DECISIONS OF THE HOLY AND SACRED SYNOD OF THE PATRIARCHATE OF JERUSALEM

On Tuesday, April 3/16, 2019 the Holy and Sacred Synod of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem held a meeting, chaired by H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos.

The Holy and Sacred Synod discussed various topics related to the Patriarchate, among which the following;

1.The question of restoring the reputation of the unjustly denigrated Metropolitan of Kapitolias Isychios, on the basis of an opinion, to the Deputy Legal Adviser, Mr. Lambros Kitsaras, to His Beatitude and the Synod of the Insolvency Prosecutors. The opinion is as follows:

His Holy Beatitude

Theophilos III

Patriarch of Jerusalem

Subject: Completion of a court case of His Eminence Metropolitan Isychios of Kapitolias and the Patriarchate of Jerusalem

Athens, 09-04-2019

Your Beatitude,

1. Following my previous letter dated 29.7.2018, I have the honour to send you this latest letter to inform you in writing of the successful completion of the legal proceedings, after the compromise of the legal parties, against the newspapers who have carried out the defamatory and unlawful acts data.

2. In particular, as you know, in the spring of 2018 during the months of March-April, Greek newspapers of scandalous press published photographic snapshots of illegally obtained and acquired audiovisual material of doubtful authenticity, which exposed both the Most Reverend Metropolitan Isychios and the Patriarchate .Today, all of these newspapers and journalists have recalled and apologized, following the lawsuits we have brought them.

In particular:

On the occasion of publications in the newspapers “ESPRESSO” of 19.3.2018, 20.3.2018,21.3.2018 and 22.3.2018, we filed the legal proceedings of 15/6/2018 and 2/11/2018 of the Patriarchate and the Most Reverend Metropolitan of Kapitolias Isychios, before the Athens Multi-Member Court of First Instance against the owner of the newspaper, its editor-in-chief and the editors of the disputed publications. The above actions were determined to be discussed in that Court initially on 6/12/2018 and finally due to a postponement on 24/1/2019. After agreeing with the opposing party, which declared its repentance for the above press, we have compromised, obliging them to publish a restorative publication in their newspaper. Indeed, on the cover and cover of the newspaper of January 1, 2019, the following text was included with the Patriarchate’s photographs:

“Our newspaper published in 19, 20, 21 and 22/3/2018, its publications, referring to allegations of a third person and material of dubious origin, concerning the reputation of the Metropolitan of Kapitolias Isychios and the Patriarchate of Jerusalem.

After the exercise against us by the Patriarchate of Jerusalem and His Eminence Metropolitan Isychios of Kapitolias, of 15/6/2018 with a general testifying number 60723/2018 and a special testifying number 2258/2018 and 2/11/2018 with a general testifying number of 102767 / 2018 and a special filing number 3952/2018 of their lawsuits, having exchanged mutual explanations, clarifications and after the investigation of the case by the Patriarchate of Jerusalem, which brought to our attention the proceedings of the E.D.E. that were conducted concerning the Metropolitan of Kapitolias, of 17/9/2018, the content and outcome of which we are not questioning, we declare that our publications were not meant to interfere with the Metropolitan Bishop of the Capitol, nor the famous for its mission Patriarchate of Jerusalem, we recall and we apologize to them for the inconvenience that may have been caused.

Finally, with regard specifically to the Patriarchate of Jerusalem, we believed and still believe that it is faithful to the Christian principles, that it is a lighthouse of Hellenism and Orthodoxy in harsh times, far away from mother Greece, where there are continuous fights for the prevalence of peace and the reconciliation of the peoples, and would only keep within it the Fathers who respect their Holiness and the Principles of the Orthodox Church. ”

1. Following the publication of the above publication on the 4th page of the newspaper, as well as the title “SPECIALIZATIONS REGARDING PUBLICATIONS RELATING TO THE PATRIARCHATE OF JERUSALEM”, we have waived the documents of our lawsuits and the difference is considered terminated with the necessary explanations and apologies of the above newspapers to have been given.

2. Furthermore, on the basis of other publications in the newspaper “Star”, March 31, 2018 and 23.04.2018, our lawsuits were filed on 15/6/2018 and from 06/11/2018 before the Athens Multi-Member Court of First Instance against the owner the newspaper, its chief editors and the authors of the disputed publications. The actions were determined to be discussed in that court, first on 22/11/2018 and finally, after a postponement on 04.04.2019. However, upon appealing to the opposite party, which declared its repentance for the above press, we have compromised by obliging them to publish a restorative publication in their newspaper. Indeed, on the cover and cover of the newspaper of 24.3.2019, the following text was included with the pictures of the Patriarchate: “Our newspaper reported on 31/03 and 23/4/2018, reports on allegations of a third person and material of dubious origin, concerning the reputation of His Eminence Metropolitan Isychios of Kapitolias and the Patriarchate of Jerusalem.
In our publications, we have, without any intent to harm, displayed snapshots of material that we did not have and could not control and which threatened the reputation and integrity of the Most Reverend Metropolitan Isychios and the Greek Patriarchate without having any concrete evidence. After the exercise against us by the Patriarchate of Jerusalem and His Eminence Metropolitan Isychios of Kapitolias of the 15/6/2018 and 6/11/2018 lawsuits, after exchanged mutual explanations and clarifications between us after the investigation of the case by the Patriarchate of Jerusalem, which brought to our knowledge the 17/9/2018 Minutes of the E.D.E. that it conducted concerning the Metropolitan of Kapitolias, the content and conclusion of which we are not questioning and which affirms the inaccuracy of the above-mentioned publications, we state that our publications did not aim to intermarry the Most Reverend Metropolitan of Kapitolias, nor the famous for its mission Patriarchate of Jerusalem, we recall them and offer them a sincere apology for the inconvenience that may have been caused.Specifically, with regard to the Patriarchate of Jerusalem, we believed and still believe that it is faithful to the Christian principles, that it is a lighthouse of Hellenism and Orthodoxy in harsh times, far away from mother Greece, where there are continuous fights for the prevalence of peace of the reconciliation of the peoples, and would only keep within it the Fathers who respect their Holiness and the Principles of the Orthodox Church. ”

Following the publication of the above publication on the 4th page of the newspaper, as well as the title “REVOCATION OF PUBLICATIONS CONCERNING THE PATRIARCHATE OF JERUSALEM AND THE MOST REVEREND METROPOLITAN ISYCHIOS”, we have resigned from the writings of our lawsuits and the dispute is considered terminated, with the necessary explanations and the apology of the above newspaper to have been given.

3.Finally, on the occasion of other publications in the “Star” newspaper of 31.03.2018 and 23.04.2018, our lawsuits were filed on 15/6/2018 and from 06/11/2018 before the Athens Multi-Member Court of First Instance, against the owner of the newspaper, its editors-in-chief and the authors of the disputed publications. The above actions were determined to be discussed at the above Court on 22/11/2018 and eventually postponed on 04.04.2019. However, upon appealing to the opposite party, which declared its repentance for the above press, we have compromised by obliging them to publish a restorative publication in their newspaper. Indeed, on the sheet and cover of the newspaper of March 3, 2019, the following text was included with the photographs of the Patriarchate:

“Our newspaper reported on 31/03 and 23/4/2018, reports on allegations of a third person and material of dubious origin, concerning the reputation of His Eminence Metropolitan Isychios of Kapitolias and the Patriarchate of Jerusalem.In our publications, but without the intent of harming, there were screenshots of material that we did not have and could not control and which threatened the reputation and integrity of the Most Reverend Metropolitan Isychios and the Greek Patriarchate without concrete evidence. After the exercise against us by the Patriarchate of Jerusalem and His Eminence Metropolitan Bishop of Hesiod of 15/6/2018 and by their conduits on 06/11/2018, after having exchanged mutual explanations and clarifications between us after the investigation of the case by the Patriarchate of Jerusalem, which brought to our attention, from 17/9/2018 the Proceedings of E.D.E. that it conducted concerning the Metropolitan of Kapitolias, the content and conclusion of which we affirm and assure the inaccuracy of the above-mentioned publications, we declare that our publications were not meant to interfere with the Most Reverend Metropolitan of Kapitolias, nor with the famous for its mission Patriarchate of Jerusalem, we recall, and we offer them a sincere apology for the inconvenience that may have been caused.

Specifically, with regard to the Patriarchate of Jerusalem, we believed and still believe that it is faithful to the Christian principles, that it is a lighthouse of Hellenism and Orthodoxy in harsh times, far away from mother Greece, where there are continuous fights for the prevalence of peace of the reconciliation of the peoples, and would only keep within it the Fathers who respect their Holiness and the Principles of the Orthodox Church. ”

Following the publication of the above publication on the 4th page of the newspaper, as well as the title “REVOCATION OF PUBLICATIONS CONCERNING THE PATRIARCHATE OF JERUSALEM AND THE MOST REVEREND METROPOLITAN ISYCHIOS”, we have resigned from the writings of our lawsuits and the difference is considered terminated with the necessary explanations and the apology of the above newspaper to have been given.

3. After all of these, allow me to claim that the fraudulent slander against His Eminence of Kapitolias has been dropped in its entity, since the traffickers themselves have recalled and apologized. I therefore consider it morally necessary for him and the Patriarchate of Jerusalem to have his full and immediate moral restoration, by removing any remaining reservation on his face and restoring all his ecclesiastical and administrative responsibilities.

Sincerely Yours,

Lambros Kitsaras

University professor

Lawyer

2. The ordination to Priest of Deacon George Houri who serves in the Madaba Community in Jordan.

3. The downgrading to the order of laity of the escaped Hierodeacon Anastasios.

From Secretariat-General