Following the recent reports of a coordinated attack on Archbishop Makarios, due to his overwhelming popularity and the response from the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia on June 18 2020, the Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate has released a statement of support for His Eminence.
As Romfea.gr reports, in the same statement, issued after the end of the three day convention (June 23-25) that was conducted in the Orthodox Centre Of The Ecumenical Patriarchate in Geneva, the Holy Synod and Partriarche Bartholomew also confirmed the suspension of Father Damaskinos for 6 months and the condemnation of Bishop Nikandros for alleged trouble he is causing within the circles.
The statement, translated from Greek to English, can be found below:
a) It expresses its full support for the personality and the praiseworthy work of the new Pastor, Rev. Archbishop Makarios, Hierarch of education and dynamic pastoral care.
b) He expresses strong dissatisfaction with Rev. The Metropolitan of Erinoupolis, Mr. Nikandros, for his incompatibility with the affairs of the Throne, and…
c) With satisfaction, it is noted that by the Bishop of Agios Oros, Ecumenical Patriarch, imposes a sentence of six months imprisonment by all the Hieromonks of the Holy Mother of God, the Sacrament of the Blessed Virgin Mary (ἐκ τοῦ Κελλίου). The Koutloumousiou Monastery, for its completely illegal and scandalous action to the detriment of The Archbishop of Australia, instead of praying for him and his son-in-law.
The full statement can be found in Greek below:
Ἡ Ἁγία καί Ἱερά Σύνοδος κατά τάς τριημέρους ἐργασίας αὐτῆς (23-25 τ.μ. Ἰουνίου), ἐν τῷ ἐν Σαμπεζύ Γενεύης Ὀρθοδόξῳ Κέντρῳ τοῦ Οἰκουμενικοῦ Πατριαρχείου, συνεζήτησε, μεταξύ ἄλλων, καί θέματα ἁπτόμενα τῆς ἐκκλησιαστικῆς ζωῆς διαφόρων Ἐπαρχιῶν τοῦ Οἰκουμενικοῦ Πατριαρχείου, μεταξύ τῶν ὁποίων καί τῆς Ἱερᾶς Ἀρχιεπισκοπῆς Αὐστραλίας, σχετικῶς πρός τήν ὁποίαν ὁμοφώνως ἀπεφάσισε τά ἑξῆς:
α) Ἐκφράζει τήν ἀμέριστον στήριξιν αὐτῆς εἰς τήν προσωπικότητα καί τό ἀξιέπαινον ἔργον τοῦ νέου Ποιμενάρχου αὐτῆς Σεβ. Ἀρχιεπισκόπου κ. Μακαρίου, Ἱεράρχου εὐρείας μορφώσεως καί δυναμικῆς ποιμαντορίας.
β) Ἐκφράζει ἔντονον δυσαρέσκειαν πρός τόν Σεβ. Μητροπολίτην Εἰρηνουπόλεως κ. Νίκανδρον διά τήν ἀναρμοδίαν ἀνάμιξίν του εἰς τά πράγματα τῆς Ἐπαρχίας ταύτης τοῦ Θρόνου, καί,
γ) μέ ἱκανοποίησιν ἐνωτίζεται τήν ὑπό τοῦ Ἐπισκόπου τοῦ Ἁγίου Ὄρους Οἰκουμενικοῦ Πατριάρχου ἐπιβολήν τῆς ποινῆς ἑξαμήνου ἀργίας ἀπό πάσης ἱεροπραξίας τῷ Ἱερομονάχῳ Δαμασκηνῷ (ἐκ τοῦ Κελλίου Ἁγίου Γεωργίου «τοῦ Φιλαδέλφου»), ἐξαρτηματικῷ ἀδελφῷ τῆς Ἱ. Μονῆς Κουτλουμουσίου, διά τήν ὅλως ἀντικανονικήν καί σκανδαλώδη δρᾶσιν αὐτοῦ εἰς βάρος τῆς Ἱ. Ἀρχιεπισκοπῆς Αὐστραλίας καί τοῦ Ποιμενάρχου αὐτῆς, ἀντί τῆς ἥν ὅφείλει νά καλλιεργῇ προσευχῆς καί τοῦ κομβοσχοινίου του.
