The obsession with Archbishop Elpidophoros among the National Herald and its “honorable” friends has reached baffling heights. It’s as if we’re speaking different languages, unable to comprehend the same reality. Perhaps the delay in graduating from Columbia University has left some lost in translation, leading them to dream up narratives.
Take Th. Kalmoukos, someone who dreamt of ordination by Archbishop Iakovos but found himself without having being ordained, wielding a (supposedly) journalistic pen instead. His perception of things appears vastly different. And when a… publication’s bank account starts drying up due to lack of subscriptions, suddenly, the skeletons of the ancestors of Muhammad the Besieger could be unearthed to convince us that something is going on in the Archdiocese of America.
The recent “uncovering” by the National Herald suggests Archbishop Elpidophoros is persona non grata on Mount Athos. Yet, after a clear read of the Athonite community’s announcement, we understand what they say right away: they talk about the baptism of an infant and what “messages” it sends to the Orthodox world.
We will analyze the timing of this “leaked” letter shortly. What exactly are they implying? Is a clergyman not duty-bound to baptize an infant? Imagine the “SYRIZA – Progressive Alliance” party’s leader, Stephanos Kaselakis, seeking baptism for his child and being denied by a Patriarch or Archbishop. Would one do such a thing? Clearly not.
Whether some like it or not, the Archbishop of America will make his second pilgrimage to Mount Athos, a place he’s frequented since his student days as a layman. Thankfully, reputable Greek media steered clear of such “news,” being able to discern expediency.
For the sake of clarity and in order not to confuse Ant. Diamataris’ employee, let’s address two unshakable facts, no matter how disturbing they may be: the Archbishop will officiate in two Athonite monasteries, and he’ll address as a keynote speaker the Central Board of Jewish Communities in Greece on Holocaust Remembrance Day—which is not an Israeli… union.
Perhaps it’s time for the Three Stooges of the Greek diaspora—Ant. Diamataris, Th. Kalmoukos, and the third overzealous bully-blogger—to reflect on their fixation with the Archbishop. This obsession might require a psychiatric inquiry.
N.K.
Article translated by: Konstantinos Menyktas
