STARVE THE PRIESTS !!!
Will you let this happen ???
Greek
Government Escalates Blockade of Esphigmenou Monastery
Phone
Service was Disconnected, Food and Medicine rations are dwindling at the
Centuries old Mount Athos Monastery
Mt
Athos,
The monks of
Esphigmenou, the most populous monastery on the remote Greek peninsula Mount
Athos, disagree with the politicizing of their faith by patriarch Bartholomew
of Constantinople (Istanbul), and as a result, are once again under siege.
The patriarch, obsessed with quashing dissenting voices, has ordered
the Greek police to enforce a blockade, to starve the monks into submission.
Sadly, it is not
just food and medicine the patriarch seeks to deny the monks.
In a particularly insidious move, patriarch Bartholomew has pressured
the Greek government and local authorities to create an imposter monastery
with the same name, Esphigmenou, in order to transfer all property, divert
mail, and transfer bank accounts to his new creation, while he starves the
real monastery of Esphigmenou. This
shadow brotherhood violates the charter of
“Our monks can
no longer pray in peace unless we accept the patriarch’s religious and
political views which trouble our conscience. The patriarch will not allow a
dialogue on this.” Abbott Methodios the elected head of the monastery said,
"We chose to become monks to isolate ourselves from the ways of the world
and the politics of our day; to dedicate our life to prayer for our own
salvation and that of mankind. What is happening here is chilling. It provides
an uncensored view of the inner workings of politics in the modern church
hierarchy and the unconscionable tactics which violate the very essence of
Christianity.”
The patriarch
has a history of harsh tactics against anyone who raises objections to his
policies. Much like the Tibetan and Chinese government’s harsh persecution
of the Dalai Lama and Falun Gong, the patriarch has no tolerance for those
that do not pledge allegiance to his personal agenda and dare to speak out.
While the patriarch seeks understanding and openness from the Turkish
government to preach his own beliefs in mostly muslim
The patriarch
recently declared the monks spiritually schismatic in an attempt to evict them
from their monastery home. The
monks, who are citizens of the European Union, appealed the eviction order to
The Council of State, Greece’s highest court.
The court ruled that it had no jurisdiction to decide whether the
Esphigmenou monks were schismatic, as the patriarch declared. The court
decided that, under
The Esphigmenou
monks live a life of spiritual and monastic tranquility in the unbroken
tradition of the brotherhood that has occupied the monastery for over a
thousand years.
The Monastery's
library houses 372 original Christian manuscripts codices and 8,000 books some
dating back to the 4th Century. The
treasury includes numerous religious articles such as rare 13th Century mosaic
icons and relics of saints. For over a thousand years the monastery has
provided a place of prayer and peace for those who chose the monastic life.
Due to the fact
that Mount Athos is a semi-autonomous region of
For further
information please contact:
John
Rigas, tel
(
IF WE JUST PRETEND THAT BARTHOLOMEW
DOES NOT HARM EASTERN ORTHODOX FAITHFUL,
MAYBE THEY WILL JUST DIE ...OR DIE AWAY...OR BE EXPELLED...OR BE ON THE
STREETS...OR DIE ABANDONED LIKE CHRYSOSTOM WAS
ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH BARTHOLOMEW ARRIVES JAN. 4TH FOR
CENTENNIAL OF EPIPHANY EVENTS AND ST. NICHOLAS CATHEDRAL
BARTHOLOMEW - SPIRITUAL LEADER - But not
"Pope" - OF 250 MILLION ORTHODOX CHRISTIANS TO PRESIDE AT 2006 EPIPHANY CELEBRATION IN TARPON SPRINGS, FL
Pastoral Visit To Holy Trinity Cathedral, New Orleans, January 7th
Oldest Greek Orthodox Community in the United States
New York, NY -GREEK ORTHODOX ARCHDIOCESE OF AMERICA - Excitement is escalating in Tarpon Springs, Fl, known as the Epiphany City, for the anticipated arrival from the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Constantinople on January 4th of His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, spiritual leader of over 250 million Orthodox Christians, who will preside over the centennial of the Epiphany celebration and of St. Nicholas Cathedral.
According to Archbishop Demetrios of America, His All Holiness will visit the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America and specifically the Metropolis of Atlanta, headed by Metropolitan Alexios of Atlanta, from January 4-8, 2006. This will be the first time that an Ecumenical Patriarch visits the Tarpon Springs area for the multitude of festivities associated with the celebration of Epiphany.
Schedule of Events
His All Holiness will arrive at Clearwater/St. Petersburg International Airport on January 4th where he will be welcomed by Archbishop Demetrios, Metropolitan Alexios and clergy and laity from the surrounding communities. A Doxology will follow immediately thereafter at St. Nicholas Cathedral in Tarpon Springs.
On Thursday, January 5th at 11:00, hundreds of young people from throughout the Metropolis of Atlanta will gather for a Patriarchal Celebration of Youth. Immediately following will be a Patriarchal Epiphany Centennial Clergy/Laity Luncheon.
The Epiphany Glendi (Festival) will begin following the Diving for the Cross on January 6 and continue until midnight Saturday, January 7. Held at the Tarpon Springs Sponge Exchange, the Glendi transports all who attend into an authentic and exhilarating Greek street party, with everything Greek, from the food to live dancing.
In addition to the traditional events surrounding the Epiphany, renowned singer Mario Frangoulis will be performing at the Sun Dome in Tampa on Saturday, January 7 at 7:00 p.m. in honor of His All Holiness. The concert. will also include the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra with the Archdiocesan Metropolitan Children’s Choir.
Sunday, January 8th His All Holiness will celebrate a Patriarchal Liturgy commemorating the Centennial of St. Nicholas Cathedral, followed by a Centennial Luncheon. He is scheduled to depart later that evening.
Celebration of Epiphany January 6
Epiphany commemorates the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River by St. John the Baptist. Of all the observances of Epiphany (Theophany- manifestation of God) throughout the world, this is known to be exceedingly rich in religious tradition and significance and astonishingly festive within the Greek Orthodox Church. Nowhere does the observance take place on the scale witnessed in Tarpon Springs, which introduced the Greek Epiphany and its traditions to the American public 100 years ago. Hundreds of pennants float in the breeze, Greek and American flags fly everywhere, and lighted crosses decorate the lampposts lining the streets. On January 6, thousands of people, of every faith and denomination, from throughout the United States and Canada, will gather at the Tarpon Springs Bayou to witness the Blessing of the Water and the dive for the recovery of the cross by young men of the community.