Neo Prokopion, Evia, Greece, November 13, 2019
Photo: orthodox.vinnica.ua
The pilgrims from the schismatic “Orthodox Church of Ukraine,” headed by “Metropolitans” Simeon Shostasky and Alexander Drabinko, who are currently visiting holy sites in Greece, found a warm welcome on the island of Evia and in Fokidos after being shut out on the island of Aegina.
The Greek outlet Oukraniko notes that Abbess Thekla of the Monastery of St. Minas on Aegina commented that people in robes pretending to be priests not only cannot serve, but cannot even venerate the holy relics. “It is impossible to remain apathetic, or even neutral, and not have a firm opinion about schismatics,” she said.
Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Halkis permitted the delegation to celebrate a Liturgy in the Church of St. John the Russian in Neo Prokopion on the island of Evia on Monday, November 11, reports the Vinnitsa-Bar Diocese of the schismatic OCU.
This is the first Liturgy the delegation has been permitted to serve during their pilgrimage that began on November 9. The OCU bishops who were allowed to serve are the two who abandoned the canonical Ukrainian Church to join the schismatic OCU at the “unification council” on December 15 of last year.
“The pilgrimage group left Neo Procopion with great inspiration and gratitude to God for the fact that He wisely arranges everyone on their way. After all, what is it if not a manifestation of God’s providence that the first Liturgy the pilgrims who are visiting Greece for the first time after the Greek Church’s recognition of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine celebrated was in the church of their countryman, St. John Russian?” reads the OCU report.
While the service was celebrated with the blessing of Met. Chrysostomos, Oukraniko notes that besides the Ukrainian “clergy” and clergy of the Metropolis of Halkis, only a few Ukrainian women were at the Liturgy.
Following the service and a meal, the local priest Fr. Nicholas congratulated the Ukrainian pilgrims on behalf of Met. Chrysostomos and gave Shostasky and Drabinko an icon of St. John the Russian, assuring that he and the Metropolitan support the OCU.
Met. Theoktistos with the schisamtic clergy. Photo: romfea.gr
The next day, the schismatics were warmly received by Metropolitan Theoktistos of Fokidos and Archimandrite Nektarios (Moulatsiotis), reports Romfea.
