“Many shepherds have destroyed My vineyard, they have defiled My portion…” (Jeremiah 12:10)

Elder Philotheos Zervakos

The majority of today’s bishops are entirely indifferent to the divine will. They do not care about the sheep, with few exceptions. Woe! The successors of the Apostles, the representatives of Christ—what have they come to!…

Let us lament, brethren, let us weep from the heart for the wretched state of the nation and of the Church. Because of the many sins of men, God gives such rulers. If we fervently beseech Him, with tears and a contrite heart, perhaps He will have compassion on us and on His people, and send true shepherds into His vineyard…

I counsel and exhort you to hold firmly and securely to the traditions, both written and unwritten, which were handed down by the Holy Fathers—those who had the Holy Spirit and who struggled, and kept vigil, and fasted, and humbled themselves, and loved God and their neighbor, becoming a sacrifice and whole-burnt offering to God through their pure life in the world, and vessels worthy of the grace of the Holy Spirit…

We are obliged to follow the traditions of those men and not of today's hierarchs, no matter how much they claim to be acting as the Church—those who have deviated and are following the broad and spacious path…

Support the traditions of the divine Fathers and remain steadfast in them, but without quarreling with those who hold opposing views or engaging in fights…

Let us beseech God to scatter those who cause scandals, to confound the counsels of the lawless, to enlighten us and the hierarchs, to unite what is divided into one, and to bring peace and calm to the Church and the people.

 

Greek source: https://katanixi.gr/poimenes-polloi-dieftheiran-ton-ampel/