ANNOUNCEMENT OF ANATHEMA
In the year 1988, I started a protest against Patriarch Diodoros because of the situation he developed at the Patriarchate, a situation that, according to common opinion was, at the least, unacceptable. As a Bishop and a member of the Synod I believed, and still believe, that I had the right and the duty to express my opinion, positive or negative, for matters that concerned the Patriarchate.
Unfortunately, the Patriarch, and as it was obvious from the developments, the majority of the members of the Synod and of the rest of the members of the Brotherhood, had a different opinion and agreed with the Patriarch who, shamefully declared: “I am the Patriarch and I can do as I please”. The result was my infliction with various punishments, since 1988, and ultimately with my defrockment in 1994.
Despite all these events I remained in Jerusalem hoping that someday they would realize their crime and the best interest of the Patriarchate and would correct their mistakes so that we, all together, would work for the good of the Church.
This did not happen. In the year 2000, Patriarch Diodoros died and Irineos was elected in his place. While I was waiting for my reinstatement, I was told that, in order to be reinstated, I had to declare that I was wrong for my protests against Diodoros, while they themselves did not accuse me for any wrong doing. Of course I could not accept that and, in protest, I left Jerusalem in the year 2002.
The developments with Irineos, once more, justified my protests against the situation in the Patriarchate. So I was hoping again that the new Patriarch would restore order and would put an end to my unjust punishment of 17 years. I was wrong again. Patriarch Theophilos, a man I unfortunately trusted and supported for the position of the leader of the Brotherhood of the Holy Sepulchre, in cooperation with the Chief Secretary of the Patriarchate, Archbishop Aristarchos of Constantine, proved worse and more incompetent than their predecessors. While they pretended that they wanted to reinstate me, in reality they condemned me morally with their public statement that, they reinstated me, and even promoted me in the rank of the Archbishop, only after I “declared sincere regret” for my protests against Patriarch Diodoros, something which, of course, is not true. This statement of theirs is the most dishonorable and immoral thing someone could do because with it, while they do not accuse me of any wrong doing, they make me appear that I recognized that I was wrong in my protests and declared sincere regret for them.
Because this development is completely unacceptable to me; because the Patriarch, for more than a year and a half since then, has refused obstinately to reconsider the case and correct the injustice; because I did not want in any way to let the impression be formed that I indeed accepted that I was wrong in my protests; and because I did not find any other way to express my abhorrence for the dishonorable act against a Christian and even more against a Bishop of the Church of Christ, with great sorrow, I declare that I anathematize Patriarch Theophilos, the Chief Secretary Archbishop Aristarchos and anyone else who willingly and conscientiously co-signed this immoral condemnation of myself.
Archbishop Nikiphoros
Athens, Oct. 21, 2007
WELCOME
THE CHRONICLE OF MY PROTESTS
LETTER TO PATRIARCH DIODOROS
OPEN LETTER TO PATRIARCH EIRINEOS
ANNOUNCEMENT OF MY REINSTATEMENT
LETTER #1 TO PATRIARCH THEOPHILOS
LETTER #2 TO PATRIARCH THEOPHILOS
OPEN LETTER OF RESIGNATION
ANNOUNCEMENT OF ANATHEMA
