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New York.- By Apostolos Zoupaniotis Greek News
His
Eminence Metropolitan Nathanael of Chicago is the younger member of the Holy
Eparchial Synod of the Archdiocese of America, but during the past 30 days of
the Coronavirus crisis, that changed everything in America, he took some really
the tough decisions.
“The
decision to suspend services throughout the Metropolis on Sunday, March 15th
was the most difficult decision I’ve made as Metropolitan”, he told the Greek
News in an exclusive interview.
Until
then, the directive about the maximum number of people allowed to join a
gathering was 250. But Nathanael seeking the advice of the experts, he was
convinced that the regulation was based on highly inaccurate information.
“If
I permitted services to continue as planned, the lives of thousands of people
in Church that Sunday, as well as others who would come in contact with them
following Church services, would be placed at risk. I requested additional
advice; I reviewed the information; I asked questions, prayed, and then took
action.”
His
decision was approved by the vast majority of the faithful of the Metropolis,
with the exception of a small group, the so called “Ephraimites”, who are known
to place allegiance to the late Geron Ephraim of Arizona and a local monastery
in Illinois. Some of them are pushing for a petition to Archbishop Epidophoros
and Metropolitan Nathanael, to allow Church Services during the Holy Week.
“I
have come to learn that these people are the modern-day Scribes and the
Pharisees of antiquity. I have seen and experienced their true nature”, said
Nathanael.
“They
are selfish and their ego and pride is at the core of their actions. They
advocate for blind obedience to select “spiritual fathers,” regardless of
whether the guidance they receive is consistent with the teachings of the Church
or not. They defend severe penances, even excommunication, handed down by their
gerontes for moral lapses, but they refuse to accept when the Church
calls for the temporary withholding of the Eucharist.”
The Full text of the interview is
as follows:
From
the input you are receiving from the parishes, what is the situation with the
pandemic in both our people and the community at large, in the states of your
Metropolis? Do we have a lot of infected Greek Orthodox people?
Unfortunately,
we have dozens of parishioners across the six states of our Metropolis who have
tested positive for COVID-19.
Any
data about G.O. people dead and funerals that took place?
Unfortunately,
a number of our Greek Orthodox brethren have succumbed to the Coronavirus, especially
in the Chicagoland area. Some of our parishes have been stricken with multiple
cases among their stewards.
In
an effort to track the reach of the virus in our parishes, the clergy have been
asked to report to the Metropolis when a parishioner is known to have tested
positive for COVID-19. We are also keeping track of the number of deaths due to
COVID-19. We mourn the loss of our brothers and sisters, yet because the
Metropolis respects the privacy of people, we are not asking for people’s names
or any other identifying information.
What
is the health situation with our priests?
With
God’s help and with extra precautionary measures, none of our clergy have
tested positive for COVID-19. Our clergy have been directed to remain steadfast
during this pandemic. They are expected to continue to provide pastoral care to
our people, but they are to follow all safety and precautionary measures as
prescribed by the CDC and local authorities. This was especially emphasized to
those clergymen who are at higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19 or who
are caring for someone at home who is in this situation.
How
has the Metropolis and its organizations – especially the Philoptochos – dealt with
the humanitarian aspect of this health crisis? Are there any initiatives to
help people in need?
Since
the early days of the pandemic in the United States, the Metropolis has taken
steps to assess the humanitarian crisis brought about by COVID-19. Thus far,
the main response to this crisis has come from our parishes, which respond to COVID-19
one family at a time. Parishes are, within their means, providing direct
financial and food assistance to members of our community and to the broader
public.
Because
not everyone is prepared to accept such assistance from the Church, the
Metropolis is finalizing a program that will help our people find work during
the COVID-19 crisis so that they may provide for their families’ needs. The
Metropolis of Chicago Philoptochos has provided financial support to local
foodbanks throughout the six states of our Metropolis and have increased the
funds available to their “Philanthropy Fund.” Local Philoptochos Parish
Chapters have provided assistance in numerous ways: they have distributed food directly
to families and to local soup kitchens; they have established a phone tree
network to check-in with senior members of parishes; and they have sewn
protective masks to be distributed to local nursing homes and hospitals. Overall,
we believe this humanitarian crisis will last for at least one year. It is my
hope and prayer that individuals and organizations with influence rise to the
occasion, work together, and help develop an assistance program that can be
sustained for the long term. We have a unique opportunity to become a more
authentic, caring and united Church as we work through this crisis. We are
being challenged; it is up to each of us to act on behalf of the greater good.
This
Easter is going to be more different than anyone could imagine. What do you say
to the people?
I
continue to marvel at the sacrifices being made by people all around us,
especially by the first responders who enter the trenches every day with the sole
purpose of protecting and caring for us. They are not able to choose who to treat,
which means they are potentially exposed to the coronavirus numerous times each
day. The faithful understand that during such times we are not only called to
carry our own personal cross, but to also help carry the burden of society.
There isn’t much more to say to our people; they understand that Holy Week and
Pascha are not going to be celebrated like in previous years. They have already
come to terms with this, and I thank them for joyfully making this sacrifice for
the overall good of society. But we have made a commitment to take Holy Week
and Pascha into the homes of the faithful.
We will all be praying – apart yet not alone – throughout this Season.
I
know that there are some people in Chicago that push for a petition to you and
the Archbishop, asking for services to take place during the Holy Week and Holy
Communion to be offered. What do you tell them?
Unfortunately,
there is a network of individuals that operate beneath the surface of the
Church. They believe they have a right to the Eucharist. They believe
that the Church is theirs and that no one has the right to keep them
from it. Under normal conditions, they appear to be pious, humble and obedient
members of the Church. They attend services regularly, participate in the
sacraments frequently, and know prayers by heart, and so, they believe
themselves to be advancing spiritually.
These
last two years, and most especially during the COVID-19 crisis, I have come to
learn that these people are the modern-day Scribes and the Pharisees of
antiquity. I have seen and experienced their true nature. They are selfish and their
ego and pride is at the core of their actions. They advocate for blind
obedience to select “spiritual fathers,” regardless of whether the guidance
they receive is consistent with the teachings of the Church or not. They defend
severe penances, even excommunication, handed down by their gerontes for
moral lapses, but they refuse to accept when the Church calls for the temporary
withholding of the Eucharist.
To
get their way, they will search for loopholes in directives and teachings of
the Church. They will operate quietly so that those outside of their camp do
not take notice of what they’re up to. Most recently, a physician from within
this group sent a message to numerous individuals, including my clergy,
informing them that somehow the coronavirus was no longer transmittable through
the air. This person then concluded that our Churches should once again be
open. A clergyman in this group then solicited the support of other physicians in
a pressure campaign against me with the goal of bullying me to reopen Churches
contrary to public health guidance, the advice of doctors in our Metropolis,
and the decisions of the Holy Synod. I am truly saddened by this kind of
behavior.
I
am disappointed that during this worldwide crisis – at a time where we are
called to unite, take care of one another, and let our best come out, this
group, including the clergy within this camp, decide to sow dissent in a manner
that puts lives at risk. Their claim to being called “fathers” is very much in
doubt when they insist on putting the faithful – the very Church itself – at
risk. If this overly loud minority insists on such behavior, they should
sincerely reconsider their membership in this Church. In
these historic times, when the Church is under tremendous stress, it is only
our combined strength that will deliver us to the light. Promoting or endorsing
agendas of fundamentalist thoughts will harm all of us.
Why
the Holy Eparchial Synod didn’t take a unified position from the beginning Your
Eminence, but it left the details to every metropolitan?
From
its first meeting on March 14th, the Holy Eparchial Synod has remained
united around its approach to COVID-19. As a public health matter, responses to
COVID-19 did not necessarily require uniformity for us to remain united.
Indeed, the Synod was of one voice when it declared that local Hierarchs had
the responsibility to make necessary decisions based on the needs of a
particular region. This is important to keep in mind because the Holy Eparchial
Synod and the Hierarchs are not making decisions based on our own opinion, but
ground on the guidance offered by public health and medical professionals.
Didn’t you have second thoughts when in spite
of being the youngest in the Synod, you made the clearest decision to close the
churches?
The
decision to suspend services throughout the Metropolis on Sunday, March 15th
was the most difficult decision I’ve made as Metropolitan. On Friday, March 13,
the maximum number of people allowed to join a gathering was 250. I had
received information from experts showing that this number was not accurate. Expert
advisors explained to me that the inability to accurately test for COVID-19
meant that allowing 250 people to gather in our parishes would place these
people at risk. They explained that very soon, the total number of people
permitted to gather would go down very quickly. With this information in hand,
I had to make a decision. If I permitted services to continue as planned, the
lives of thousands of people in Church that Sunday, as well as others who would
come in contact with them following Church services, would be placed at risk. I
requested additional advice; I reviewed the information; I asked questions,
prayed, and then took action. My job, as Metropolitan, is to make the difficult
decisions when it matters. The decision was difficult to make, but I know it
was the right decision because, according to first responders, it saved lives.
Do
you plan to visit various parishes, or you will just do the services from the
Metropolis?
Since
the onset of this crisis, I have only celebrated services at my Cathedral. I
will continue this practice for Holy Week.
A
Paschal Message for our readers.
As
we celebrate Pascha, I encourage your readers to find the hope of Pascha even in
the most unfamiliar and uncomfortable moments in life. Especially during these challenging
times, we are invited to enter the empty tomb of Christ when we feel alone or
abandoned, and to allow the Light of the Resurrection to permeate our lives
when we feel afraid or overcome by despair. Christ is Risen! Truly He is Risen!
