The statement of the Arab Orthodox Youth in Jordan and Palestine
AMMONNEWS - the Arab Orthodox Youth became aware that the so-called
Holy Synod of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem decided in
its meeting today, headed by Mr. Theophilos, Archbishop of Tabor, the
so-called Patriarch, to punish the Reverend Archimandrite Christophoros
the head and spiritual father of Monastery of Virgin Mary Lifespring-
Dibeen by ecclesiastical defrocking and dismissal from the Brotherhood
of the Holy Sepulchre because he requested the illegitimate Patriarch to
apply Canon law at the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem.
This
decision comes in the wake of a series of other arbitrary decisions and
intimidations against many priests and monks to silence the voice of
the righteous in an unprecedented approach in the history of the church.
This is the result of the violation of the illegitimate Patriarch
Theophilos of the enacted laws in “the mother of churches” including
refraining from enforcing the Jordanian Law No. 27 of the year 1958, the
successive violation of Apostolic Canons (No. 25, 29, 30, 35, 36, 38,
58), refusing the continuous demands of the flock; clergy and laity to
perform his ecclesiastical and pastoral duties as a patriarch as well as
several and deliberate abuses against Arabs monks and priests and other
violations against the Orthodox Church illustrated in disregarding
Apostolic Canons and the Patriarchate law, unjust campaign to politicize
and Judaize the church, turning a blind eye on symbols of corruption
which distorted the image of the glorious church and its honorable
national stances causing a problematic regional segregation among
members of the same church and nation.
With this statement,
we reply to this uncanonical decision issued by an unqualified synod and
declare that Mr. Theophilos, Archbishop of Tabor, is not the legitimate
Patriarch of the Church of Jerusalem. He is unworthy of trust and
neither he nor his synod represents us or represents the Arab Orthodox
flock in Jordan and Palestine. Consequently, the decisions issued by
this synod are void and have no connection to the Church and will be
combated. From this very moment, we hereby declare his deposition from
being the Spiritual Father of the Orthodox Church in Jordan and
Palestine after ten years of neglecting the demands of the Arab flock,
his intransigence, his racism and his flagrant violations of Jordanian
law pertaining to the Patriarchate. We likewise ask all sincere priests
to refrain from commemorating his name as Patriarch at Divine Liturgies
and also to refrain from commemorating the names of Bishops Venedectos
and Philoumenos as they are members of this so-called synod and are
direct accomplices in this sinister decision as well as commemorating
the name of the Ecumenical Patriarch instead of Theophilos as
historically he is the first among equals of the Orthodox patriarchs. We
declare to everyone, near and far, that the Reverend Father
Christophoros, pastor of our only Orthodox monastery in Jordan shall
remain in his monastery in dignity and honor no matter what, and shall
celebrate the Divine Liturgy at the appointed times and the services of
the Church as usual. No harm will come to him so long as we are his
flock, as the flock chooses its pastor.
We are confounded by
the Jordanian government’s stance and the stance of the Palestinian
National Authority in supporting Theophilos, the unqualified, who
represents a historic colonization of the Orthodox Church with his
policy of racism against the people of this country. We are wondering
about the power that supports the so-called Theophilos, works against
the Arab Orthodox issue and flexes its muscles against Arab Christians
in Jordan and Palestine. We hold governments responsible of the outcomes
of this ecclesiastical crisis.
As the Arab Orthodox
youth in Jordan have submitted a petition to His Majesty King Abdullah
bin Al-Hussein containing around ten thousand signatures of Jordanian
citizens regarding the Arab Orthodox issue that absolutely supports the
position of Father Christophoros, the Arab Orthodox youth appeal to His
Majesty to intervene immediately and directly to bring justice to the
case of Father Christophoros Atallah and the Arab Orthodox flock and to
right the injustice and the historical slander committed against us by
the Greek colonizers.
We also call on Patriarchs of Orthodox
churches in the world to send official delegations to meet with
representatives of the Orthodox parish in Jordan and Palestine, to
handle all the facts with transparency and impartiality and to provide
the desired recommendations before it is too late.
The Arab Orthodox Youth in Jordan and Palestine/ Orthodox Society
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