Human Rights Lawyer Accuses Abp. Elpidophoros of Supporting 'Religious Intolerance'
Amsterdam dismissed the letter as “Men of [God] playing politics in support of religious intolerance."
NEW YORK — On March 13, 2026, international human rights lawyer Robert Amsterdam sharply criticized Archbishop Elpidophoros, head of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America under the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, via his X account.
The criticism was prompted by a leaked letter from Abp. Elpidophoros of America—head of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America—to Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, dated November 21, 2025, which detailed efforts to block advocacy in support of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) in Washington, DC.
Amsterdam reacted to the report on his personal X account, writing: “Men of [God] playing politics in support of religious intolerance!!!”
He condemned what he described as the hierarch and clergy of the Constantinople Patriarchate engaging in political maneuvers to undermine an Orthodox delegation in the United States, rather than focusing on their spiritual mission.
According to the leaked document, Abp. Elpidophoros admitted to working with Fr. Alexander Karloutsos in an attempt to cancel meetings between UOC supporters and US officials, including White House, State Department, and congressional representatives. The letter described the UOC's supporters as “pro-Russian agents.”
