Source: Orthodox Christianity
Palm Beach, Florida – Archbishop Elpidophoros, the primate of the Patriarchate of Constantinople’s Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, caused a stir yesterday at the opening of the 29th annual Leadership 100 Conference at the Breakers Resort in Palm Beach, Florida.
The Archbishop Iakovos Leadership 100 Fund Incorporated is a corporation that supports the National Ministries of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese in the advancement of Orthodoxy and Hellenism.
As multiple participants in the conference are reporting, in front of dozens of participants, Abp. Elpidophoros declared that anyone who was married in the Orthodox Church can receive Communion in the Orthodox Church, regardless of whether they are Orthodox or not.
As the Orthodox Church firmly teaches that only baptized and chrismated members of the Church can commune, the Archbishop’s statement upset many people.
He previously addressed the issue of mixed marriages at the Archdiocesan Council meeting in October, hinting at what he openly declared yesterday. After noting that nearly 50% of all Orthodox Christians in America are converts, including 25% in the Greek Archdiocese, the Archbishop stated:
With this in mind, I would make this suggestion: instead of calling marriages with non-Orthodox spouses “mixed marriages,” might we not better refer to them as “miracle marriages?” For these marriages are the main road that ushers converts to the Faith. As the Apostle Paul says: How do you know, O wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, O husband, whether you will save your wife? (I Cor. 7:16).
While speaking above about marriage leading to spouses converting to holy Orthodoxy, Abp. Elpidophoros went on say:
Every faithful marriage is a miracle marriage—a miracle of God’s love and a Mystery to be celebrated with joy and embraced with thanksgiving. Whether or not the spouse joins the Church in a formal way through Chrismation, they are still 100% part of our community and should be embraced as such. If we are to be a Church that truly serves and embraces our young people who live in a technologically advanced and pluralistic world, we must embrace the strangers in our midst—make them strangers no more, and embrace all the members of our community and our Country.
The Patriarchate of Constantinople previously made waves when it announced that it would allow priests whose wives died or abandoned them to enter into second marriages, thereby contradicting the long-standing canonical Tradition of the Church.
In October, the Holy Eparchial Synod of the Greek Archdiocese in America announced that it was petitioning Constantinople to allow three clergymen to remarry.
7 Comments
Can someone who was present confirm the actual wording of the archbishop? The Source of the article above is well known for its polemic against the EP and Archbishop personally. Let’s verify that it is not fake news.
Agree that it seems a bit odd. It would make more sense if there were caveats such as “baptized non-Orthodox spouse.”
It would not surprise me if this is fake news.
This IS NOT Orthodox! Mixed marriages have taken place since Christianity took root and those who were not baptized, chrismated and accepting the True faith, were not admitted to receiving the Eucharist – PERIOD!
If there is any problem interpreting His Eminence’s words, or anyone’s feelings get hurt, or conversely, if canons are shredded in ignorantly applied economia, the parish priests will be blamed. This is how it goes when hierarchs describe themselves as non-theologians. These times demand church leadership that rises much higher than common sense. They need to be able to speak knowledgeably and dogmatically. Does the sacrament of marriage now obviate the need for the initiation of baptism? Or is the Body of Christ now a subjective matter? When the Head of an Archdiocese speaks flippantly of serious matters, priests pay the price.
And you want us to become ONE church? Please, we all know how far the GC has gone, and as long as we are not under one leadership, we can delay the corruption of our Church like what happened to the Vatican. It’s not strange for who worked with the CIA against Russia and separated Ukraine Church to remary the priests and do other stuff. Sick! Lord Have mercy.
I thought we only worship Him and not false prophets. I’m new in this region. I’m so confused on why you men changed everything. The poor kids and woman are degraded. No respect for elders. And I see why now. The adults screwed our humanity. Mostly men did this. The woman are slaves and the children. While you men have sex with everyone. Including same sex. To me that is a big sin that should bee execution. We are supposed to treat others the way we want to be treated. So you want that. One time is enough for a rapist. Doesn’t matter how old. And this war is over money and human traficing that some leaders and the rich have created. Falsely charging people that tried to stop this. I was called imma by a friend a brother.My schools are now apart of it. All human should have equip rights. How dare you men treat us like dogs and then have sex with another man. And lie about it just like to Him we call God. Woman know deep in their soul sometimes. Love is gone no rights for humans exist anymore. Read quaran 660 like that friend I never knew before messaged me. I’m going to pray for my family like me. it says against your own souls an enjoyment of life of the present, on the end, to us is your return, and we will show you truth of that you did. The likeness of the life of the present is as the rain which we send down from the skies; by its mingling arises the produce of the earth which provides food for men and animals. I think that the person in charge of the internet should play 660 as a alarm for us good hearted people who’ve sinned but a forgiving sin. Make my Facebook live on everyone’s device and I will remind my brothers and sisters and read it. But there’s a few versions gracious want the original.
In the name of Allah The Gracious, Most Merciful Praise be to Allah Lord of the Worlds. Amen I don’t want to finish again yet until I get my family out of here.