ESFIGMENOU MONASTERY PRESS RELEASE

[Jean-Serge]

Back to Fr Siluan's comment about ROAC handing over Churches voluntarily rather than being besieged like here
was very interesting. Then the new ROAC Met Feodor's rejection of the MP demands
for the relics of the 2 Saints comes into perspective. Good for him ! Thank God they were able to keep the holy relics.
Standing up often helps make the bully back down.

Hope it will work here !

The situation in Russia was different? The first decision by the courts ordered to give the churches back to the State. There was 2 options:

• refusing an staying by force, but with whom and how with the risk of a dissolution maybe

• executing the decision but appealing it. It is a long process with a last step to the European court which gave reason to a Bulgarian alternative synod in a similar case

ROAC chose option 2 which is not necessarily bad. Regarding the relics, they simply won the trial.

[Alexandros]

Interview of Abbot Methodios on the persecution of Esfigmenou.
Please do forward to any Greek speaking people that would be interested

I will try to translate it in English

[Barbara]

Please do translate the video to English if possible, Alexandros !
That would help make the events more REAL for us far away.

Jean-Serge, that makes sense about ROAC's limited choice.

So the European Court gave [ satisfaction ? Justice ? ] to an aggrieved Bulgarian Synod ?
Interesting that the European Court heard such a case.

Hope they will hand back the Suzdal Churches to ROAC, and QUICKLY !

[Dcn.Ephrem]

Our people never "handed over" any churches. The Russian government stole them from us through a series of bogus and drawn-out legal proceedings. The fathers at Esphigmenou live in their monastery, and so it is understandable that they will defy the government siege by simply remaining within the walls of their monastery. Our people, however, obviously did not live in their churches, so the comparison is quite unusual. The faithful in Suzdal did everything they could to keep their churches.

[Alexandros]

Today morning the false Esfigmenites attacked the Esfigmenou Konaki in Karies.
Here is the video of the attack

We have just been informed that 3 police special forces units are on their way to Karies
in order to forcefully remove the Esfigmenite Fathers from the Konaki

We would like to ask you:

1. Please pray that the Father have strength and any plans that their forceful and violent removal are deterred

2. Please also send a letter / note of complain to the Prime Minister (proedros@nd.gr)
   asking that the persecution of the Fathers is stopped.

===============================================================
Τώρα 3 διμοιριες ΜΑΤ κατευθύνονται στίς Καρυές για να αποβάλουν βιαίως τους Εσφιγμενίτες Πατέρες από το ἀντιπροσωπείο της Μονής.

Παρακαλοῦμε όπως:
α. Προσευχηθείτε θερμώς γιά την ενίσχυση των Πατέρων και την αποτροπήν των σχεδίων βιαίας απομακρύνσεως
β. Οι δυνάμενοι να στείλουν διαμαρτυρία στο Πρωθυπουργό ζητώντας την παρέμβασή του για την παύση των διωκτικών ενεργειών.

Το e-mail του Πρωθυπουργού proedros@nd.gr

[StephenS]

Today morning the false Esfigmenites attacked the Esfigmenou Konaki in Karies.
Here is the video of the attack

We have just been informed that 3 police special forces units are on their way to Karies
in order to forcefully remove the Esfigmenite Fathers from the Konaki

We would like to ask you:

1. Please pray that the Father have strength and any plans that their forceful and violent removal are deterred

2. Please also send a letter / note of complain to the Prime Minister (proedros@nd.gr)
   asking that the persecution of the Fathers is stopped.

===============================================================
Τώρα 3 διμοιριες ΜΑΤ κατευθύνονται στίς Καρυές για να αποβάλουν βιαίως τους Εσφιγμενίτες Πατέρες από το ἀντιπροσωπείο της Μονής.

Παρακαλοῦμε όπως:
α. Προσευχηθείτε θερμώς γιά την ενίσχυση των Πατέρων και την αποτροπήν των σχεδίων βιαίας απομακρύνσεως
β. Οι δυνάμενοι να στείλουν διαμαρτυρία στο Πρωθυπουργό ζητώντας την παρέμβασή του για την παύση των διωκτικών ενεργειών.
Το e-mail του Πρωθυπουργού proedros@nd.gr
===============================================================

Have sent an email expressing concern about the continued harassment and assaults by police, in contravention of the European Convention on Human Rights, to which the Hellenic Republic is a signatory.

Stephen

[StephenS]

Just seen on OC.net under title 'Fun on Athos' a thread started alleging the Esphigmenou monks are/have been throwing petrol bombs at bailiffs trying to remove them. A minister is quoted as saying the law applies to everyone. Disinformation as a smoke screen?