Your prayers!
Every single day that goes by makes it clearer, that someone or something has wrested direction of our Church from Metropolitan Vitaly and impels it in a direction never before known among us, that is; moving towards amiable relations with that KGB organization called the "MP." The MP which continues to swear our destruction, as it has done in the past.
Ridiger vows to destroy us, and he seizes our churches both inside Russia (like Vladivastok) and abroad. Do we remember that Pimens' first act after his unanimous election, by a show of hands was to propose the deposition of Metropolitan Philaret? Only the refusal of the Serbs to recognize it frustrated his purpose.
Alexis Shimansky presided over one on the worst persecution of the Church. Bishops Alexis of Alaska and Bishop Nestor who had evangelized Kamchatka returned at his invitation and the first just disappeared, while the second languished in prison until his final days.
Vladimir Putin has just restored the commemorative plaque of Andropov at Lubianka Prison. An American named Pope is arrested and sentenced to prison for spying in Russia. The KGB has expanded and is now more active than ever. Their "Best Man" for the last 50 years is now at the head of this make believe church.
Someone or another quibbles at what Protopope Potapov exactly said in Atlanta. He was not scheduled to even speak. He was brought in after the Coup at the Sobor whose aim was to butt our beloved Metropolitan OUT and replace him with an obviously pro-Moscow regime, at which Moscow prints rapturous reports. Protopope Potapov is sent on to the Georgian Orthodox Church to see what he can do there.
Many clergy were at the Atlanta Conference. Most of them have declined to speak. I will respect their desire for anonymity, or their fear of consequences. However, I must repeat what one now silenced clergyman said to another now silenced clergymen... "WE ARE BEING RAILROADED!"
"WE ARE BEING RAILROADED!" For some strange reason we are being left to imagine, neither of the well-known presbyters wishes to have his comment publicized. Could he be afraid of unjust punishment from ecclesiastical authorities for speaking the TRUTH? WHAT KIND OF CHURCH IS THIS WHERE BISHOPS AND CLERGY DARE NOT SPEAK THE TRUTH?
Maybe the KGB is already in control!
Doesn't it sound like it? Ask yourself, when Fr. Paisius is suspended for comments about the so called "Moscow Patriarchate, doesn't this sound exactly like what happened to Fr. Gleb Yakunin?
The post Sobor Epistle calls upon us to have more love. That is always a safe shot, like Motherhood and Apple Pie, everyone wants more love. But what kind of LOVE is our bishops showing us when they lash out with penalties for supporting Our Own Beloved Metropolitan, whom the Bishops seem to have abandoned and ignored. When they ABSOLUTELY refuse polite sincere questions about what there new Committee is about, where it is going.
If Bishop Gabriel still says "Union with Moscow Will BE OVER MY DEAD BODY! " Surely such a wonderful statement needs to be repeated just now. But I am totally stunned and painfully confused that he refuses comment, no matter how I beg him. And the same strange silence has descended upon all our bishops, each and every one.
What is it that our bishops are so silent about? What good thing cannot stand to see the light of day, and has to be pursued in secrecy FROM THE PEOPLE who are the BODY of CHRIST?
Lest they forget, their tenure in office depends upon the people's ratification, by "AXIOS," (as Bishop Gabriel should know better than most) and one thundering "ANAXIOS" and they are canonically OUT. It would seem the thunder is building... maybe they should blame their Public Relations Officer... but if the bishops were up for election, ratification or retirement now... Metropolitan Vitaly would win more votes than the entire Synod put together.
Neither the Clergy nor the People feel that they are being well served (which IS the PURPOSE of Bishops, NOT Lording over us!
I DO NOT FEEL SERVED,
I have written thrice... simple reverent questions, which received not the courtesy of an answer. In thirty years Blessed Vladika Gregory answered every single letter (except 7 purloined by persons unknown at Synod so that he never received them).
Clergy at the Atlanta Conference commented, "We are being railroaded" They dared not say it aloud, and now they dare not own up to their comments. What kind of an atmosphere is this? More like an assembly of Christian Presbyters gathered on candor and love about a Bishop? Or more like an agent come to lay out the new Party Line, and enforce CONFORMITY through dread fear and punishment. In this case it is the Whore of the KGB, which we are clearly to understand is being made respectable, and "Nuptials" can be expected. It was called "whoring and adultery" the last time I was at a convention in Atlanta, but now we see something else.
If the Holy Presbyters and People of God are too timid to call down a bishop when he is dead wrong, and in revolt against his Metropolitan whose mere deputy he is anyway... then they deserve what they get. However, TRUTH and THE CANONS and THE TRADITION of the CHURCH are solidly behind the Metropolitan's Pre-Synodal Epistle. If the Plenary Sobor was not a Robber Synod, and the Atlanta Conference a brainwashing of pastors who for some reason seem too timid to defend Truth aloud, but only in whispers, then they just miss by the skin of their teeth being a betrayal of Our Church.
Again I call upon Bishops Gabriel and Michael to answer my most polite appeals. (That's what bishops are for!) I call upon any bishop to explain the turning of their backs on all our Metropolitans, and all our history. Please explain how one of you could say, "Our church is governed by live bishops, not dead ones!"
After a month of trying, I have totally lost faith that any bishop will do his duty and answer me. Go ahead! Make my day! Stop taking refuge in silence. Please answer me, along with all the Presbyters who share in your office, and overwhelmingly agree with me, and feed the flock entrusted to you.
Just say "We will never recognize the so called "Moscow Patriarchate" which with its KGB directors is the source of all the evils heaped upon the Russian Orthodox People for the last 80 years. Make it simple. Just say, Anathema to the False Moscow Patriarchate! Anathema! Anathema! Anathema!
Make our Day!
Hieroschemamonk Elia
The Burning Bush Palestinian Skete
http://www2.netdoor.com/~frelia