The scandal of the Priest Hazidimitris, known in our community as he who blessed a Protestant marriage, was scarcely forgotten when, lo! we find ourselves before a new and greater scandal. This time the perpetrator is not simply the priest Hazidimitris, but Bishop Philaretos.

The event is of a recent date and was recorded in the American papers, so there is not a particle of doubt as to its accuracy. Bishop Philaretos assisted by his priests, administered a holy rite with the Episcopalian Bishop as if the unity of Episcopalians and the Orthodox church was an established fact!

This act committed by Bishop Philaretos and his priests is a phenomenon in the annals of the Orthodox church, and constitutes a violation of Ecclesiastical cannons, entailing severe penalties. So much for the Bishop and his priests as well.

The question of unity of the Episcopalians with the Orthodox church is a question of greatest importance, which has held the attention of both churches for more than 2one hundred years. However it is still pending, the Orthodox church not retreating before the Episcopalian demands. Just a few months ago the representatives of the first Orthodox church emphatically declared at a general conference, that the Orthodox church does not stand for compromises and retreats, and that it will persist in its doctrines. The representatives of the Orthodox church then withdrew from the gathering.

That attitude met the approval of Orthodox Christians on the whole, and the Episcopalians were compelled to retreat. For it is the Episcopalians who need to be recognized by the Orthodox church, which will endow them with validity. And now the question arises: By what right does Bishop Philaretos, as a dignitary of the Orthodox church, come into such close contact with them and administer rites, praying along with them in their churches, in spite of the stand taken by the Orthodox world as a whole against Episcopalians?

On account of this we call this act of Bishop Philaretos and his priests an Ecclesiastic scandal, the consequences of which will be grave if proper measures are 3not taken by the higher Ecclesiastic authorities in time. The proper measures must be applied by all Orthodox Christians of our community, in which a mere Bishop dares without authority and in spite of all the canons of the Orthodox church, to act as this Bishop did.

Let them behold the partisanship that this Ecclesiastic creature has brought into being. Let them, who in their ignorance allowed such a thing, also realize what the grave consequences are of recognizing a Bishop, who co-operates with heretics in ignoring higher authorities and acting according to his whim, pulling with him priests and laymen into a split with the Orthodox church.

This scandal proves beyond further objectives of the Rodostolian church, the purpose of which is to unite by a succession of Ecclesiatic scandals her Christian followers with a heretic church. All this is done regardless of the Orthodox church. On this most important question, the authorities of the Orthodox church must take a stand towards these heretic churches.

We will not let this Ecclesiastic scandal go by in silence, and we have no doubt that 4the sentiments of every Orthodox Christian will be aroused, regardless of whether he recognizes Rodostolou and Philaretos or not. It is not any longer a question of partisanship. Our Ecclesiastic question is a purely dogmatic one, and inasmuch as Bishop Philaretos committed himself to act on which is against the canons of our church, the question that presents itself is whether this Bishop deviated from the canons of the Greek Orthodox church and whether his followers may any longer be considered members of our Orthodox church, if they also have violated these canons.

S. Kotakis.