​The recent headlines about Esfigmenou Monastery on Mount Athos should not be dismissed lightly. This place, steeped in deep historical and religious significance, has become the focal point of escalating tensions involving police forces and militant monk’s threats of violence. These are not just sensational stories; they are manifestations of a longstanding conflict that demands our immediate and urgent attention and resolution.

​Οι πρόσφατοι τίτλοι των ΜΜΕ για τη Μονή Εσφιγμένου στο Άγιο Όρος δεν πρέπει να παραβλεφθούν επιπόλαια. Αυτός ο τόπος, βουτηγμένος σε βαθιά ιστορική και θρησκευτική σημασία, έχει γίνει το επίκεντρο της κλιμάκωσης των εντάσεων που εμπλέκονται αστυνομικές δυνάμεις και απειλές μαχητών μοναχών για βία. Αυτές δεν είναι απλώς συγκλονιστικές ιστορίες. είναι εκδηλώσεις μιας μακροχρόνιας σύγκρουσης που απαιτεί την άμεση και επείγουσα προσοχή και επίλυσή μας.
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-Archon Elias Damianakis

​Nestled within the serene and secluded landscapes of Mount Athos, the Esphigmenou Monastery stands as a bastion of ancient Orthodox Christian tradition. Under the direct spiritual jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, this monastic community has been a spiritual haven for centuries, attracting pilgrims and seekers of divine wisdom from across the globe. However, in recent years, Esphigmenou has become a focal point of controversy and conflict, primarily due to its occupation by a group of defrocked schismatic individuals masquerading as monks of the mainstream old-calendar Orthodox Church. This situation has not only ecclesiastic and theological implications but also legal and political ones, particularly concerning the crucial role of the Greek government in protecting this historic institution.

​I was informed of a previously unnoticed but highly perilous figure in a recent blog post. Kyriakos Velopoulos, an obscure, ideologically ultranationalist Greek politician with a questionable reputation, has emerged as a significant threat to Orthodoxy. Although this insignificant leader is touted as Greece’s ‘solution,’ his political party garnered 3.7% of the vote in the Greek Parliament. Velopoulos is bolstered by the tabloid melodramatic media and opportunists who propagate a distorted Orthodoxy, prioritizing sentimentalism over ecclesial law. These pseudo-Orthyodox protestant coteries support squatting criminals masquerading as monks who have infiltrated the Holy Mountain, Athos.

Your Grace Bishop Demetrios and Honorable Archon George Vourvoulias,

​To recap, the exact reason for this blog post might seem trivial, especially since, as Archon Vourvoulias insightfully noted, “words are meaningless!”—unless, of course, they are used to tell someone who came onto your lawn to insult you and a worthy brotherhood to “get a grip.” It’s fascinating how those words suddenly acquire so much weight. 

​In the digital information age, it is not uncommon for long-settled matters to resurface in a new wave of misinformation and unfounded attacks. Recently, a coordinated social media assault has emerged targeting myself, Metropolitan Emmanuel of Chalcedon, and, by extension, the Ecumenical Patriarchate. It appears that some parties, with ulterior motives, are determined to rehash issues that have long been resolved, creating a misleading narrative aimed at discrediting the venerable institution we represent. However, we, the Orthodox Christian community, stand strong and united, resilient in the face of these attacks.

The entanglement of Marxism and the Russian Orthodox Church reflects a tragic distortion shaped by Russia's complex history and politics. Rooted in a twisted sense of authority and exploitation, this bond harkens back to the fertile soil of czarist culture, where authoritarianism thrives. Now, it has completed a full circle, with the mindset it once nourished now the Kremlin’s church under the simulacrum patriarchate of Cyril Gundyaev.
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Throughout Russian history, the Russian Orthodox Church has wielded significant influence, strategically positioning itself as a tool for whatever ruling Muscovite Dynasty was in charge. Whether the Princes of the Grand Duchy of Vladimir or Vladimir Putin. This strategic positioning, marked by a series of calculated moves and abuses of ecclesial power, is a stark reminder of its pivotal role in shaping the political and religious landscape, and it is this intrigue we’ll delve into.
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​I was taken aback by the enthusiastic glee of certain Orthodox malcontents over an article that inundated my social media feeds and flooded my email. A small but vocal group of convert Russian sycophants and disgruntled cradle Christians who are pseudo-conservative “Karens” reveled in what they perceived as a rebuke of the Ecumenical Patriarch. They saw it as a vindication of Patriarch Cyril's questionable actions, including fratricide. Michael Warren Davis, the author, attempts to spin a fanciful narrative, yet his attempt is severely lacking in credibility. His lengthy 2500-word piece is brimming with accusations drawn from superficial virtue signaling by “reporting” overutilized low-hanging fruit authored in Russian echo chambers. 

Honorable Senator Vance,
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I hope this letter finds you well. I carefully followed your speech outlining your reasons for opposing the Ukraine aid bill. While I share your concerns about Congress' spending, I implore you to base your decisions on factual information and genuine conviction rather than a misguided sense of sentimentality, particularly concerning the Russian Orthodox Church and religious freedom in Ukraine. It has come to my attention that there are some misconceptions and conflations regarding the situation in Ukraine, and I believe it is crucial to shed light on these issues.

​Orthodoxy stands at a critical juncture, demanding a remedy for the pervasive pestilence of Russkiy Mir and a profound reconsideration of the Russian Orthodox Church's standing within the broader Orthodox community. The alarming promotion of a patriarch advocating, even to vulnerable believers and children, that murder – specifically fratricide – is an acceptable means of dispute resolution presents a glaring deviation from the teachings of Christ and the foundational principles upheld by His Great Church.