Abp. of Crete Declares Loyalty to Phanar

Photo: OrthoChristian

HERAKLION — Abp. Eugenios of Crete powerfully reaffirmed the "unwavering love and devotion" of the Church of Crete and the Cretan people toward Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, according to a report from the Orthodox Times. The Archbishop spoke from the pulpit of the Metropolitan Cathedral of Saint Minas shortly after a Synodal Delegation's return from the Phanar.

Following recent tensions over metropolitan transfers, the Archbishop stated that “our Father and Patriarch listened to our pain, heard our concerns, and stood by us with genuine pastoral care” to “dispel the clouds that had formed in our relations with the Mother Church.”

He attributed these “clouds” to “interventions by third parties” seeking disruption, emphasizing: “We love the Mother Church, and we cannot feel ourselves separated from her even for a single second.”

The delegation conveyed “the deep-rooted loyalty and steadfast devotion."

Earlier this year, Abp. Eugenios defied an attempt by the Cretan government to make the Church of Crete completely independent of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.

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