The "Deposition" of Metropolitan Cyprian

The Illegal "Deposition" of Metropolitan Cyprian and its Nullification

(A short response to the scuttlebutt of Mr. Vladimir Moss)

As is known, on Nov 5/18, 1986, the Synod of GOC (under the presidency of Archbishop Chrysostomos [Kiousis]) proceeded to “depose” the Metropolitan of Oropos and Fili, Cyprian Koutsoumbas.

First of all, we know from the Holy Canons and ecclesiastical history that when a punishment is unjust, it is considered non-existent, even if it has been imposed by otherwise Orthodox bishops (a classic example is the "deposition" of St. John Chrysostomos).

The "deposing” of Metropolitan Cyprian had no legitimacy for two main reasons:

1) Because the specific Synod that imposed the sentence on him (GOC-Chrysostomos) did not have authority over him, and

2) Because his ecclesiological positions were distorted, and his “deposition” took place on the basis of these distortions.

Proof of the 1st:

In 1984, the Old Calendarists of Greece (I am not including the schismatic Matthewites) were divided into the following jurisdictions:

1. Synod of Archbishop Auxentios of Athens.

2. Synod of Metropolitan Gerontios of Piraeus.

3. Synod of Metropolitan Antonios of Attica.

4. Metropolitan Kallistos of Corinth (alone with two clergy).

5. Independents (Metropolitan Chrysostomos [Kiousis] of Thessalonica, Akakios of Diavleia, Gabriel of the Cyclades).

As we know, the Synod of Kallistos/Antonios was created in 1979 as a reaction to the canonical violations of the Synod of Auxentios/Gerontios. This Synod (of Kallistos/Antonios) bestowed the episcopacy on Metropolitan Cyprian, and therefore this Synod was the only one competent to proceed with his punishment (if there was a just reason, of course).

At this Synod, when the President (Kallistos) resigned and was left alone, Antonios became its new President.

In 1984, when the Synod of Antonios was united with the Synod of Gerontiοs (who was separated from Auxentios that year), Cyprian cut off ecclesiastical communion with the Synod of Antonios (who ordained him), because the reasons of piety and righteousness which caused the original severing of communion in 1979 with the Synod of Auxentios/Gerontios still existed!

This NEW Synod of Gerontios/Antonios was united in 1985 with Archbishop Auxentios, with Auxentios – almost immediately – being deposed from office, and the independent (since 1971) Chrysostomos (Kiousis) being elected Archbishop! So, this new Synod, which consisted of members of the former Synods of Auxentios, Gerontios, and Antonios, with the new (and formerly independent for 15 years) Archbishop Chrysostomos, had no authority to "depose" Metropolitan Cyprian, who never belonged to it. (As is known, under ecclesiastical law, a Synod cannot judge a clergyman who does not belong to its jurisdiction).

Proof of the 2nd:

The reasons for the "deposing" of Metropolitan Cyprian (as shown by the synodical document) are a distortion of his true positions. Let us examine some of them:

1. "He fell into the heresy of Ecumenism".

This is incorrect! Metropolitan Cyprian interrupted ecclesiastical communion in 1969 with New Calendarist "Church of Greece" due to Ecumenism, and never was in communion [afterwards] with any Official and Ecumenist Church; in fact, he severed communion with the ROCOR when it joined the Moscow Patriarchate in 2007.

He also developed huge projects (books, speeches, CDs and DVDs with audiovisual material) against Ecumenism, works that are not disputed even by his enemies.

2. "[He] cut himself off from our Church".

This is vague and unsubstantiated. In 1984, when Metropolitan Cyprian interrupted ecclesiastical communion with the Synod of Antonios, who made up "our Church"? Who was THE Church? The one of Auxentios? The one of Gerontios? The one of Antonios? Some other?

3. He preaches (supposedly) that (a) "the New Calendarists make up the saving One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church", and (b) "those who follow the Patristic Orthodox calendar are not the Church".

For (a): there is no such outrageous wording anywhere.

I challenge Mr. Moss, or anyone else, to prove with valuable documentation that Metropolitan Cyprian had expressed just such a position. On the contrary, this position is an arbitrary misinterpretation of the investigator (Kalliopios of Pentapolis, a known scandal-maker, and G[regory] Grabbe)!

For (b): Metropolitan Cyprian did not claim that the followers of the Patristic Orthodox calendar are not a Church, but that they are not a separate Church (i.e., schismatic). However, this is not the position of Metropolitan Cyprian alone, but a very basic ecclesiological principle of St. Chrysostomos of Florina.

4. "This unfortunate one founded his own ‘church’ with a Holy Synod".

This accusation is a monument to hypocrisy! Did not Matthew Karpathakis (spiritual father of Kalliopios!) establish his own "Church" with a "Holy Synod" (with "bishops", whom he "ordained" himself alone!) in 1948?

The investigator Kalliopios himself - did he not found a presbyterian "church" entitled the "Greek Church of the GOC" (in the 1960s), whose legal cover he used until the end of his life in 1998?

Were they [charged and] convicted?

In fact, in the end, Metropolitan Cyprian faithfully served the Holy Struggle by not using the term "GOC", which we see even today being usurped and used by unholy pseudo-Synods of various origins…

This uncanonical "deposition" was nullified by the prudent successors of that Synod (today’s GOC-K) in 2014, and Mr. Moss' insistence in continually bringing up this issue is an example of proud, senile stubbornness. May he be reborn and repent!

Nikolaos Mannis

May 9/22, 2021