Spyridon#14284 - 05/10/05 10:06 AM

Filipe YTOL
Member

Registered: 05/26/04
Posts: 213
Loc: Portugal

Surfing the net, I discovered that a former Greek Orthodox Bishop from America is apparently living near Lisbon, in Almada.
I found an interview with him which seemed to indicate that there had been some sort of controversy, but I don't know any details.
I don't mean to start an offensive thread, just wondering who this man might be, what sort of a person he is and whether it would be worth contacting him in any way.
He is referred to as Spyridon.
Filipe

re: Spyridon#14285 - 05/10/05 10:53 AM

Gaudior
Member

Registered: 01/25/04
Posts: 1320
Loc: Church Militant

He is a wonderful, very traditional man. DEFINITELY contact him if you are able.

Gaudior, who knows all about the "controversy" and will mention it no more, except to say that there is nothing to Archbishop Spyridon's discredit, only to the shame of others.

re: Spyridon#14286 - 05/10/05 11:11 AM

Alice
Moderator
Member

Registered: 01/12/03
Posts: 9083
Loc: New York

Dear Philipe,

My husband and I were priveledged to know him and I can certainly attest to his outstanding intelligence, knowledge, spirituality, good humour, and leadership qualities.

As Gaudior said, the 'scandal' was to his merit and was quite analogous to the 'scandals' of Saint Nektarios. The man suffered very much because he did not fit into the hopeful 'agenda' of powerful and misguided people, and having come on the heels of a somewhat forced retirement of the long service of Archbishop Iakovos, he also became a source of jealousy and displaced anger towards the EP, for many of Iakovos' (may his memory be eternal) loyal friends and followers.

He is trying to live a quiet life of peace and solitude in retirement in a country he finds quite peaceful and far away from Orthodox political centers.He loves the people and landscape of Portugal, and he has said that it reminds him of the Greece (although American born, his family moved back there when he was an adolescent) of his youth.

In Christ,
Alice

re: Spyridon#14287 - 05/11/05 03:55 PM

Zenovia
Member

Registered: 10/02/04
Posts: 2483
Loc: White Plains, N.Y.

Dear Filipe,

Arch. Spyridon had outstanding qualities. Actually he had every quality that the faithful in the GOA needed. If he was persecuted, (and believe me he went through 'hell' each and every day), it was for that very reason. His integrity threatened many.

I knew Arch. Spyridon, but even more important I knew those that disliked him and I can say with surety that their ethical and spiritual limitations left a lot to be desired.

Zenovia

re: Spyridon#14288 - 05/12/05 01:23 PM

Filipe YTOL
Member

Registered: 05/26/04
Posts: 213
Loc: Portugal

I know this sounds bizarre, since I am so close to where he lives, but do any of you know how I could contact him? Ive searched the net and can't find anything.
Looking back, I remember seeing an interview on tv with an american born Greek Orth. Priest, living in Portugal. He was being asked about his preferences in the Portugal - Greece game for Euro 2004... It must have been him, because the only other greek orth. cleric I know of is a POrtuguese convert...
Anyway, if anyone has hints on how I could get in touch let me know.
Thank you all very much!
Filipe

re: Spyridon#14289 - 05/12/05 06:04 PM

Thymiato
Member

Registered: 11/17/01
Posts: 280
Loc: California

www.spyridon.net

I admire the former Archbishop very much, but there are two sides to every dissagreement. Some of his actions were not appropriate to his office by any estimation.

Michael

re: Spyridon#14290 - 05/12/05 06:50 PM

Alice
Moderator
Member

Registered: 01/12/03
Posts: 9083
Loc: New York

Dear Michael/Sarum,

Could you please contact me privatly to let me know what those perceived 'actions' were. I was very close to the whole situation, and I can tell you what is true and what is untrue. I don't think that the forum is the place to rehash what may possibly be the fabrications and slander that hurt this poor man. He has been through enough public humiliation. Thank you.

In the Risen Christ,
Alice

re: Spyridon#14291 - 05/12/05 06:58 PM

Zenovia
Member

Registered: 10/02/04
Posts: 2483
Loc: White Plains, N.Y.

Dear Michael,

Living in the heat of the situation and knowing the unethical characters (including priests) within the apostosized and over liberal parish that started those barbaric and sinful actions against Arch. Spyridon, I can only say there was nothing innapropriate in any of his actions. Everything that was stated by those 'fallen' (and I mean it seriously) individuals was 'calumny'. Then to rationalize their actions they renamed Arch. Spyridon's honesty, lack of greed and total integrity and called it 'inflexibility'. To put it bluntly, it threatened the GOA New York and Westchester secular powers that be, as well as the most ambitious clerics.

Unfortunately, many outside the loop knew nothing other than what was being spewed out by those few individuals and I have to assume you are one of those.

I can go into details, but would rather not because they are truly scandalous.

Zenovia