Elder Savvas Lavriotis: Answers to Questions and Exhortation to the Confession of Faith – Synaxis at Satu Mare, Romania

May 19, 2018

 

In the time of Saint Maximus the Confessor, there was no longer any Orthodox bishop, which means that the Holy Mysteries were no longer being performed anywhere. Who represented the Church?

Elder Savvas: This question or the occasion provided by it shows us that there are no invalid Mysteries if there has not been a defrocking by a Synod. Saint Maximus the Confessor fought for an Orthodox Synod to take place, so that the bishops might understand the heresy that existed and for the heretics to leave the Church and for Orthodoxy to shine again. And this did indeed happen. There were no ordinations or reordinations to make other bishops and other priests, and of course, many bishops who took part in the Synods were heretics at that time. However, they understood their error and returned to Orthodoxy. So then, since they fell into heresy and then came back, were they automatically defrocked and then automatically restored?

One more thing that I said from the beginning: There are here with us priests who ceased commemoration after a certain period following the Council of Crete. Did they lose their priesthood because there was this interval between the Council and the cessation of commemoration?

The decisions of the Councils are not of men, but of the Holy Spirit. By considering that there is no longer any need for an Orthodox Synod, is this not a blasphemy against the Holy Spirit? This refers to those who say that there will certainly no longer be an Orthodox Synod.

Elder Savvas: By considering that there is no longer any need for an Orthodox Synod, one certainly blasphemes the Holy Spirit. Just as the Holy Spirit was blasphemed at the Council in Crete. There, in Crete, what did they decide, essentially? They annulled the synodal system of the Church. At that time, 10 patriarchs decided, and now 1, 2, 5, 10 monks and priests come and say that those do not have grace. Just as 10 patriarchs decided there, so now 10 priests are deciding.

The only thing we must do, and nothing more, is the breaking of communion with the heretics. If all would cease commemoration, you would see that all would return to Orthodoxy. Can you imagine what it would have been like if all had ceased commemoration: all priests and laypeople? Because the bishops do not fear God, but they do fear the people—if the people had ceased their commemoration, they too would have returned to Orthodoxy.

Those who were at [the synaxis in] Roman, were they the ones who called those in the ecumenist heresy heretics, or was this decided by the Holy Fathers and the Councils?

Elder Savvas: We say nothing from ourselves. Everything we say is established by the Holy Fathers.

Regarding a draft resolution that took place at Orășeni – there are some who say they are neither with one camp nor the other, but that they are with the Holy Fathers. The question is: Can the truth be found with those who are somewhat neutral, saying that they are with the Holy Fathers, but without showing with which concrete teachings of the Holy Fathers they align?

Elder Savvas: Of course, it is not possible for someone to be neutral and to say something in such a general way, that they are with the Holy Fathers. At the synaxis in Roman, we spoke generally about bishops and priests. And we said that neither the bishops nor the priests can make use of economia in this matter anymore. We referred by name to two bishops from Greece, who are considered traditionalists, anti-ecumenists: Metropolitan Seraphim of Piraeus and Metropolitan Hierotheos of Nafpaktos. When Metropolitan Hierotheos came to Romania, in 2017, he told the Romanian people to follow the Romanian bishops because they are Orthodox. Metropolitan Hierotheos signed the document – a brochure circulated, called “To the People.” He signed this brochure of the Synod, in which the entire Synod of Greece agrees with the Council of Crete, as did Metropolitan Seraphim of Piraeus. And some claim that, since these bishops claim themselves to be anti-ecumenists, they are in fact truly Orthodox.

However, regarding these bishops and priests who say they are Orthodox in mindset, we have said that they are in fact ecumenists. Almost two years have passed since the Council of Crete. Each of us must take a stand—it is already late. The truth is that all those who commemorate heretical bishops are themselves also fallen into heresy.

Father Antim issued a statement to his disciples, in which he said that he is no longer the spiritual father of Father Ioan and of [theologian] Mihai-Silviu. Do you consider that Father Antim and his disciples should also renounce the resolution project of Mihai-Silviu Chirilă, its signatories, and the erroneous teaching of participation in heresy and of those involved in it, which they indirectly accept (they accept it in the sense that they do not renounce it)?

Elder Savvas: Because Father Antim gave that response—that Father Ioan and brother Mihai-Silviu no longer confess to him—it is implied that he does not agree with the teaching they follow. However, Father Antim does not want war, does not want problems, and that is why he proceeds more slowly, more gently. But this is what it actually means: the fact that he no longer receives them and no longer hears their confessions means that he does not agree with what they say.

We were expecting Mihai-Silviu Chirilă here today as well, to speak, just as we spoke with Father Ioan Miron. We want to speak with everyone, not only with one or the other, including His Grace Longhin. We want to speak openly to the world, so that the world may see what the truth is. We do not say anything from ourselves; we follow the Holy Fathers, and what we say, we say only from their writings. With God's help, our purpose is to continue on this path.

Father Andrei: We have been accused that at Roman we made the entire Romanian people heretical, and we ask Elder Savvas to issue a denial in this regard, because many of the laypeople have been scandalized and are making all sorts of comments.

Elder Savvas: At Roman, we spoke mainly about bishops and priests and said that ecumenist bishops and priests are leading the faithful into heresy. There are many laypeople who still do not know what has happened. We cannot accuse those who do not yet know what has happened of being heretics, but we must inform them so that they may distance themselves from heresy. And here is the economia that we apply. On the other hand, Father Efrem tells us that those who are the harshest, the strictest, accuse us of bringing heresy into Orthodoxy. However, economia must be applied properly. We cannot say that we have Orthodox bishops just because they speak in an Orthodox manner. This is the point they do not accept. But when it comes to laypeople who do not know what is happening, with them we must apply economia, inform them, let them find out what is happening. And then they must decide what they will do. That is where we apply economia, not elsewhere. I believe we are very clear in what we are saying. And one more thing: we do not force or oblige anyone to do anything; we say what the Saints do, what we must do to follow the Holy Fathers and to confess Christ. Confession is not an easy path. Most of the priests and monks here have already been persecuted. Father Eleftherios was defrocked, Father Ciprian and so many others. We have been expelled from monasteries. Nuns are being expelled from monasteries. The path of confession is not easy; it is one of crucifixion. That is why we are here.

Unfortunately, an announcement was made at Bănceni, which others also took up, for no one to come to this synaxis. Why? Are we saying something heretical? Are we not against ecumenism? Have we ever said that there are no longer Mysteries in the Church? Have we said anything heretical? Is what we are doing not an Orthodox voice? Where are we wrong, at what point are we wrong? According to those who accuse us, we are wrong because we speak—they, in fact, want to shut our mouths.

Saint Gregory Palamas says about the devil that the devil enters the Church through heresy and that the devil leaves the Church when the people are informed about heresy. This is what bishops and priests must do. Where are they? We will continue to do this—it is not possible for them to shut our mouths—we are open to dialogue with anyone who is well-intentioned and only with patristic arguments. And if we are wrong somewhere, we make a prostration, we ask for forgiveness. However, you saw today that Father Ioan had no argument, and yet he still held to his ideas. That is why we will continue to speak, with God's help—a thing which you must also do.

We must understand one thing: many say, when a Synod will take place, if a Synod will take place… Have they understood that we are living in the last days? Just as the Church began, so it will also end. It is the little flock. We are not interested in numbers. It would have been good if all Orthodox Christians were with the truth. We are not interested in having followers, nor in saying that we possess the truth. We have the truth, meaning we confess it because we demonstrate it, we speak it. And the truth is that we want to remain with Christ. We are living in the time of confession, and very soon it will be necessary to confess also with our blood. Already, electronic documents are being introduced and gradually imposed, a subject about which almost no one speaks. That is why we must prepare with prayer, we must prepare with love and with fasting and with all the virtues that Christ gives us, but primarily we must prepare through the confession of faith. Let us ask the Saints and the Mother of God to give us strength so that we can confess Christ. This is what we seek. We rely on the Holy Fathers, we confess Christ, and in this way, we can be saved. With God's help, we will not stop speaking, while others will try to stop us. These things we have wanted to say. We ask you to remember us in your prayers and we send you the prayers of the fathers from the Holy Mountain.

 

Romanian source: 

https://invataturilesfintilorparinti.wordpress.com/2018/05/24/gheron-sava-lavriotul-raspunsuri-la-intrebari-si-indemn-la-marturisirea-credintei-sinaxa-de-la-satu-mare-19-mai-2018/