Pat. Bartholomew's 'Slava Ukraine' Greeting Stirs Greek Backlash

Pat. Bartholomew raises his staff and exclaims "Glory to Ukraine!" to Pres. Volodomyr Zelenskyy. Photo: Office of the President website

ATHENS — Greek media reports that Pat. Bartholomew of Constantinople's greeting of "Glory to Ukraine" to Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelenskyy has caused a stir throughout the Greek community. According to Romfeo, many Greeks associate the phrase with "the Nazi past and the crimes of the Germans' collaborators in World War II."

The meeting with Zelenskyy took place during the Patriarch's recent visit to the United States, which included trips to Washington and New York. In a video posted online, Pat. Bartholomew can be seen raising his staff and exclaiming, "Slava Ukraini!" Abp. Elpidophoros of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America can be seen smiling and applauding.

While with Zelenskyy, His Holiness mentioned the Muslim Tatars, a curious reference in which there is no clear understanding of what he was intending to convey, as the video is cut short. 

"The event came as a shock as, instead of standing by the Orthodox who are persecuted and massacred in the Middle East or talking about the persecution of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church and its clergy, the Patriarch preferred to highlight the Tatar Muslims, historical enemies of Hellenism and allies of the Zelensky regime," Romfea reports.

The article goes on to state that the meeting looked more like a political rally than a visit befitting of a bishop of the Church, let alone one of the Patriarchs.

"Several commentators pointed out that the role of the Patriarch is not to act as a 'propagandist' or to reproduce divisive slogans, but to spiritually guide the Orthodox world."

Romfea's reporting concludes by highlighting "an increasing alienation between the Patriarchate and its own flock," as silence in the face of the persecution of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church and continual favor for the Zelenskyy regime leaves a sour taste for the Orthodox faithful who look to Pat. Bartholomew as their spiritual leader.

Previously, UOJ reported that U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance supposedly accused the Ecumenical Patriarchate of receiving money from the U.S. government in exchange for granting "autocephaly" to the schismatic Orthodox Church of Ukraine.

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