The subversive activity and insurgencies against His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America, His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, and the decisions of the Holy and Sacred Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate on October 8, 2020 continue in Boston. That is clear from the revelatory letter that was published in this issue which was written by Fr. Athanasios (Tom) Chininis, president of the Metropolis of Boston Clergy Association. 

The case is self-evident because the evidence was presented by Fr. Chininis himself, unintentionally perhaps, when he revealed that behind the entire process of the writing of the letter that was to be sent to Archbishop Elpidophoros and the members of the Eparchial Synod was Metropolitan Methodios himself. 

Here it is what Fr. Chininis wrote exactly: “This past week I visited with His Eminence Metropolitan Methodios to discuss our brotherhood letter to the Archbishop and Eparchial Synod.”

He also wrote the following, which is interesting and revealing: “As I stated several times during our meetings, we had shared the edited versions of the letter with His Eminence throughout the process.” 

Essentially Fr. Chininis confesses that Metropolitan Methodios was a full collaborator in the subversive activity, indeed, that he was directing since he was constantly informed about it. Fr. Chininis noted in his email: “as I stated several times during our meetings, we had shared the edited versions of the letter with His Eminence throughout the process.”

Let me remind once again here that the Holy and Sacred Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in its last meeting on October 8, 2020 imposed on Metropolitan Methodios the very harsh and serious penance of suspension from every liturgical service until December 25. 

It means that Methodios cannot officiate at the Divine Liturgies, or Vesper Services, or any sacraments of the Church or in any other church service not only within the boundaries of the Metropolis of Boston, but in the entire Archdiocese in America, as well as the entire World. It is the most severe punishment that could be imposed on a hierarch. And as TNH had previously revealed, during the same Synodic meeting there was discussion even about defrocking Methodios. In other words, Methodios’ ecclesiastical authority, His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and the Holy Synod around him, have completely withdrawn their confidence from Methodios and this is what the penance of suspension means, which in a way is an easement to Methodios to exit willingly on his own. 

If Methodios had the basic sensitivity and sense of dignity from the first day he was suspended, he would have sent his letter of resignation to his ecclesiastical authority, the Ecumenical Patriarchate. Instead he is involved in all kinds of behind-the-scenes machinations and subversive activities, hiding behind Chininis, thinking that Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and Archbishop Elpidophoros of America don’t understand what is going on.

Chininis did something else: he revealed that the priests will continue their activities against Archbishop Elpidophoros and the decisions of the Ecumenical Patriarchate regarding the Charter of the Archdiocese. He wrote that “during my discussion with His Eminence we agreed that even though we will not send the letter, as a brotherhood we should continue serious discussion about the direction and the future of the Archdiocese and the new charter.” 

Instead of Methodios properly exercising his authority as a bishop by telling the priests to stop of organizing rebellions against the Ecumenical Patriarchate and Archbishop Elpidophoros and to not have anything to do with matters which aren’t within their priestly responsibilities and duties, he agreed that “we should continue serious discussion about the direction and the future of the Archdiocese and the new charter.”

Did they ever think that the Ecumenical Patriarchate has the right and the authority to defrock not only Methodios but some of them in order to send a strong message to those who share such mind-sets and mentalities?

One more thing the faithful should ask: Are parishes paying lofty salaries to their priests in New England so they can organize all kinds of subversive activities and rebellions against their Archbishop, their Patriarch, and the venerable Ecumenical Patriarchate, or are they paid to do holy and salvific work in their parishes?