Historical Letter of Elder Philotheos Zervakos to Metropolitan Kyprianos Koutsoumpas

Historical Letter of Elder Philotheos Zervakos to Metropolitan Kyprianos Koutsoumpas

 

Archimandrite Philotheos Zervakos

Abbot of the Holy Cenobitic Monastery

of the Life-Giving Spring of Longovarda

Paros

 

Paros, 14 Feb 1969

To the Most Reverend Archimandrite Kyprianos,
my spiritual child in the Lord, greetings and well-being.

I received the copy of your reply to His Eminence of Attica and Megara. The reply is good and fitting; only be courageous and prepare yourself for the coming and approaching trials and tribulations.

In the world, the Lord said, you will have tribulation, but take courage; the tribulation will be transformed into joy. Let us endure everything, and let us receive with joy even the seizure of our possessions, as well as insults, reproaches, persecutions, and all else, so that we may only gain Christ. There are three beasts warring against the Bride of Christ, the Church: Masonry, Papism, and Communism. There are also countless others. Yet, the Leader of our Church, our Lord Jesus Christ, will crush them all. Let us lift up our hearts. Let us raise our souls and hearts to the One who dwells in heaven, seeking help and deliverance from the calamities coming upon the whole world.

If I live until the second week of the Fast, I will come, and we will arrange the rest.

With paternal love and heartfelt prayers,
Archimandrite Philotheos

 

NOTE FROM "HIDDEN SCHOOL":

This reply letter from Fr. Philotheos is of immense importance because it was sent immediately after the cessation of communion (Walling-off) by the then-Archimandrite Kyprianos from the Metropolitan of Attica and Megara, Mr. Nikodimos Gatziroulis (the text of which cessation was communicated by Fr. Kyprianos himself to his Elder, Fr. Philotheos) and his joining of the Church of the G.O.C. (under Archbishop Auxentios at that time).

The two fundamental ecclesiological conclusions of Fr. Philotheos, as derived from this letter, are the following:

a) Fr. Philotheos APPROVES of the cessation of communion (Walling-off), even in cases where the bishop is not himself a heretic but communes with a heretic.

b) Fr. Philotheos APPROVES of joining the Church of the Old Calendarists.

It is, moreover, no coincidence that two of the greatest confessional figures of our time who followed this stance, the late Metropolitan Kyprianos Koutsoumpas and the ever-memorable Elder Chrysostomos Spyrou [of Spetses], were spiritual children of the great Elder Philotheos Zervakos. May others be found to imitate them as well.

May their memory be eternal!

 

 

Greek source: https://krufo-sxoleio.blogspot.com/2014/06/blog-post_21.html