Four Crete priests cease commemoration of bishops

Four clerics of the semi-autonomous Cretan Orthodox Church (under the jurisdiction of the Patriarchate of Constantinople) Protopresbyter Gabriel Mazanakis, Fr. Emmanuel Sarris, Fr. Spiridon Damanakis and Fr. Pavel Mazanakis, informed their metropolitans that they have ceased their liturgical obedience, beginning with the Week of the Triumph of Orthodoxy, reports Sedmitsa with reference to Orthodoxia.info.

They write that they believe their decision is “consistent with the Apostolic and Patristic Tradition on the issue of communion of heretics.” In their letter they state that their non-commemoration would begin, as did Fr. Theodore’s, on the Sunday of Orthodoxy, when the Rite of Orthodoxy is read out, in which all heretics who have attacked the Church are anathematized.

Earlier, the Holy Synod of the Cretan Orthodox Church, which met on March 16, 2017 for a meeting in Heraklion, published the following statement on its results:

"The Holy Synod, inter alia, examined the issue of a disruption in commemoration of ruling bishops by certain clerics of the Church of Crete during the Mass, the Holy Mysteries and liturgical celebrations. The Reverend Hierarchs our churches, with pastoral love and affectionate interest, invites clergy to automatically stop the above erroneous behavior. The Holy Synod hopes for the positive results of this meeting and postpones the application of the regulations foreseen by the holy canons of the Church and the current legislation."