TEN QUESTIONS ON THE ORDINATION OF BISHOP AKAKIJE OF SERBIA

[Suaidan]

I thought the Novi Stjenik monastery went with him; isn't Mother Efrosyne an American?

I'm pretty sure she's a native Serb. When I met her she couldn't speak fluent English. There is at least one novice at the monastery who is American, though. Mother Euphrosyne is related to one of the Serbian priests, and their paternal mother is a nun at Novi Stjenik as well, but other than that none of the sisters are related to my knowledge.

Oh. I thought Mother Euphrosyne was related to a GOC priest here. I guess in theory she might be related to Bp Akakije, which helps the argument that the voting populace consisted primarily of family members. If that's the case we run into a problem.

[Ephrem]

Oh. I thought Mother Euphrosyne was related to a GOC priest here. I guess in theory she might be related to Bp Akakije, which helps the argument that the voting populace consisted primarily of family members. If that's the case we run into a problem.

The American novice I mentioned is the one who is related to the GOC priest.

I am almost certain that Mati Euphrosyne is not related to Bishop Akakije. Both Bishop Akakije and Mati Euphrosyne have seemed to have a lot of success bringing their families to True Orthodoxy. Isn't this to their credit, though? I can't understand why this is being used as a criticism of their efforts. Many of us in non-Orthodox countries struggle a great deal to give our families a good impression of Orthodoxy, and it is very edifying, I think, that they should have had such success. (Obviously, Father Joseph, you aren't saying that this is suspicious or wrong. I'm speaking about what I've heard from others. )

[Suaidan]

Oh. I thought Mother Euphrosyne was related to a GOC priest here. I guess in theory she might be related to Bp Akakije, which helps the argument that the voting populace consisted primarily of family members. If that's the case we run into a problem.

The American novice I mentioned is the one who is related to the GOC priest.

I am almost certain that Mati Euphrosyne is not related to Bishop Akakije. Both Bishop Akakije and Mati Euphrosyne have seemed to have a lot of success bringing their families to True Orthodoxy. Isn't this to their credit, though? I can't understand why this is being used as a criticism of their efforts. Many of us in non-Orthodox countries struggle a great deal to give our families a good impression of Orthodoxy, and it is very edifying, I think, that they should have had such success. (Obviously, Father Joseph, you aren't saying that this is suspicious or wrong. I'm speaking about what I've heard from others. )

No no, I was simply making a reference to one of the arguments adduced here by Bp Akakije's opponents: that the only people who selected him were comprised of members of his family. If that's true, one could make a case for conspiracy along with other charges.

[Despotovac]

Oh. I thought Mother Euphrosyne was related to a GOC priest here. I guess in theory she might be related to Bp Akakije, which helps the argument that the voting populace consisted primarily of family members. If that's the case we run into a problem.

The American novice I mentioned is the one who is related to the GOC priest.

I am almost certain that Mati Euphrosyne is not related to Bishop Akakije. Both Bishop Akakije and Mati Euphrosyne have seemed to have a lot of success bringing their families to True Orthodoxy. Isn't this to their credit, though? I can't understand why this is being used as a criticism of their efforts. Many of us in non-Orthodox countries struggle a great deal to give our families a good impression of Orthodoxy, and it is very edifying, I think, that they should have had such success. (Obviously, Father Joseph, you aren't saying that this is suspicious or wrong. I'm speaking about what I've heard from others. )

No no, I was simply making a reference to one of the arguments adduced here by Bp Akakije's opponents: that the only people who selected him were comprised of members of his family. If that's true, one could make a case for conspiracy along with other charges.

Such a statement is unbelievable stupidity. Relatives of Bishop Acacius in Serbian TOC is only his parents and no one more. Relatives of the mother Efrosinija is Serbian TOC is her mother and brother (myself) with his (my) wife and daughter. This means that the bishops Akakios supported only six people/b. This, unfortunately, argues and Bishop Photius who knows the true situationin Serbia.

And if you look only to relatives of Bishop Akakije, then that's just two people... Nonsense!!!

[Suaidan]

Such a statement is unbelievable stupidity. Relatives of Bishop Acacius in Serbian TOC is only his parents and no one more. Relatives of the mother Efrosinija is Serbian TOC is her mother and brother (myself) with his (my) wife and daughter. This means that the bishops Akakios supported only six people/b. This, unfortunately, argues and Bishop Photius who knows the true situationin Serbia.

And if you look only to relatives of Bishop Akakije, then that's just two people... Nonsense!!!

I apologize. But it wasn't my stupid statement. I was simply pointing out that if everyone was related, it followed a central argument relayed here to the moderator.

Consider these two facts:
a. The majority of the Serbian GOC didn't want him to be their bishop, only his relatives.
b. The GOC-synod didn't deny to the Serbian the right to have their bishop but denied specifically to fr. Akakios to be ordained.

The point is that no one outside the TOC-Serbia (or the TOC-Kallinikos in Serbia) actually knows a lot of who's doing what and we are getting two different stories.

[Ekklisiastikos]

Such a statement is unbelievable stupidity. Relatives of Bishop Acacius in Serbian TOC is only his parents and no one more. Relatives of the mother Efrosinija is Serbian TOC is her mother and brother (myself) with his (my) wife and daughter. This means that the bishops Akakios supported only six people/b. This, unfortunately, argues and Bishop Photius who knows the true situationin Serbia.
And if you look only to relatives of Bishop Akakije, then that's just two people... Nonsense!!!

According to information from the GOC of Serbia, before the Akakian schism there where three domain parishes (consisted of 60 faithful average or 15 families each parish) in Belgrade, Novi Sad and Smenderevo and some small groups of faithful in Bosnia and Nic.
The Smenderevo and Bosnia parishes were against Akakios’ elevation from the first hand. The Parish of Belgrade after an episodic meeting they held before the schism, the majority opposed to the arbitrary severance of communion with the Holy Synod of the Church GOC of Greece. And that is why Akakios never convened the General clergy-laity Assembly, to take the decision of whether they are “moving” to Russians or not because he knew that the majority wasn't with him. So, the main supporter of Akakios schism was and is the Parish of Novi Sad and occasional supporters from elsewhere. The Parish of Novi Sad and the Monastery of Saints Cyril and Methodius are housed at the private property of fr. Akakios’ father (this means his parents have the control of the Parish), and the rest of the faithful are either associated with him as relatives or close friends, since it is his homeland.

[Despotovac]

Such a statement is unbelievable stupidity. Relatives of Bishop Acacius in Serbian TOC is only his parents and no one more. Relatives of the mother Efrosinija is Serbian TOC is her mother and brother (myself) with his (my) wife and daughter. This means that the bishops Akakios supported only six people/b. This, unfortunately, argues and Bishop Photius who knows the true situationin Serbia.
And if you look only to relatives of Bishop Akakije, then that's just two people... Nonsense!!!

According to information from the GOC of Serbia, before the Akakian schism there where three domain parishes (consisted of 60 faithful average or 15 families each parish) in Belgrade, Novi Sad and Smenderevo and some small groups of faithful in Bosnia and Nic.
The Smenderevo and Bosnia parishes were against Akakios’ elevation from the first hand. The Parish of Belgrade after an episodic meeting they held before the schism, the majority opposed to the arbitrary severance of communion with the Holy Synod of the Church GOC of Greece. And that is why Akakios never convened the General clergy-laity Assembly, to take the decision of whether they are “moving” to Russians or not because he knew that the majority wasn't with him. So, the main supporter of Akakios schism was and is the Parish of Novi Sad and occasional supporters from elsewhere. The Parish of Novi Sad and the Monastery of Saints Cyril and Methodius are housed at the private property of fr. Akakios’ father (this means his parents have the control of the Parish), and the rest of the faithful are either associated with him as relatives or close friends, since it is his homeland.

I do not know from whom the Greeks (fanatical followers of new Archbishop Kallinikos) receive such information. Smederevo for many years back does not have any communication with other TO Christians of Serbia. Smederevo considers himself a Greek church. With them and their counterparts could not reach any agreement about the attitude that we Serbs are Serbian Orthodox Church. For them, despotis Kallinikos is the chosen of God which only around the world keeps Orthodoxy. They kept saying that when die bishop Kalinik they dont know where to go, because they had no confidence in the other bishops of the Synod of the Greek TOC. It is a complete sectarian mentality. So, based on all that any organization of the General clergy-laity Assembly with them it was not possible. Do not forget that the meeting of the legal and lawful Administrative Council of Serbian TOC took place which is composed of representatives from all parishes and monasteries with the clergy. The Administrative Council is the only legal church authority of the Serbian TOC. We want to ask whether in the Greek TOC bishops elected from the “General clergy-laity Assembly”. Never, because that way the election made a complete chaos among the clergy and faithful people who can never agree on a one candidate. Each new bishop in Greek TOC is elected only by the Synod without asking clergy and laity. In the Greek TOC Synod there are many cases where the clergy and the faithful were complete explicitly against candidates who were by the Synod ordained as bishops. This was the case with metropolitan Paul and all young bishops. In Serbia, on Bishop Acacius case it was not like that. If we leave as a foreign body Smederevo in Serbia all parishes and monasteries were 100% for his consecration and release from the Greeks. This whole Ekklisiastikos – Savas story is a typically Greek demagogy, manipulation and speculation.
Let's be precise. Belgrade parish remained faithful to struggle for the Serbian Church. Only a few believers have confused from the Greek propaganda based on intimidation damnation of “schism”. And therefore they have either remained neutral or sided with the lawless government of Greece TOC in Serbia. In the parish of Novi Sad only one family that has also succumbed to the Greek propaganda of violence and fear all other parishioners supporting the struggle for the Serbian Church. As we said Bishop Acacius has relatives of two men - his parents and it is not clear what kind of friends of Bishop Akakios says Mr. Ekklisiastikos. None of the friends of Bishop Acacius from the world did not join the true Orthodoxy. The few young believers in the Novi Sad parish are met bishop only when they the approached to the true Orthodoxy. What are this stupidities? Incredibly which the Greeks (fanatical followers of new Archbishop Kallinikos) used to make dirty war to proved what can not prove. It is sad and shameful!