Bartholomew of Komotini: The Church is being called into question, some want to destabilize the institution

To have confidence in the institution of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and in the Great Church of Christ, the Primate of Orthodoxy urged the faithful, during his speech, this morning, in Komotini, after the end of the Divine Liturgy in the holy Cathedral of the Annunciation of the Theotokos, where and celebrated on the occasion of the Mother of God feast of the Nativity of the Virgin.

Mr. Bartholomeos, addressing the hundreds of believers who flooded the church to worship the holy icon of the Virgin of “Axion Esti” emphasized that as long as he lives and breathes he will not allow the Ecumenical Patriarchate to lose what is provided by the holy rules and the Ecumenical Synods throughout the ages, serving the truth and the Church of Christ.

His Holiness did not hide his concern over the fact that the flock no longer has confidence in synodal decisions and the sacred rules of the Church, underestimating the role of clergy and bishops.

In fact, he meaningfully noted that this questioning is spreading rapidly, to add that some call for the destabilization of the church.

Once again, the Ecumenical Patriarch, on the occasion of the assignment of the volume of autocephaly to the Church of Ukraine, denied in the most categorical way that he collaborates with schismatics, that he works with uncharitable bishops, that he has political expediencies and that he is an instrument of America. He criticized the attitude and indifference of the Church of Russia to a viable solution to the Ukrainian issue and its attempt to undermine the Holy and Great Synod, questioning the canonical right of the respective Ecumenical Patriarch to convene such synods and to preside.

Mr. Bartholomeus reminded that what the Ecumenical Patriarchate did for the Church of Ukraine, it also did in the past for the Church of Bulgaria, for which there was even a synodical document of the Church of Russia, with which it requested the Church of the Patriarchate to do what is prescribed by the sacred rules.

The Primate of Orthodoxy urged the faithful not to be seduced by lies, slander and propaganda. He also underlined that a similar lack of faith and trust in the Church and synodal decisions also existed during the health crisis, during which many believers heard various alien voices from outside, as a result of which they lost their lives from the pandemic.

A warm welcome in Komotini

The Ecumenical Patriarch received a particularly warm support from the faithful and the local authorities of Komotini, where he arrived on Wednesday evening in order to participate in the celebrations for the arrival in the city of the holy icon of the Virgin of “Axion Esti”, which was brought to Komotini by members of the holy community of Mount Athos.

The Venerable Metropolitan of Maroneia and Komotini Mr. Panteleimonas welcomed Mr. Bartholomeus with warm and heartfelt words and thanked him for his particularly honorable presence in Thrace. In a moving and deeply theological speech, Mr. Panteleimon referred to the infinite graces of the Mother of God and how Her presence helps modern man. He also reminded that the presence of the Ecumenical Patriarch in Komotini during the presence of the holy icon reminds of the normal and just bond of the Athonian state with the Great Church of Christ.

The Most Reverend Pastor of Komotini, in the presence of the Ecumenical Patriarch, honored with the highest honor of the holy metropolis, the head of the holy community of Mount Athos, His Holiness Elder Christoforos Iberitis, for the decision of the holy community to allow the exit of the icon of the Virgin of “Axion Esti” . He also honored the political commander of Mount Athos and lord official of the Ecumenical Throne businessman Mr. Athanasios Martinos for the benefits he said he offered to the holy metropolis of Maroneia and Komotini.

In fact, the Reverend Mr. Panteleimonas noted that Mr. Martinos’ contribution and action towards the metropolis is on many levels without ever promoting and publicizing it himself.

Visit to the monastery of Panagia Faneromeni Bathyrryakos and Sappes

The Ecumenical Patriarch, shortly before departing from the city of Komotini, chanted a trisago in memory of the blessed Metropolitan of Maroneia and Komotini Damascenes and the blessed Archbishop of Athens Chrysanthos. Immediately after, he visited the holy monastery of Panagia Faneromeni, Bathyrryakos, where the holy icon of Panagia Faneromeni is kept.

According to the tradition that is lost in the depths of the centuries, the holy icon of the Virgin Mary appeared (hence Faneromeni) three hundred years ago to the Ottoman owner of the land of the area, who for three days saw a bright vision of a cross on top of a tree. He informed the then metropolitan at the order of the Virgin Mary and they dug at the root of the tree where they found the icon. The icon was claimed by several settlements and parishes. The icon, following the metropolitan’s request, was placed in a lively carriage and driven alone to the metropolitan church of Theotokos.

The holy and miraculous icon of Panagia Faneromeni is respected not only by the Christians, but also by the Muslims of Komotini. At the monastery, Mr. Bartholomeos worshiped the miraculous icon, blessed the monastic brotherhood and inaugurated the new walled entrance to the monastery complex built by Mr. Martinos along with the walling of the entire monastery complex.

The Ecumenical Patriarch’s last stop in the holy metropolis of Maroneia and Komotini was the town of Sapa, where a doxology was performed in the holy church of Constantine and Helen for his arrival in the city.

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