An Ecclesiological Problem:
The former Holy Transfiguration Monastery of Saviour in Nafpaktos
The official efforts for the peaceful settlement of the problems of the former "Holy Transfiguration Monastery of Saviour in Nafpaktos"
Introduction
The conflicts between the Monastery and the Metropolitans date back to the date of its establishment, that is from 1980, and there were always problems with the Metropolitans Damascenos, Alexandros, Nicodemus and the current Metropolitan Hierotheos.
The current Metropolitan of Nafpaktos and Agios Vlasios upon his enthronement found an open conflict problem and tried to solve it. But at some point the underlying problem manifested itself. The Holy Synod of the Church of Greece as the Supreme Ecclesiastical Authority – which addressed the issue after legal opinions by University Professors asked by the Monastery and the passing of such opinions from the Metropolitan to the Holy Synod - among other things, tried with various Synodical committees to solve it.
Based on available data, the Holy Metropolis composed a brief text containing all these efforts.
These documents prove the following:
-The final decisions of the Holy Synod on the imposition of the penance of excommunication to all the brothers of the monastery and the dissolution of the legal entity of the monastery and merger with another Monastery of our province, is the culmination of fourteen years, at least, of efforts of the Holy Synod to solve the Monastery problems with lenience and forbearance. The course is evidenced by over sixty conciliar decisions, which are characterized by great forbearance and benevolence and tolerance, in such a form that some saw it, unfortunately, as "weakness" of the Holy Synod to enforce the holy Canons and order.
-The Holy Synod adopted its decisions after:
a) Complaints and reports from the Monastery, which were passed by the Metropolitan to the Holy Synod, as was his duty, with his observations.
b) Following a study of the issue by Hierarchs, Synodical Commissions of Bishops and of Abbots, from sworn examinations, etc, over a period of fourteen years. Throughout this period the monks had the opportunity in person and in writing and through their lawyers to support their views and express their opposition.
-The penance of the excommunication was first proposed in 2001 to the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Church. It was imposed firstly on four monks in 2007 for a specific violation and until they would demonstrate true repentance, it was expanded to the whole Brotherhood in 2011 (August), it was suspended for three monks conditionally (Oct. 2011), and extended again to the whole Brotherhood (2012). Unfortunately there was no hint of practised repentance during this whole period by the monks.
Many distinguished Church members tried to indicate the path of ecclesiastical penance and the blessing that would result, as was moreover the case with brothers of the Monastery which separated their position. One of them was the late Archbishop Christodoulos, who, when elected, was extremely praised by the then abbot of the monastery. The rejection, on the part of the then Abbot, of the proposal for peace by the Archbishop was provocative.
Also, many churchmen, as well as prudent lawyers, individually or in committees, tried to bridge the differences and propose solutions which were accepted by the Holy Metropolis, at least as a basis for settlement. These efforts were rejected by the leaders of the Monastery immediately, by their refusal, or indirectly, by not implementing them in fact.
-An additional cause of hardening and display of arrogance on the part of the monastery that reached the point of the cessation of any oral communication with the Holy Metropolis and made impossible any further approach has been the hope of the leaders of the monastery on the impressive number of lawyers and legal advisors, and in general in the means they had at their disposal for a legal prevalence as they believed, against the Church.
-Finally it is being proved that some in the monastery wanted to reach a clash with the Church, to rally their supporters and to be seen as "heroes" in their eyes. They hoped in: a) fatigue and burnout of the church leaders and men primarily of the Metropolitan, whom they constantly bombarded with appeals, lawsuits, sues, malicious whispering in society, slanderous and defamatory publications, b) their economic power, c) their lawyers and legal support, d) their shields made of the fans they have created since the beginning of the establishment of the monastery.
The mediation and conciliation efforts made over the years and briefly in chronological order are as follows:
1. Effort of the late father Theoklitos Dionysiatis (March 1998).
2. Synodical Committee on doctrinal and Legal and Canonical issues (Oct. 1998).
3. The Holy Synod issued a special circular admonitory (Dec. 1998).
4. The first three-member Synodical Commission of Bishops (Dec. 1998 - Jan. 1999).
-The Letter of the first three-member Commission of Bishops.
5. Talks between Metropolitan and Abbot and drafting of a Memorandum of ecclesiological, canonical, and lawful communication (March 1999).
- "Signs of ecclesiological, canonical, and lawful communication Holy Transfiguration Monastery towards the Holy Metropolis”.
6. First recorded attempt by the late Archimandrite father Arsenios Kompougias.
-Letter from father Arsenios Kompougias (1999).
7. Proposal for meeting in order to implement the relevant Synodical Decision and intervention of the then Archbishop Christodoulos to resolve the issues (February-March. 2000).
8. The second three-member Synodical Commission of Abbots (May - August 2000).
9. Visit of Father Arsenios to the Holy Transfiguration Monastery and discussion with the then Abbot Fr Spyridon Logothetis (Oct. 2001).
10. Personal intervention of Archbishop of Athens and All Greece Christodoulos (November 2001).
11. Draft agreement between the Counsel of Monastery University proffesor Bernitsas, the member of the Synodical Commission of Abbots and the representative of the Holy Monastery (Nov. 2001).
12. The third three-member Synodical Commission of Bishops (2002).
13. The three-member committee of Mount Athos abbots of the monasteries of Great Lavra, Vatopedi and Simonopetra.
14. Cessation on the part of the monastery for nine (9) years of any effort for approach and any verbal communication.
15. Talks with a five members delegation from the Brotherhood, quest of apology and attempt to find a solution after the Synodical decision of August 2011.
16. Meeting with a delegation of women "friends" of the Holy Monastery (Nov. 2011).
17. Calls for new Approach.
18. Ten years Synodical warning!
19. Other Synodical calls before taking the Synodical decisions.
20. Several other well-intentioned and responsible efforts.