The Greek government has issued a strong statement of support for His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, following accusations levelled against him by Russian state agencies.
Greek Government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis, speaking during a briefing of political editors, described backing the Ecumenical Patriarch as “a sacred duty of all Orthodox Christians.”
He said Patriarch Bartholomew is “a person who, beyond the credentials he has demonstrated as the leader of our Church, has consistently taught faith and humanitarian values.”
His comments were made in response to a statement issued on January 12 by Russian intelligence services, which accused the Ecumenical Patriarch of attempting to undermine unity within the Russian Orthodox world through engagement with Baltic state authorities.
The same statement also alleged that he intended to grant autocephaly to the Orthodox Church of Montenegro as retaliation against what it described as the Serbian Orthodox Church’s stubbornness.
The Russian announcement further claimed there was “cooperation between the Ecumenical Patriarchate and foreign intelligence services,” accusations that have drawn sharp reactions both politically and within the Orthodox Church.
The Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople rejected the allegations outright, stating that “fabricated scenarios, false news, insults, and manufactured information of every kind spread by propagandists do not deter the Ecumenical Patriarchate from continuing its ministry and its universal mission.”
Athens’ intervention adds to mounting political and ecclesiastical backing for Patriarch Bartholomew, as tensions intensify over church autonomy and broader geopolitical influence within the Orthodox world.
Source: Orthodox Times
