Greek believers in Kavala oppose the arrival of Dumenko
Orthodox Christians in Greece believe that concelebrating with Epifaniy Dumenko will render all its participants schismatic.
On August 26, 2022, the believers of the Greek city of Kavala, who gathered near the Metropolis building in the morning, protested against the arrival of the head of the OCU, Epifaniy Dumenko, in Greece, reports aktines.blogspot.com.
The document, addressed to Metropolitan Stefanos of Philippi, Naples and Thassos, says that the believers want to "once again express their holy indignation for anti-canonical actions and the initiative to invite the schismatic, pseudo-Metropolitan of Ukraine Epifaniy Dumenko to our holy land."
“You know perfectly well that any communion with heretics and schismatics is prohibited by the Holy Canons. Anyone who associates with excommunicated people becomes excommunicated from the Church himself. If you want to associate with a schismatic, you will also become a schismatic. Do you want to be one of those deniers of our faith? It would be shameful and regrettable if you committed this spiritual crime,” the believers wrote.
“We beg you, at least at the last moment, to come to your senses and reflect on the consequences of your actions,” because by ‘this impious’ concelebration with Dumenko, “you are taking on the impious path of a false union of the Orthodox Church with various heresies!” the Kavala Christians said.
They added that concelebrating with the head of the OCU "will overflow the cup of holy indignation and make us turn away from all these illegal, anti-canonical, treacherous actions towards our Orthodoxy."
In protest, the faithful of Kavala declared they would not participate in the Divine Liturgy with those "who will take part in this impious ritual."
“Do not throw us any longer to the mercy of the enemies of our faith! We ask you once again to cancel the visit of the schismatic Epifaniy to our country for the good of all of us,” says the document, which was signed by 60 people.
Earlier, the UOJ wrote that the Athonite elders opposed Dumenko's visit to Greece.
