Bishoprics (i.e. ecclesiastical dioceses) & metropolitan provinces have always been considered individual local churches & administrative divisions of a group of local churches. The patriarch is the bishop of his own bishopric and metropolitan of a province as well as exarch of a civil diocese (not to be confused with an ecclesiastical diocese as the bishoprics are so often called in modern times). This much has a strong canonical basis.

However, I would appreciate it if someone would point out the canons that entitle a patriarch to literally own a piece of every metropolitan province. This request, in and of itself, is embarrassing, but when one considers that it has come from the pen of the universal primate of the world-wide Orthodox Christian Church it is even worse. Perhaps His All Holiness spent a little too much time in Rome in his younger years?

On top of this canonical non-sense, he has the audacity use manipulative language in an effort to guilt the Archbishop & the Metropolitans into pressuring their flocks into complying with his “ecclesiastical decision”. It is completely shameful!

How is this based upon the canons or, more importantly, upon love? Love does not coerce others in order to get its own way. Perhaps there is an ultimately good intention behind this whole effort. However, even if this is the case, where in the Gospels did our Lord ever teach us, by his words or his example, that the end justifies the means.

DEEP SIGH…

I realize and accept the fact that without the bishop there can be no Church, but lately I find myself wondering if many of these hierarchs even bother to read the Gospel anymore. [Please excuse the upcoming sarcasm but I am trying to make a point.] Granted, I suppose it is challenging to find the time for such a relatively boring activity as reading the Gospel when one is so busy dressing up like the Byzantine Emperor and holding out one’s hand to be kissed by the peasant-laity, but there has to be something that anchors these bishops to fundamental Christian standards in the midst of the stormy waves of life in this world.

Forget standing up, would the real bishops please make a prostration before the icon of Christ our Lord? Or is this too lowly for the dignity of a hierarch of the 21st century? Maybe the peasant-laity should sweep the floor first, and then roll out a nice soft orlets rug so that the prostration is not so uncomfortable for the hierarchs? Maybe we should close our eyes during the prostration so that that we do not see their episcopal behinds sticking up in the air when they are in mid-prostration? Of course, all this depends upon a bishop actually making a prostration in the presence of his flock.

I thinks that it would behoove us to recall the reason why the bishops are supposed to be chosen from among the monastics in the first place. I am referring to true monastics who live in obedience to an elder’s will in the setting of a monastic community rather then men who have affiliated with a monastery for 5 minutes in order to legalistically fulfill the canons for episcopal election. A real monastic has learned from bitter-sweet experience how to die to the self-will & live in obedience to Christ, thus gaining the dispassion that empowers him discern between God’s will & his own will. Considering that we have become so legalistic in our selection of candidates for the office of bishop, how can we be surprised by all the hypocrisy that we are confronted with? Legalism & hypocrisy are opposite sides of the same ugly coin.

Thank God for humble archpastors, like His Holiness, Patriarch Pavle of blessed memory, who inspire the faithful to freely & enthusiastically obey! May God grant us, His rational sheep, many more faithful shepherds of this ilk!

O Lord, Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on us sinners!