After the outcry caused by reports about the movements of the “Archdiocese of the Russian Orthodox Churches of Western Europe” in Greece and Europe, spearheaded by the former “Archbishop of Romania,” Melchizedek, and Archimandrite Dionysios Kalampokas of the Church of Greece, the former Patriarchal Exarchate issued a communiqué that complicates matters considerably.
After having removed the “metochion” in Aspropyrgos and nine communities led by Father Dionysios Kampokas from their official website, they announced today that on December 13, almost a week before, the Council of Archdiocese had decided to grant them provisional canonical hospitality without receiving them into its jurisdiction or including them in the website.
The statement mentions that the head of the ten monasteries, including the “metochion” in Aspropyrgos, is Archimandrite Dionysios, who appears to be based in Switzerland and owns a “canonical letter of release (apolytirion) from the Patriarchate of Georgia after having been pressured by the Patriarchate of Constantinople.”
This ex-post communiqué demonstrates that these monasteries not only were posted on the official website of the Archdiocese of Russian Orthodox Churches, but also have official stamps and letterheads, which are anything but provisional.
The Moscow Patriarchate, to which the structure now belongs, has not made any comments.
Communiqué issued by the Archdiocese of Russian Orthodox Churches of Western Europe
The Council, which met on December 13, heard the report of Metropolitan John on the talks with a group of ten monasteries in different countries of Europe, which are led by Archimandrite Dionysios based in Switzerland.
This group was previously attached to the Patriarchate of Georgia, which, after having been pressured by the Patriarchate of Constantinople, ended up granting the canonical letter of release (apolytirion) for “the Ecumenical Patriarchate or any canonical Church”.
For the sake of pastoral economy, Metropolitan John decided to grant them provisional canonical hospitality while waiting for the situation of each of the monasteries and priests in this group to be examined and clarified by an ad hoc commission.
In the meantime, these communities will not be registered in the diocesan administration registers, nor will they appear on the site of the archdiocese.
The other points dealt with during the December 13 council meeting will result in further communications.
