To the Editor:

This is in response to Mr. Kalmoukos news item of October 17. The man known as Epiphanios Dimenko who is to be honored is not an Orthodox Bishop. He has never received a valid consecration or a valid ordination. He emanates from a fanatical sect that in no way honors human rights, but repeatedly violates them. His followers have participated in, and continue to participate in acts of violence against the faithful of the canonical and universally recognized Ukrainian Orthodox Church. The Bishops, priests, and faithful of the canonical Church are confessors to the glory of Jesus Christ through their endurance of suffering that is imposed on them by the fanatical schismatics of whom Mr. Dimenko is part.

There is an ongoing crisis in the Orthodox Church worldwide as various secular Governments and their representatives have been pressuring the local Orthodox Churches to recognize the schismatic ‘Church’ of Ukraine. This is destroying relations between the local Orthodox Churches and its effects are demoralizing to believers such as myself. This schismatic group tramples on the Holy Canons of the Orthodox Church by communing Roman Catholics and Uniates.

The Orthodox Church must convene a Council to heal the schism that has occurred and is gradually widening. At a time when war, genocide, abortion, sexual depravity, racism, terrorism are occurring, the world needs the Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ. The Orthodox Church must raise its voice to proclaim the good news of the glory of Christ and his promise of redemption and salvation. For this to be done, the Orthodox Church must be firmly united and all ecclesiastical actions undertaken in Ukraine over the past year must be reversed and recognition given only to the canonical Church of Metropolitan

Onuphry.

Theodore G. Karakostas

Boston, MA