HOLY METROPOLIS
OF NAFPAKTOS AND SAINT VLASIOS
ANNOUNCEMENT
30th January 2013
Feast of the Three Hierarchs in Nafpaktos
On January 30, 2013, the feast of the Three Hierarchs was celebrated in Nafpaktos. In the morning, teachers and pupils participated in the Liturgy and speeches on the celebration were given by teachers. In the evening the annual event of the Metropolis for teachers of our district took place with His Eminence Metropolitan Hierotheos as a speaker on the theme: "The century of the Three Hierarchs as the Golden Age of the Church." The Bishop presented the topic comprehensively, and a discussion and offering of a treat followed.
Unfortunately, a small group of supporters of the former Monastery of the Transfiguration chose to desecrate this great day of the Church and of Education, by gathering outside the hall, hissing against those who entered, and trying with loudspeakers, whistles and slogans to cover the speech of the Metropolitan and to disturb the whole event.
On this occasion we would like to point out some truths seen by all attending Teachers of Nafpaktos in the fully packed hall of the Metropolis.
1. Fans of the “non-monk” monks are converted unfortunately into hooligans and taliban-fighters transforming the Church into a football pitch. Unfortunately they recall scenes coming from the Middle Ages.
2. These anarchist actions, acts of violence, racism and fascism, show what the work done by the former monastery for many years was. The inner state both of the monks and their supporters was revealed. Their most wild actions show that they are outside the Church, having created a peculiar religious ghetto.
3. With these medieval-like actions they offended the guests of the Holy Metropolis, the teachers who came to hear the Bishop, they insult all the peaceful inhabitants of Nafpaktos, they disturb our beautiful city and denigrate our province worldwide. This is why we must isolate those who cause such violent acts.
4. The Holy Metropolis calls the fans and their mentors to repent, to sense the damage they cause to the Church, the city and its citizens, to repent so that God forgives them. The Holy Metropolis hopes that one day they will understand that the former Monastery reached this point by its own mistakes, by its own mindset, the intransigent attitude they kept for all these years, a fact that is revealed by the criminal offenses and ecclesiastical aberrations.
5. Finally, we must praise the great number of teachers who attended the event and filled the hall, ignoring the intimidation those who were gathered outside the hall wanted to inspire.
There is God and sees the injustice.
From the Holy Metropolis
