"Our battle is for truth and the true orthodox way of life, which the patriarch is attempting to silence." Abbot Methodios, AP/CNN.
ESPHIGMENOU MONASTERY MOUNT ATHOS
iera monh esfigmenou agion oros
Under Persecution-
Esphigmenou building being attacked with sledgehammers by imposter monks of Patriarch Bartholomew (Video) After publicly saying they would not use aggressive tactics against the monks, the Patriarch's imposter brotherhood uses a sledge hammer to break into an Esphigmenou building and injure three monks.
Nov. 13 - BBC World News Report on Esphigmenou (sound only) Aired on BBC World News from Nov 13- 20, 2005.
"If these tactics against our monastery triumph, in the future, whoever displeases the authorities will be driven out and the spirit of Mt. Athos will be lost." (Abbott Methodios)
"When we became monks we promised to God to serve him and to devote our lives unto death. We are ready to keep this promise." (Fr. Gregorios, Esphigmenou Monastery)
Patriarch
Bartholomew of Constantinople, and his accomplices in the Greek government,
have:
Cut
off FOOD, MEDICINE, and HEATING OIL to the monastery, which has many elderly
monks.
Prohibited doctors from seeing monks to provide medical care. (One monk died of a stroke in November)
Created
an imposter monastery with the same name (Esphigmenou) to which all
mail is now delivered, and to whom all assets of the monastery are to be
delivered.
Cut off TELEPHONE service, including emergency telephone service, to the monastery in an attempt to prevent the outside world from learning of the callous and inhumane actions, against the least amongst us, defenseless monks.
Read press release for more details - Esphigmenou under new, harsher blockade
SEE ORIGINAL SOURCE DOCUMENTATION
Written on September 22, 2005, this letter asks the monks of the other monasteries of Mount Athos to consider the ramifications of their hostile actions toward a fellow brotherhood.
Written on October 20, 2005, the Abbott describes the history of the struggle of his monastery against the unprecedented persecution of the Esphigmenou brotherhood.
On October 27, 2005, the imposter monastery requests the Port Authority to interdict the boat used by the true Esphigmenou Monastery, which they were forced to acquire in order to bring food and medicine to their monastery. The true monastery of Esphigmenou had to get a boat because they have been refused use of, or access to, the ferry boats and overland vehicles which supply Mount Athos. Shamefully, the Port Authority and the Greek Coast guard, like the rest of the Greek Authorities under the absolute authority of Greek Foreign Minister Petros Molyviatis, have acquiesced to this request.
On September 22, 2005, the imposter monastery requested that all mail addressed to Esphigmenou monastery be redirected to them instead of to the true Esphigmenou monastery. Shamefully, the Post Office like the rest of the Greek Authorities under the absolute authority of Greek Foreign Minister Petros Molyviatis, have acquiesced to this request.
OCTOBER 14, 2005 Ukranian Orthodox issue formal complaint against Bartholomew, "pope" of Orthodox
Unfortunately, the monks of Epshigmenou monastery are not the only ones to be the victims of the ever growing appetite for power of Patriarch Bartholomew, who has even attempted to usurp power from the church in the Ukraine as well.
WHAT CAN I DO TO HELP?
Please e-mail and call Petros Molyviatis, the Foreign Minister of Greece, under whose ultimate authority the Civil Administration and Greek Police in Mount Athos enforce the blockade and demand an immediate end to these inhuman actions. Please also e-mail the Ecumenical Patriarch and ask him to end his Un-Christian actions and show love toward the monks of Esphigmenou.
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1 |
Petros G. Molyviatis |
Greek Minister for Foreign Affairs |
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Fax:
011-30-210-368-1433 Religious affairs fax:
011-30-210-368-2313 |
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2 |
Panagiotis N. Skandalakis |
Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs |
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Telephone: +30-210-3633716 –18 Fax: +30-210-3633715 |
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3 |
Patriarch Bartholomew |
Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople |
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Tel: +90-212-635-4022 or +90-212-531-9670 Fax. +90-212-5349037 |
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Ask
to speak to the Patriarch himself, and express your opposition to the
unchristian embargo of Food, Medicine and Fuel to Esphigmenou
Monastery on Mt Athos, and to the Patriarch's demand for the Monks eviction
by the Greek Police. |
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4 |
Civil Administration of Mount Athos (on the ground directing and enforcing the blockade). Have not stood up to protest these unchristian and unlawful actions. |
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Tel: 011-30-23770-23230 Fax: 011-30-23770-23290 |
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5 |
Holy Community (Iera Epistasia) Acquiesced under enormous pressure from Patriarch to vote to evict monks and set up imposter monastery. |
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Fax: 011-30-23770-23315 |
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6 |
Police in Daphni - local police enforcing blockade under orders from Civil Administration and Minister of Foreign Affairs. |
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tel/fax: 011-30-23770-23222 (call and ask to send a fax and they will turn on the machine) |
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7 |
Police in Karyes - local police enforcing blockade under orders from Civil Administration and Minister of Foreign Affairs. They have seized, and continue to have in their possession, the monastery's tractor which is their only means of getting food. |
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tel: 011-30-23770-23212 fax: 011-30-23770-23260 |
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8 |
The 19 other monasteries on Mt Athos who have shamefully acquiesced to the Patriarch's pressure to evict a fellow monastery, and ceded the independent status of Mt. Athos Phone/Fax numbers to all the Mt. Athos Monasteries |
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9 |
Click
here to submit a petition to the EU, Refer to petition 361/2002 |
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| 10 | Contact the Foreign Ministers of the other EU countries Ask them to inquire with the Greek Foreign Minister and the Greek Prime Minister as to this grave and flagrant violation of the rights of citizens of the EU. Click here for their contact information | ||
Click here to help the monks and submit letters/phone calls of protests
If you can, please make a donation. The monks need your help.
All funds are to benefit the Monastery of Esphigmenou on Mt. Athos, and are sent directly to Abbott Methodios. There are 4 ways you can donate. Thank you for your generous donation.
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Wire funds to: Bank: Bank of America Account name: Friends of Esphigmenou Monastery Account number: 004601371710 ABA / routing#: 011000138 |
Mail checks to: Abbott Methodios PO Box 5913 Ierissos, Greece 63075
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On-Line Donation: Click here to make an instant on-line donation via PayPal using your Visa, Mastercard, American Express or Discover card, or make a direct transfer directly from your checking account:
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Mail checks to: Friends of Esphigmenou Monastery PO Box 301012 Boston, MA 02130-0009 Friends of Esphigmenou is a 501(c3) in the US and is a charitable deduction.
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WHAT THE DISPUTE IS ABOUT AND WHY THE MONKS ARE RIGHT
WORLDWIDE PRESS AND HOW TO CONTACT US
Special Radio Broadcast from the BBC about the Esphigmenou Monastery from 2003
Contact us by E-mail (Thank you for all the emails!! God Bless You and the Mother of God cover you under her veil! The struggle continues and Orthodoxy shall never die. Please continue to write the authorities under "What Can I Do to Help?")
GENERAL INFORMATION ON MOUNT ATHOS AND PHOTOS FROM ESPHIGMENOU
Add your comments on the persecution of Esphigmenou Monastery
General Information About Mount Athos
Click here to see more photos from Esphigmenou Monastery
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