Enthronement speech of Elder Ephraim of Philotheou

Excerpt from the 1974 enthronement speech of Elder Ephraim at Philotheou in 1974

 

The Church of Christ is Catholic in the sense that it possesses the entire fullness of truth and grace for the enlightenment and redemption of the world, and furthermore, it is Catholic in the sense that, "in potentiality," it strives not to conquer but to sanctify the world. The Head of the Church is Christ, and we are members, connected through the common faith "in the bond of love."

The more each of us sanctifies ourselves, the more the body of the Church is sanctified in its human aspect, for in its divine aspect, it is as holy as the God-Man Jesus. The history of the Church is a history of the struggle for the sanctification of its faithful.

All those who truly believe love in truth; those who do not truly believe love in hypocrisy. We, as Orthodox Christians, love all and desire that they come to the knowledge of the truth. Thus, "the God of love" has taught us, and thus our conscience is at peace. We do not become hostile toward people because of their heresy or unbelief, but neither will we ever love unbelief or heresy for the sake of people, for we would then estrange ourselves from God.

Those who speak excessively about love adulterate its essence to embrace all heretics of every persuasion. Such love is as false as artificial flowers....

They say that the Orthodox should unite with the Roman Catholics and then with the Protestants and with all the known and unknown heresies that the Devil has invented in the name of Christianity. And once all Christians indiscriminately unite among themselves, then they should unite with the Mohammedans, the Jews, and subsequently with the Buddhists, Brahmanists, Shintoists, and with all the religions of the world in general.

This pan-heresy alchemy is being attempted through the so-called World Council of Churches. We believe the term does not correspond to reality. It is, in fact, a World Council of Willful Religions.

The sole god who will demand worship there will be the fallen Lucifer, who, through his emissary among humanity, the Antichrist, will attempt to replace faith and worship in the true God.

For Ecumenism, there is no personal God; the doctrine of the Triune God is entirely unacceptable to consistent ecumenists.

It is well known that Satan-driven Zionism coordinates two subversive actions, both within and outside the Church, aiming at one and only goal: the conquest of the stronghold called Orthodoxy.

Papists, Protestants, Chiliasts, Freemasons, Unionists, Ecumenists, and every other "root of bitterness," all of these "have one mind, and they give their power and authority to the Beast. These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful" (Rev. 17:13).

We believe that Orthodoxy has no place among this conglomeration of delusions and heresies. This deceitful "ecumenical" construct does not aim at the pursuit of truth but, according to Fr. Charalambos Vasilopoulos: "It is a mixture designed to obliterate the Truth. It is an effort not for the deluded to find the truth, but for those who have the truth to lose it—those, that is, who believe in the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church."

Let us not be deceived. Between Orthodoxy and heterodoxy, a great chasm has been established.

He who does not believe according to the tradition of the Church is an unbeliever.

 

Greek source:

https://orthos-apoteichismenoi.webnode.gr/l/antigrafi-apo-gerontas-efraim-katoynakiotis-o-oikoymenismos-kyriarcheitai-apo-akatharta-pneymata/