Protocol no. γ – 1830
In Athens, Nov. 23/Dec. 6, 2013
Communiqué
To all clergy and laity
Beloved children of the Church of Christ,
The Holy Synod of the G.O.C., during its meeting on October 10/23 2013, discussed the issue of the pseudo-saints who are alleged to be Saints by the Ecumenists, and the danger of deceiving the faithful through their systematic propaganda. For this reason, we call this to the attention of all clergy and laity of the non-innovating Church, that they not fall victim to this propaganda. No one who died in schism, communing with the heresy of Ecumenism may be honored as a saint by the Church. They do not fulfill the criteria of Sainthood which the Church of Christ has always had.
The Ecumenical Patriarchate, which has ceased to be the beacon of Orthodoxy, continually proclaims many new-found elders as saints, in order to fortify the delusion that the communicants of Ecumenism can also be sanctified, and can become examples to follow. From this delusion, it would then follow that there is no reason for those who object to the heresy of Ecumenism to wall themselves off from it. In their Synodal proclamations, the Ecumenists mix the pseudo-saints of recent years with true saints of the past centuries, such as St. Nicodemus of the Holy Mountain and St. Cosmas of Aetolia, so that this perception may be believed without question. We, however, rightly differentiate the good from the evil; on the one hand, we accept the older saints as truly being saints – and that, without regard to Patriarchal decisions – and on the other hand, we reject the new-found elders. We hope that these new-found elders returned to Holy Tradition sometime before their death, but they are certainly not examples for the faithful to imitate.
This also holds true for those new-found elders proclaimed as “saints” by the other Patriarchates who have been equally vitiated by the Ecumenistic delusion or by Sergianism, such as the Patriarchate of Moscow. Therefore pilgrimages and parish excursions to reverence such new-found pseudo-saints are not permitted either is honoring them individually as real saints nor painting icons nor serving the divine services for them.
Holy figures have existed in recent decades, but those who were sanctified belonged to the ranks of those who struggled against the innovation of the Papal calendar and the heresy of Ecumenism. There will soon be a Synodal decision of the Church concerning them.
Having said that, we pray that you pass the remainder of the time of the Nativity fast in compunction and prayer.
By the mandate of the Holy Synod
The Chief-Secretary
† Photios of Marathon
Translated from the Greek
