the Synod, an extraordinary meeting was scheduled. At it, His Beatitude Archbishop Ieronymos made a proposal to recognize the autocephaly of Ukraine under the leadership of Epiphany. Metropolitan Seraphim, as well as other bishops, expressed their objections. He emphasized that no voting — neither open nor secret, nor by show of hands — was held.

According to the bishop, a total of about 33 people spoke in favor and against the motion, while others did not speak at all. At the same time, while the participants were leaving, a press release was issued that presented the situation as if the vote had taken place and the decision had been made.«Is voting done through a press release? They just wrote everything down and announced that the Church of Greece had made a decision,» Metropolitan Seraphim was outraged. He also added that he later officially expressed his disagreement, pointing out that there was no decision by vote.

Metropolitan Seraphim unequivocally stated his personal position:«I personally do not commemorate Epiphany. I think many people do not commemorate him. He was included in the diptychs, but I personally do not accept this, I do not commemorate him and do not communicate with those who concelebrated with him. I don’t want to concelebrate because I consider it non-canonical, and you can see the results now.»

The hierarch believes that the recognition of the OCU has becomea «real crime«. He drew parallels with the persecutions of the early Christian era, calling it «the holocaust of three centuries.»«And those who were the instigators bear a great responsibility before God,» said the bishop, adding in his district messages:«‘By their fruits you shall know them,’ didn’t Christ say? Here, you see it.»

Earlier it was reported that the violent seizures of monasteries and churches, as well as the persecution of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC), supported by the Ukrainian authorities, caused widespread outrage in Greece. Hundreds of protest messages were sent to the Greek edition of Vima Orthodoxias after the publication of the ill-treatment of the canonical Church. The attempted expulsion of His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufriy of Kyiv and All Ukraine, head of the UOC, also provoked outrage among Greek hierarchs and politicians, but the official position of the Greek Church remains wait-and-see amid geopolitical pressure.