ATHENS – Archbishop Ieronymos, head of the Church in Greece, said Bishop Amvrosios of Kalavryta was wrong to blame the wildfires that killed at least 82 people as God’s vengeance for the country having an atheist Prime Minister in Radical Left SYRIZA leader Alexis Tsipras.

“This is a sad phenomenon. God is love. God does not take revenge but urges all to love one another… there is a limit to personal views,” Ieronymos said.

“Atheist Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras draws the wrath of God,” Bishop Amvrosios wrote on his blog. “The atheists of SYRIZA are the causes of the general disaster! Their atheis, draws the wrath of God!” he added.

That drew quick condemnation on social media, including from other Greek Orthodox clerics with the head of the Church, Archbishop Ieronymos, who has done essentially nothing to rein in the provocative Bishop, at first putting out a statement saying Amvrosios was “only expressing his personal opinion.”