The Archbishop called on those who place their will above that of the Holy Synod to wall off and privatize.
The Archbishop of Athens and All Greece sent a strict message to the interior of the Church regarding the issue of vaccination, Jerome.
The Archbishop during the ordination of the new Metropolitan of Kastoria, Kallinikos in the Cathedral of Athens, invited those who do not follow and abide by the decisions of the Holy Synod on the subject of the corona virus, putting their personal views above the common ones, "to go to their homes and monasteries and resign their duties".
The Archbishop referred at length to the confession and promise given by the new archpriest before the Church, clarifying to him that under these conditions and with this confession he enters the Hierarchy to emphasize immediately after that anyone who has different opinions can "leave his duties and come to his home, in his monastery, in his cell, and from there to have the seats his own...".
The Archbishop of Athens and All Greece made a special reference to personal positions, strong opinions, the questioning and the personal freedom that everyone can express to reach the conclusion that none of this can stand above the will of the Holy Synod.
He pointed out to the new high priest and therefore to everyone, how the text of the confessions he read before his ordination, it ends with the phrase… “I have signed it with my hand”.
Using for the first time himself and indeed from such a public and official stage, the word "excommunication" the Archbishop invited those who place their will above that of the Holy Synod to excommunicate and privatize.
The entire speech of the Archbishop, Jerome
"Not everything is rosy. There are many thorns, there are many difficulties. And the high priests who have traveled this road and are going through it are aware of these difficulties that come from outside but also, unfortunately, from within the Church. Then what happens; Where will you turn?; Certainly to the one you gave your life to. And then, humanly to what you promised. In the Holy Synod of the Church of Greece. And therefore you have no experiences of your own; You can't dispute anything, it is not possible to have something personal you probably have question marks from what you hear; You have that right. But above all is obedience to the Church and its Synod, because she steers this ship. And you will discipline her. But your opinion is probably strong, likely to be possible.
We respect your freedom and everyone's freedom. But he should come and say "my father it is I" and leave his duties and retire to his house, in his monastery, to his cell and from there to have his own seats.
There is a phrase, which many hear and shudder: I turn out. He, Well, who disagrees and does not want to follow the line of the Church, of the Holy Synod, he comes and says what is mine I believe, but still I owe obedience to the Church. Therefore "I give you a piece of paper and tell you I am walled off and from now on lead a private life, I do what I want". The unity of the Church is above all because it supports the true faith. These thoughts must also prevail among those who climb the steps of the altar today, but also those we serve. The needs of our times, our homeland, our society, the desecration of everything around us, whether it is called family, done is called youth, whether it is called education, whether it is called the army.
This frenzy of desecration cannot be answered, nor is it treated in any other way, than with our Faith, our roots, our base. We can deviate within ourselves. We are not in a hurry. We obey the will of the Holy Synod of the Church".