The Consequences of Not Ceasing Commemoration of the Ecumenists and the “Economies” of the Anti-Ecumenists

Panagiotis Simatis, theologian | April 22, 2018

 

“The divine Fathers, who arranged all things well,” always applied the Cessation of Commemoration of heretical Shepherds as a pastoral measure of salvific significance. A measure which is the only effective one for the confrontation of heresy and its consequences. This was done simultaneously with the appearance of heresy or even after its denunciation and the attempt to refute it, at the time—namely—when the heretics were still members of the Church and were performing valid mysteries, and NOT after their removal/deposition from the Church, just as occurred in the case of the heretics, for example, Nestorius and Kalekas, whose mysteries the saints Celestine, Cyril, and Gregory Palamas considered valid, although they regarded them as “false shepherds” / “hirelings.” And this is because, after their condemnation, they were considered outside the Church and as having no mysteries.

The period of tolerance (from the moment of the denunciation of the heresy) was always brief and aimed at informing the faithful and correcting those inclined toward heresy (as well as those following them) and, of course, at averting the destructive consequences that the corrupting ideas of heresy have upon their souls. For heresy alters the “faith once delivered” and severs man from the truth and from God.

Illuminating and expressive of the patristic teaching are the things written by Fr. Euthymios Trikaminas, following the teaching of the Holy Fathers.

“In order that each believer may not participate in the heresy of Ecumenism, there exists one and only way, handed down by Holy Scripture, the sacred Canons, and the holy Fathers: walling off. The anti-Ecumenists, however, have unfortunately invented today another way, which teaches that one may avoid participating in heresy while being ecclesiastically integrated with the heretics, provided that he has an Orthodox mindset. This is, in other words, the theory of convenience and of paper warfare, which we have pointed out many times.”

This observation of Fr. Euthymios shows the anti-patristic stance of the anti-Ecumenists, who teach the combating of heresy while at the same time being in communion with heresy.

The Saints, however, teach otherwise, such as Saint Theodore the Studite. In a letter to the Patriarch of Jerusalem and Alexandria, he states that even he who is Orthodox is lost, insofar as he is in communion with heretics. He writes: “Some have utterly made shipwreck concerning the faith, while others, even if they have not been drowned in thought, nevertheless are destroyed through communion with heresy” (Fat. 276, 411,68). And: “Some have utterly made shipwreck concerning the faith, while others, even if their thoughts have not been submerged, by heretical communion are in peril of bodily death halfway...” (Fat. 275, 407,42).

“The anti-Ecumenists, of course, do not believe in the teaching of the Saints, and for this reason they have created the New Age theory that one is not harmed by ecclesiastical communion with heretics, so long as he has an Orthodox mindset and does not accept their heresies.

“For the anti-Ecumenists, as is proven, this concept of communion has been distorted and means a kind of partnership and collaboration in which each one, while being in full communion with the heretics… while mingling as an equal member with the heretics of the W.C.C., while signing (as a Bishop) divorces for any reason and licenses for second and third adulterous marriages according to the directives of the state, while teaching that he is not defiled by this integration,” nevertheless can “at the same time hold to his faith, reproach and rebuke those with whom he has this full communion on matters of faith, and consider that he fully possesses the truth, not only on a personal level but also on an ecclesiastical level, despite the full communion with heretics and despite the fact that not only are the heads who stand in the place and type of Christ heretical, but also the line and path which they synodally follow is utterly heretical and conformed to the mandates of the pan-religion and the New Age.”

(here: https://paterikiparadosi.blogspot.com/2015_05_11_archive.html?m=0)

The result of this stance of the anti-Ecumenists is the increase of confusion among the flock and the imposition of the heretics. Consequently, we are called to choose whom we will listen to: the proponents of possibilism—that is, Seraphim of Piraeus, the newly emerging anti-Ecumenist Ambrosios of Kalavryta, Fr. Theodoros Zisis, Fr. Nikolaos Manolis (and any other Shepherd)—or Saint Theodore and the Holy Fathers in agreement with him?

Surely, the responsibility for the choice lies with each believer.

The Cessation of Commemoration or walling off, then, is not a stance of a potential or optional character toward the heretics, but for anyone who has taken his faith and salvation seriously, it is an obligation, a duty, a salvific stance. As for one who is not concerned with his salvation, he may choose not to distance himself from the heretics; he may remain “for a time” in communion with them—or even permanently; just as, of course, someone else may also choose not to follow Christ, not to keep His Commandments!

For the “divine Fathers who arranged all things well,” separation from the heretics resembles the fleeing of “sheep” from “wolves,” of a man from a serpent, of healthy persons from an infectious disease and contagious pandemic; an exit and departure from a house that is burning; walling off takes place so that one may not be burned together with those who willingly (=optionally!) remain within the fire of the Pan-heresy!

For indeed, this is the truth: the believer is devoured and burned by the wolf and the fire of heresy, as the Saints teach us, when he remains in communion with the heretics. He is affected both imperceptibly and perceptibly, and becomes defiled, and thus is lost. The Apostle Paul has warned us that this happens even in matters of lesser importance, such as conversations and associations: “Be not deceived; evil communications corrupt good morals” (1 Cor. 15:33). Therefore, the believer must withdraw from the heretics and from those who commune with them, “as from a serpent,” just as when one encounters a snake before him, or as when someone finds himself in a place where there is a contagious disease—if he desires to be saved and not be infected.

This is the one aspect of the matter.

At the same time, every believer who considers the Church to be the Body of Christ and the other brethren as members of that Body, when he sees that the members of the Body have been infected or are in danger of being infected by the contagious diseases contained in the pan-heresy of Ecumenism, out of love and duty toward Christ, the Church (his home), his brethren, and himself, out of love and concern for the truth and the true Faith, struggles self-sacrificially against every assault upon the Faith and the Church and withdraws from the heretics, sounding the alarm also on their behalf, even if he remains alone with respect to men. It is not possible for someone to care for the Fathers and his brethren, to care for the integrity and preservation of the One Church of Jesus, and for that concern of his to be (as some foolishly characterize it, even praisingly) optional!

Either one cares or one does not care—little or much. Either one loves or one does not love—little or much. Either one believes or one does not believe—little or much. There is no such thing as optional concern, optional faith, and optional love! Even if your faith is weak, your love small, as a believer you fall at the feet of Jesus and, like the father of the demon-possessed boy, you cry out: “I believe, Lord; help Thou mine unbelief.” I am not worthy, O Lord, like Thy Saints, who struggled for the preservation of the Faith undefiled, who strove with tireless concern for their brethren, who struggled with steadfastness, unwavering and fearless, for my passions deprive me of that ability. But nevertheless, I follow Thy Saints, Thy Most Pure Mother, so that the whirlwind of the pan-heresy of Ecumenism may not sweep me away as well, so that it may not destroy my brethren, my children, those around me.

It is absolutely clear that the first who desire and support the optional application of separation from heresy are the heretics themselves. It is absolutely clear that the Ecumenist Shepherds and those who commemorate them and are in communion with them fear one thing: the cessation of commemoration. That is why they resort to threats, that is why there are persecutions, and why the teaching of the Saints is misinterpreted and distorted—something they do with infuriating ease, as though performing the holiest of acts—bringing to mind the Lord’s words: “Whosoever killeth you will think that he offereth service unto God” (John 16:2).

From these things it is shown that the heretics, or those who are in communion with the heretics, are (both metaphorically and literally) “hireling” shepherds (John 10:12) and “evil” shepherds; and this is precisely why what they fear and tremble at is the loss of their power, their communion—recognition—mutual support from fellow clergymen, the prestige granted to them by their office and not their communion with God, whom they abandon and offend, since they do not strive to drive away the heretics who are ravaging His Church! What concerns them is social prominence, income, and the service of their own interests. For some, even secret carnal, pleasurable indulgences (by the threat of exposure—as recently happened in the Patriarchate of Jerusalem—the Ecumenists keep them under control), and other unconfessed things.

Because of all this, even the cessation of the commemoration of their name drives them mad; they cannot even conceive of an open challenge to their authority. The thought of being left alone for the love and faith of the Lord Jesus, as all the Saints did, drives them insane. And thus they proceed to compromises, concessions, and the betrayal of our Faith.

That things stand thus is absolutely evident from one single fact: the Ecumenists have proceeded—and proceed daily and now without any pretense—not to one, but to hundreds of betrayals of the Faith; they add one betrayal upon another; they have gone so far as to legitimize their betrayals with the Council of Kolymbari (which they were not ashamed to call “Holy”!). And the Shepherds (Bishops, priests, deacons, monks) commune with all these as if NOTHING has happened. And not only that—they even honor them!!!

The false assurances of the Ecumenists that “everything is going well,” or that “we are not betraying the faith,” or that all these things “we do out of love for the heterodox,” though they are refuted daily by new betrayals, by the silent (or even open) acceptance of new heresies (verbal or practical), do not in the least trouble these shepherds—and this is precisely what places them among the false shepherds. They continue to keep their eyes closed to the distortion of the Faith, to its selling out!

They remain coldly indifferent to the fact that heresy, with the half-hearted manner of confronting it, with indifference and ostrich-like behavior, does not retreat, does not diminish, does not disappear, but on the contrary grows, strengthens, expands, prevails.

They do not even consider turning their eyes to the lives of the Saints—despite praising them every day in festive concelebrations—and to imitate them. To imitate their confession, their manner of confronting heresy. And yet, a good general, when he sees that the strategy he applies in battling the enemy is not yielding results, changes it. But these remain unrepentant and unteachable, clinging to their same ruinous tactic. Because they do not desire to walk with the victorious Christ, who alone, seated upon a white horse, “went forth conquering and to conquer” (Rev. 6:2), but instead they care for and find security in walking with the many.

There are, of course, also those who exhort their spiritual children to look to the Bridegroom Christ, but they urge them to pray while closing their eyes and not allowing them to understand that the Lord and the Saints, along with prayer—and because of their fervent and sound prayer—were illumined, were strengthened, and advanced beside the victorious Christ; they fought in the arenas for His love, they did not leave Him alone, they did not allow His bride, the Church, to be wounded by the heretical frenzy. They were first in refuting heresy, but primarily first in distancing themselves from the heretics, since mere identification and a paper war against heresy does not particularly disturb the heretics, who are always supported by powerful centers of authority. This paper war is ignored by the heretics; they bypass it. In former times, they did so because they persisted in their satanic pride, claiming that they alone had rightly understood the Faith, that they alone possessed the truth. But today, they do so because they have consciously sold their souls to the New World Order–Luciferian powers that are preparing the coming of the Antichrist!

Thus, both shepherds and flock have been infected (and to some degree this happens to all of us, since we live within the suffocating, infectious atmosphere of the Pan-heresy of Ecumenism) by the ecumenist virus. And the longer the believer remains in communion with the Ecumenists, instead of things improving (as the anti-Ecumenists foolishly claim), the worse they will become, the more our immune system will weaken, be afflicted, be numbed—until we reach a point in time when our reaction will be nonexistent.

Is this, then, what those supposedly concerned and “fighting” against the Pan-heresy want—those who themselves remain (and advise the faithful likewise to remain) in communion with the Ecumenists?

Whether they want it or not, these are the consequences, the effects of communion with heretics—in all ages; this is where the Pan-heresy leads, to a far greater degree even than the heresies of other times, since today we are bombarded daily by the heretics with thousands of images, videos, speeches, dialogues, conferences, and so many other means of communication—means which in earlier times were non-existent and unimaginable, and the influence of heresy was lesser.

While there is still time, let us all put into practice—with concord, unity, humility, and, indeed, a SACRIFICIAL spirit—the specific Commandments of God concerning separation from the heretics. The EXAMPLE of the Saints is easily and quickly grasped and can be compared with the COUNTER-EXAMPLE that the contemporary false shepherds recommend to us.

For this, of course, what is needed is BOLDNESS—like that shown by the holy MYRRH-BEARERS of today, who did not follow an optional teaching about offering support to the dead Christ. But disregarding every difficulty and danger, they spread the timeless myrrh of their love, their myrrh-bearing example to the whole world.

This myrrh-bearing support to the Church of the dead and Risen Christ—to the Church which today, instead of receiving myrrh, receives the stench of the heretical Pan-heresy—is what the Lord also asks of us:

“Come out,” then, brethren, “from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord,” and “touch not the unclean” Ecumenistic thing, “and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be to Me sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty” (2 Corinthians 6:18–7:1).

 

Greek source: https://paterikiparadosi.blogspot.com/2018/04/blog-post_732.html