February 4, 2016
The Ecumenical Patriarchate's communique of January 18 stated that His Beatitude Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens would not be attending the Pan-Orthodox Council held in Chambesy, January 21-28, "for personal reasons," but it is now known, as reported by romfea.gr, that His Beatitude abstained rather on ecclesial grounds, sending four representatives on behalf of the Church of Greece.
Metropolitan Germanos of Hlias, who attended the Chambesy meeting, briefed the Holy Synod at its February 3 meeting of the proceedings of the Pan-Orthodox meeting, which was followed by lively discussion on the said meeting, the upcoming Synod to be held on the island of Crete, and how the Church of Greece will be represented at that meeting.
His Beatitude Archbishop Ieronymos also submitted a letter to the Holy Synod which demonstrates that his reasons for not attending the Pan-Orthodox Council were not "personal" but rather stem from actions that undermine the authority and reputation of the Church of Greece. The letter was submitted in a sealed envelope and is to remain unpublished until a time when His Beatitude sees further use for it.
The Holy Synod also thanked His Eminence Metropolitan Nicholas of Karpenisi for his 58 years of service as a cleric and received his resignation, and decided to send a letter of congratulations to His Beautitude Metroopoltian Rastislav of the Czech Lands and Slovakia on his recognition as Primate of that Church by the Church of Greece.
