Metropolitan Paisios Bids Parishioners a Teary Farewell, Amidst Fingerpointing

NEW YORK – Metropolitan Paisios of Tyana celebrated his farewell divine liturgy as abbot of the St. Irene Chrysovalantou Patriarchal and Stavropegial Monastery in Astoria, NY on Sunday Oct. 24, 2010. Holding back tears during his sermon, Metropolitan Paisios said that “everything has a beginning and an end, and so my service which began 40 years ago has come to an end today.”

Elsewhere, the Metropolitan admonished the faithful, calling on them to respect his successor. “Whoever that the Ecumenical Patriarchate shall send, respect him; even if they send him who betrayed me and crucified me, because he is going to be your knew spiritual father,” he said, making reference to his deputy abbot Bishop Vikentios of Apameia. “I want to thank all those who upset me, crucified me, and all those who made a crown of thorns for me to wear,” he said. Metropolitan Paisios had a public falling out with his longtime associate Bishop Vikentios in September, after the latter criticized his decisions in an interview with The National Herald’s Greek language sister edition. Rumors that the two had strained relations for a long time existed among ecclesiastical circles.

“I want to thank each and every one of you,” Metropolitan Paisios told the faithful, noting that “I am leaving in a spirit of love, and I will remember you with love. My heart and mind will always be with you, and I ask you to pray for me. Do not leave our work behind. I feel like my heart is crumbling to pieces,” he said, while also calling on the parishioners to “keep our schools open.”

Metropolitan Paisios also expressed his appreciation to the Ecumenical Patriarchate and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew personally, pointing out that “he embraced us.” The Ecumenical Patriarchate welcomed the St. Irene Monastery and its dependencies in the late 1990’s, after the former traditionalist church spent a period of years in isolation, following a break with a Greek old-calendarist sect. “I will remain faithful to the Ecumenical Patriarchate and I must follow its instructions with devotion and respect. I will help any way that I can.”

He also thanked the Greek American Community, which gave him “a heartfelt welcome since 1971,” and thanked God for all His help. “I opened a path, sew a seed, and by the Grace of the Holy Spirit collected many of fruits,” he said.

Metropolitan Paisios continued by saying that “they told me they wanted to hold a gathering outside with picket signs, but these things are not fitting for men of the cloth. That’s for politicians, and I am not a politician.” He also stated that “this work (the St. Irene’s Monastery) is part of my bloodstream,” as the parishioners cried out “axios, axios” (worthy) and applauded him. At some point, an hymn was sung on behalf of his health and long life.

Metropolitan Paisios mentioned that his office received many letters and e-mails from parishioners detailing their support for him. Letters from clergymen praising his work were read aloud, including one from Metropolitan Evgenios of Ieraptyni and Siteia in Crete, where it was written that “this entire issue must be resolved in the best possible way.”

“I am going to take all these letters with me as a keepsake,” Metropolitan Paisios said. After repeatedly thanking the parishioners, he told them that “if I end up at a monastery in Greece, come and see me when you visit,” while the people cried out “no,” and pleaded with him to stay with them.

Irene Drivas, a student as St. Irene, read a touching letter and called on him to “reconsider his decision.”

The outpouring of love on behalf of the faithful was evident. Parishioners filled the church of St. Irene’s, with the many others who didn’t fit assembled in the narthex and community hall.

Metropolitan Paisios celebrated the liturgy of St. Iakovos, which included the traditional exchange of a kiss between the parishioners and him. The Metropolitan explained that this liturgy was the oldest in the Christian tradition, and dates back to apostolic times. He subsequently greeted each parishioner with a kiss, one by one. Many people were seen crying from the pews as this was going on.

Archimandrite Eleftherios Stavrakaridis, who delivered the homily for the Sunday Gospel, noted that the people in the day’s Gospel reading “chased Christ away through their ungratefulness. Perhaps Metropolitan Paisios is being chased away because of ungratefulness also,” he said.

In the two resignations that Metropolitan Paisios sent to the Ecumenical Patriarchate dated Oct. 1 and Oct 5, 2010, he cites health reasons and his offense to an interview given by his associated Bishop Vikentios to TNH on Sep. 9, 2010 regarding a schism at the monastery’s dependency in Florida led by Rev. Theofanis Lemonakis, whom he blamed Metropolitan Paisios for assigning there.

Patriarch Bartholomew has referred the matter to the Holy Synod, which meets on Nov. 2. Both Metropolitan Paisios and Bishop Vikentios are expected to travel to the Ecumenical Patriarchate’s headquarters at the Phanar at the end of this week to meet with the Patriarch.

Two tables were also set up by the church entrance, where two women were collecting signatures from the parishioners on behalf of Metropolitan Paisios.