Met. Athanasios: Archbishop Chrysostom's statements are lies and slander
According to Metropolitan Athanasios, "the efforts of Archbishop Chrysostomos are directed towards the well-known 'divide and rule'."
On December 29, 2020, Athanasios, Metropolitan of Limassol of the Orthodox Church of Cyprus, said that the latest statements by Archbishop Chrysostomos are "lies and slander," according to Romfea publication.
In his address, Metropolitan Athanasios writes that “in these holy days and in difficult times of struggle and many other serious problems that gripped the whole world, the primate of our Church decided to anger the suffering people of God, saying so many bad words against me and other holy brothers and sisters."
Vladyka stressed that he was "not worried about the humiliation and insults" the archbishop makes in relation to him personally. In addition, writes the bishop, "I am used to this behavior (of Archbishop Chrysostomos – Ed.) against me."
“But everything he says hurts me. Thses are lies and slander, and he always chooses holy days to make such statements ... to embarrass people and crush the spirit of holidays, which are the days of love, peace and forgiveness,” writes Metropolitan Athanasios.
He believes that in accordance with "his status, responsibility, truth, conscience" and because of the embarrassment of our faithful brothers, he has to refute everything the archbishop says, and he is very sorry for the pimate's position." “It is obvious that the efforts of the archbishop are aimed at the well-known ‘divide and rule’,” the bishop emphasized.
“Unfortunately, necessity pushed us in these holy days to restore the truthful facts and to refute what was said (by the archbishop – Ed.). That is why we ask our brothers for understanding and forgiveness,” summed up Metropolitan Athanasios.
Earlier, the UOJ wrote that Archbishop Chrysostomos criticized the hierarchs who did not recognize the OCU, and accused them that they “did not forget” their defeat in the elections of the Primate of the Church of Cyprus in 2006.
