Paisios Escapes Punishment
BOSTON – Metropolitan Paisios of Tyana and Bishop Vikentios of Apameia are officially out as Abbot and Deputy Abbot of the St. Irene Chrysovalantou Sacred and Patriarchal Monastery in Astoria, New York. Bishop Ilia of Philomelion was named Acting Abbot while a group of three monks led by Fr. Prodromos of the Dionysiou Monastery of Mount Athos, Greece have been sent to man the monastery and help Bishop Ilia to carry out his duties. Bishop Ilia of Philomelion also presides over the Albanian Orthodox Diocese of America. The decision was made at a meeting of the Holy and Great Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate on Dec. 2 following a report submitted by a patriarchal Exarchy (delegation) which had come to the United States last month, to investigate the issues of the monastery and its former leadership.
Metropolitan Paisios had resigned from his post in two letters on Oct. 1 and Oct. 5, for “reasons of health” following public criticism made against him by Bishop Vikentios in an interview with The National Herald, concerning the split at the Holy Ascension Dependency in Florida. TNH has learned that the Holy Synod presided by Ecumenical patriarch Bartholomew started its meeting on Dec. 2 at 9:30 a.m. and concluded a little before 7 p.m. There were certain members of the Holy Synod who were asking for severe sanctions and even defrockment for Metropolitan Paisios, but finally the Synod decided to apply “ecclesiastical leniency” and simply accept his resignation and remove him permanently from the Monastery.
The National Herald has learned that although the Patriarchal Exarchy did not find during its investigation improprieties against Vikentios, the Synod requested his resignation on the basis that while he knew about Metropolitan Paisios’ alleged doings he did not inform the Ecumenical Patriarchate. The Synod did not accept Vikentios’ explanation that for the last12 years he did not dwell in the Monastery. He stayed at the Archdiocesan Cultural Center in Astoria while he was its Director for almost nine years and the last two or three years he stayed at the St. Nectarios Dependancy in Brooklyn pastoring the St. Nectarios and St. Nicholas Dependencies.
The Synod insisted that Vikentios should have been dwelling in the Monastery as a member of the Monastic Community and also as its Deputy Abbot. Both Metropolitan Paisios and Bishop Vikentios have been instructed by the Holy Synod to remain outside of the United States. Sources told TNH that if either of them defies the decision or attempts to involve themselves in the affairs of the Monastery or the Church in general and create problems, they will be subject to punishments under Canon Law. Bishop Vikentios arrived in New York on Dec. to gather his personal belongings and leave from the U.S. permanently according to the decision of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
During a phone call placed by The National Herald to Metropolitan Paisios at his home in Athens, he hung up the phone as soon as the newspaper identified itself and then refused to answer further calls. Bishop Vikentios told TNH: “No comment from me, thank you.”
The Ecumenical patriarchate issued the following official announcement:
“In its deliberations, the Holy and Sacred Synod revisited the issue of the Patriarchal and Stavropegic Monastery of St. Irene Chrysovalantou in Astoria, New York. After examining the report of the commissioned Patriarchal Exarchy, the Holy and Sacred Synod unanimously decided:
• To accept the submitted resignations of the Abbot, His Excellency Metropolitan Paisios of Tyana, and of the Deputy Abbot, His Grace Bishop Vikentios of Apameia, both of whom are henceforth to remain away from America
• To assign as Acting Abbot of the Monastery His Grace Bishop Ilia of Philomelion who serves in America
• To send a small brotherhood of monks in order to assist the work of the Acting Abbot
Late in the afternoon on Dec. 2, during the Synodal meeting, the Chief Secretary of the Patriarchate Archimandrite Elpidophoros Lampryniadis called Bishop Vikentios in Athens and told him that, “The Patriarch and the Synod are requesting your resignation from the position of deputy abbot of the Monastery” and Bishop Vikentios sent his resignation immediately.
ACTING LEADER
Bishop Ilia Katre, who is of Albanian origin, was born in Sault Ste Marie, Michigan. He mastered both the Greek and Albanian languages while still in high school. Bishop Ilia graduated from Hellenic College and Seminary at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Theological School in Brookline, Massachusetts, with a Bachelor in Theology Degree in 1961. He was ordained to the priesthood in Boston in 1962 where he served at Holy Trinity Albanian Orthodox Church until August 31, 1983. He pursued advanced degrees including a Masters of Divinity before being assigned as Dean of Student Affairs at Hellenic College and Holy Cross School of Theology. He remained there until 1988. He also held the position as Vicar General of the Albanian Orthodox Church of America until May 2002.
The Holy and Sacred Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate elected Bishop Ilia Katre as Titular Bishop of Philomelion to lead the Albanian Orthodox Diocese of American in 2002, following the passing of his wife, Helen. They were married for 39 years before her death in 2001. Bishop Ilia has two children, Sotir Mark and Eugenia, and three grandchildren.