November 23, 2022

Axios, Despota!

Did you know? The Bishop of Kythira and Ᾱntikythira, Metropolitan Seraphim, was tried for violating the ban of all Liturgical Services during the second half of March 2020, due to the measures of the Covid pandemic, following an Encyclical of the Holy Synod.

According to the daily Kathimerini, on Friday, March 20, 2020, Metropolitan Seraphim of Kythira opened the doors of the Metropolis Church of “Christ Crucified” of the capital of Kythira, and invited the faithful to the service of the Salutations, which he performed normally, despite the relative ban, with the church bells ringing inviting the faithful to attend the church, which was also prohibited.

The Mayor of the city, who opposes the Metropolitan, in a statement pointed that no one is above the law of the state.

Well, on Tuesday November 22, 2022, Metropolitan Seraphim was tried and declared innocent. The trial was over in 15 minutes. The prosecutor proposed acquittal, while the president of the Court addressed the Metropolitan of Kythira as “Most excellent Eminence”. When the acquittal was announced, the audience applauded.

Metropolitan of Piraeus Seraphim also testified as a defense witness at the trial. When the trial began and defense lawyers were introduced, the presiding judge reportedly told them: “You are honored by this defense.”

The people are at the side of this respected shepherd, who continues, as the new Markos Eugenikos, to hold high the banner of Orthodoxy, filling the flock with faith and optimism, and making their hearts full of joy!

On November 15, 2022, Metropolitan Seraphim issued the following encyclical, which we translated for you our readers, in which he openly and directly condemns the pan-heresy of ecumenism, the only Greek Orthodox Hierarch who dared to do it.

Axios, Despota!

August 18, 2022

How to be saved

Source: http://trelogiannis.blogspot.com/2022/06/blog-post_216.html.
Translated by A.H.

A Christian once wanted to ask the king how to be saved. And the king, because he was also a Christian, told him:

– If you want to be saved, you must do this: At the beginning of the day, fill a container with oil and go down to the city. And I will station beside you two soldiers with swords. If you let a drop of oil out, they will cut off your head! If you do not let a drop of oil out, and go around inside the city and return without letting any pour out, then you are saved!

The day came and he took the container with oil – it was full of oil to the top – and started go down to the city, but he was very careful, so much so that not a single drop of oil dripped out!

When he returned to the palace, the king said to him:

– What did you see in the city?

– I didn’t see anything!

– Why not?

– Because I was careful not to spill the oil...

– That’s what you have to do to be saved! To see the oil of salvation of your soul that you are holding, and not to see whatever others are doing. Let each one see this as their salvation, to see how they will be saved and not to see what others are doing. A good Christian sees himself, he does not see others...

July 29, 2022

The man who forgot he is a bishop!

Archimandrite Daniel Aerakis

He is called Elpidophoros [meaning “The one who brings hope”]. In him, every hope of a Christian presence is lost. His secular title is, “Archbishop of America”. He was chosen by the Patriarchate of Constantinople to succeed the modest and dignified, the wise and respected Father [His Eminence] Dimitrios (Trakatellis).

We do not know how he is received or tolerated by the Greek diaspora in America. All we know is from the evidence of his presence in Greece. He probably visited Athens for the first time. Certainly, not in order to pay his respects to the Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens (later on he visited him), but to impose his …… convictions in an Orthodox temple. Specifically:

On July 9, a “gay” couple wanted to baptize their... two children!........... When the babies grow up, they will cast lots, which of the two... they would call “mommy” and which “daddy”!

The two “Croesi” of wealth1 wanted to “adorn” an event, unprecedented in the history of the Church, with a religious mantle, and indeed an Orthodox one. And they found a man to satisfy their desire, that is, one who would accept to baptize their babies... And this man was Archbishop Elpidophoros of America.

The Church does not baptize children that are “legitimately” accepted by same-sex couples. In the first centuries, baptism was the gift for mature persons, who were attracted to the faith of Christ, accepted to be catechized at least for two years, and were consciously led towards “enlightenment”, that is baptism.

The so-called infant baptism was certainly accepted in the centuries that followed, but under three conditions: First, between the parents and the Church, there is a Minister [priest or bishop] whose sacred duty is to perform the baptism. His responsibility is great, to properly instruct the newly enlightened infant. Secondly, between the parents and the newly enlightened, is the so-called “God-parent” who has an important place. Christian parents don't select a God-parent lightly; they entrust the baptized infant to a faithful and serious person, capable of catechizing the child with his knowledge. Thirdly, between the newly enlightened infant and the Church stand the pious parents.

What did Mr. Elpidophoros confirm out of all this? He agreed to baptize two babies, a boy and a girl. Naturally, the two babies are not to be blamed for anything. The one who is entirely to blame is Mr. Elpidophoros. He baptized two babies in a sanctuary of the Holy Metropolis of Glyfada, in the midst of a lavish, indecent appearance of everyone, filled with laughter.

To which mom and which dad did he hand them over after being baptized? To a “gay” couple! What can the two homosexuals do with these children? Teach them our faith? Or introduce them to the new “faith”, in the confederation of LGBTQI? And what information did Mr. Elpidophoros write on the relevant baptism certificate? Who did he put in the mother's place?

And to which God-parent did Mr. Elpidophoros entrust the Christian catechism and education? It was noted that there were eight “Godfathers” and “Godmothers”, especially two super-rich ladies, scions of great shipowners! Will they, Mr. Elpidophoros, catechize the two children?

Are you playing games, Mr. Elpidophoros, with the mysteries of our faith? We have the impression that you turned out to be worse than avowed atheists. At least they do not go to church, nor do they perform church weddings, nor do they baptize their children. They signed a cohabitation agreement, and that's because some law provides for it.

You have surpassed them. You want to “bless” with Orthodox services satanic coexistences! What will you say to your flock? Become parents of children, when you in the church of Vouliagmeni blessed homosexuals who naturally cannot have children?

And why, Mr. Elpidophoros, did you deceive the local bishop, the Metropolitan of Glyfada Anthony? You asked for a standard permission for baptism (indefinitely) and you lured the priest of the church to participate in your blasphemous activity, to gather the crème de la crème of the “gays” in an Orthodox temple! Shall we say “shame”? It is not enough.

And how could you, a servant (supposedly) of the poor Nazarene, go after the “baptism” to the popular hotel, with 1000 guests, in an unprecedented luxury, with nakedness and immodesty, with your favorite singer? The news came out that the “party”, with your A-list appearance, cost 450,000 euro! This is how you bless this horrible waste!

Your Holiness Patriarch of Constantinople, Mr. Elpidophoros forgot that he is a bishop of the Church!

1. Croesus was king of Lydia, renowned for his wealth

May 25, 2022

God tolerates, endures, understands …. and us?

+ Saint Evmenios the New (Saridakis)

Many of us want the thieves to go to jail, the murderers to be executed, the offenders to be punished ... When you repay evil with evil, evil multiplies. When you see someone being punished justly and you rejoice, it shows a hard-hearted person ... When you judge others by purely external criteria, you are not fair. When you do not tolerate them, you make your life difficult in the name of your justice and you will be shown the same treatment for your own crimes. God tolerates, waits, understands, sympathizes, is crucified for every human being. He only knows how to love, to speak to our conscience discreetly, to hinder with kindness. Christ said, “Blessed are the meek, the quiet, the lowly, and the one who weeps for his own sins, for they will inherit the earth...” Love, forgive, justify and endure in order to be loved, to be forgiven, to be accepted, to be deeply calmed from this life. Live as the last of all, like the soil we tread on, but which supports us all. A Saint of our day was telling us: “Never accuse any priest or one who has dedicated his life to God, neither the worldly nor the greatest sinners, even if you see them sinning. View all the people who live on earth and those who have fallen asleep since the creation of the world, them as holy and righteous, and view only ourselves as sinners, the least of the all people, and worthy of condemnation and of many punishments. It is good and God-pleasing to die for the world and to live eternally with God.”

Source (in Greek): http://trelogiannis.blogspot.com/2022/05/blog-post_797.html

September 13, 2021

“Woe to you when people speak well of you”

+ Metropolitan of Florina Augoustinos (Kantiotes) (+2010)

“The main characteristic of the bishop and the priest is a fighting spirit, boldness. It is what the apostle Paul said that, “Those who wish to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” [2 Tim. 3:12] If you see a priest, if you see a theologian, if you see a metropolitan or an archbishop who is not persecuted, but is enjoying the love and appreciation of all, then the word of Christ applies, “Woe to you when people speak well of you” [Luke 6:26]; know very well that he is not walking correctly. The same thing applies to someone who calls himself Orthodox, but does not want to go against the current, this avalanche that is coming down to destroy the world.”

September 13, 2021

Saint John’s simple mitre and vestments

Matushka Maria Kotar

"His cassock of a bright blue color was made from a thin “material for poor people”. His sakkos also was different. Although it was part of his bishop’s vestments, it was made from white canvas on which small purple and orange crosses had been cross-stitched by the children of his orphanage. His miter… looked more like a large, strangely shaped skufia with small cheap icons sewn on all four sides. All of his vestments were too large for him…" (Source: OrthoChristian.com)

August 30, 2021

St. Mark of Ephesus and the Uprising of the Orthodox Laity

Robert Arakaki

“The time has come for the laity to raise the alarm—to call out “Fire!” Express to your priest your concerns about this false ecumenism and ask if he plans to voice this concern with others. Contact your Orthodox friends and let them know your concerns. Let us work together and mobilize to block this false ecumenism, just as the Orthodox laity did in the time of Mark of Ephesus.”

February 8, 2021

Elder Evmenios calms a tiger at the London Zoo

Monk Simon

When Elder Evmenios Saridakis and a group of his spiritual children visited the London Zoo, the Elder found himself in front of a very furious Indian tiger.

She was jumping up and down, behind the barbed wire, roaring and everyone was standing at a great distance.

Father Evmenios approached her and began to talk to her:

“Tiger, tiger, my tiger, calm down, my tiger,” and he was crossing her with his hand.

Then the tiger put both paws in front of her and bowed her head three times as if repenting. And she calmed down.

The people watching from afar were shouting: “Father, Father, excellent!”

From the book of the Monk Simon, “Father Evmenios, the Good Shepherd and Miracle Worker”.

Source (in Greek): http://trelogiannis.blogspot.com/2021/01/blog-post_751.html

February 8, 2021

“I obeyed. I started reading the Psalter. But I don’t understand anything!”

Staretz Barsanuphius

Staretz Barsanuphius to a believer who was in despair and spiritual impasse.

An intellectual who was disturbed writes to me:

“I feel terrible. Externally everything is going well. My family is united and loving. My wife is good. What’s bad is that I have no one to open my heart to. That’s why I’m constantly mentally tired. My wife does not understand it. The children are small. What’s left form me to do? How can I get rid of this bitterness and mental fatigue?”

I answered advising him to read the Psalms. There, in Psalm 93, he will see the words: “O Lord, when anxiety overwhelms me, Your consolation delights my soul” (v. 19 BSB). Hold unto this verse. And resolve to read the entire Psalter. I believe, God will comfort you.”

Some time passes, and I receive a letter. “I obeyed. I started reading the Psalter. But I don’t understand anything!”

I answer him: “Staretz Ambrose in a similar situation gave the following answer: ‘You may not understand, but the demons understand it just fine. And they will flee from you.’ Read it, even if you don’t understand it. I don’t know what will happen, but I repeat: Read the Psalms. Every day. Even a little at a time. And the Lord will not leave you. He will come with His mercy. And He will help you. And He will comfort you. Forever.”