Corfu bishop’s Moscow visit sparks tensions in Church of Greece

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The decision by Metropolitan Nektarios of Corfu to travel to Moscow and bring the right-hand relic of Saint Spyridon for veneration has triggered sharp controversy within the Orthodox Church of Greece.

Nektarios concelebrated with Patriarch Kirill of Moscow, a move that church circles have labelled a “coup.” Critics have questioned how a Greek hierarch could celebrate the Divine Liturgy with a patriarch who does not commemorate Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens, the head of the Church of Greece.

The Moscow Patriarchate severed Eucharistic communion with the Church of Greece in October 2019 after Athens recognised the autocephalous Orthodox Church of Ukraine. Since then, Kirill has refused to commemorate Ieronymos.

Further criticism focused on Nektarios’ praise of Kirill. The Corfu metropolitan compared the Russian patriarch to the late Archbishop Christodoulos of Athens and declared that Kirill “truly rightly divides the word of truth.” Opponents argued that such language was inappropriate given Kirill’s public support for Russia’s war in Ukraine.

During the visit, Kirill awarded Nektarios the Order of Saint Seraphim of Sarov. In return, the bishop presented the patriarch with the highest honour of the Metropolis of Corfu, the Order of the Golden Cross with the Star of Saint Spyridon.

Nektarios reportedly received permission from the Holy Synod to travel to Moscow with the relic. Church sources, however, noted that such approvals are largely procedural and questioned whether the Synod had been fully informed of the politically sensitive nature of the trip.

The matter is expected to be raised at the next meeting of the Holy Synod. Concerns persist that the visit could be interpreted as a departure from the official stance of the Church of Greece and used by Moscow for its own purposes.

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