The Archbishop of Athens and All Greece Hieronymos intervened on what is being spread about the “involvement of the Church and its clergy in the political events of the country”, clarifying that he is determined not to tolerate the “vulgar attempt to use the Church”.

“Our Church… is neither politicized, nor co-politicized, nor oppositional, nor “partialized,” I would add, but it marches on,” he points out, among other things, in the announcement of the Archbishop, who points out that the Church should not have any role as a guide from “counterfeiters of the faith.”

His detailed statement:

“Let me repeat the self-evident at a particularly strange moment when an attempt is being made, futilely of course, to “project”, through questions or by implication, but in any case in an inappropriate, insincere and deceitful way and to serve obvious expedients, the so-called “involvement” of our Church and its clergy, especially the Hierarchs and me personally, in the political events of our country in view of the upcoming national elections.

The Church is a divine and human organization and not a secular and authoritarian institution. He is not of this world, but lives and works in this world to transform it, ministering to the human person, every believer, every citizen, without discrimination and, of course, regardless of the political beliefs and party preferences of each and every one. .

She loves them all, she embraces them all, she accepts them all, she serves them all and for the salvation of all she works faithful to the principles and teaching of Our Lord Jesus Christ and to Her holy mission. She does not separate people into lambs and goats, into the chosen and the not, into the favored and the outcasts, because for Her we are all children of the same God. And, of course, fully respecting the autonomy and freedom of man, none attempts to “instruct” or “manipulate” or “guide” in one direction or another in every aspect of its public life our country.

Anyone who claims something like this either knows nothing about the Church and has no contact with Her, or, intentionally and consciously, rushing the truth and reality and playing his own games, tries to degrade Her, insult Her and revile Her.

Our Church, as wisely and timely, was pointed out by my great predecessor, the Blessed Archbishop of Athens and all Greece, Mr. Seraphim, neither politicizes, nor co-politicizes, nor opposes, nor “compartmentalizes”, I would add, but it marches on. And our Church is represented and expressed exclusively by the Holy Synod of our Hierarchy and its President, the respective Archbishop, and no one else.

Therefore, I am not going to tolerate even the vulgar attempt to use our Church as a tool for the pursuit of the alien purposes of anyone and its appropriation by any counterfeiters of our faith, who, taking advantage of the religious feeling of the people, seek to create followers and armies, but not the similarly blasphemous attempt to target our Church as an alleged factor of “underground” or “secret” involvement in procedures and issues completely unrelated to Her mission. That’s enough.”.