Greek hierarch about the head of Phanar in the USA: He's deceived me
If I had known these were the children of the gay couple, I would not have given permission for baptism, noted Metropolitan Antonios.
Metropolitan Antonios (Avramiotis) of Glyfada in an interview with ekirikas.com said that he did not know about the intentions of Archbishop Elpidophoros to baptize the children of a same-sex couple, the Phanar hierarch misled him.
Metropolitan Antonios confirmed that Archbishop Elpidophoros requested written permission to perform the sacrament of Baptism, but without mentioning that these are children of a same-sex couple.
"I believe that the baptism of such children has never been before in Greece, it's happened for the first time. I do not think that Archbishop Elpidophoros should have performed this baptism, he did not tell me about it. If I had known, I would not have given him such permission, I would have to report in writing to the Holy Synod," Metropolitan Antonios said.
The Hellenic hierarch added that "the bishop should not have performed such a baptism in order not to lead disbelievers to speculation that everything is permitted in the Church."
Also, Metropolitan Antonios said that after this incident he did not get in touch with Archbishop Elpidophoros, and the believers in Greece were alarmed by this event.
"They were very worried. Thank God, we have very pious people who are close to the tradition of our church and hence were upset. I do not hide from you that I was very upset too, because he ought to have told me that this was a special baptism," the hierarch noted.
As previously reported by the UOJ, the GOC hierarch stated that he did not give permission for the baptism of the children of the LGBT couple.
