The Orthodox Christian Network’s myOCN Community Online Gathering on Thursday, May 21 featured as special guest Anthony J. Limberakis, M.D., National Commander of the Order of Saint Andrew the Apostle, Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. Please click here to view the live-stream presentation.
With Fr. Christopher Metropulos, Executive Director of the OCN, Dr. Limberakis discussed who the Archons are, their role as Defenders of the Holy Mother Church, the Ecumenical Patriarchate; the work of the Archons worldwide to defend religious freedom; and the five areas of concern regarding the situation of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Turkey, particularly the fact that under Turkish law, the Ecumenical Patriarchate is not a legal entity, which has resulted in the loss of thousands of Church properties.
Dr. Limberakis also detailed the extraordinary and intrepid work of His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew in the face of serious challenges from Russia, regarding the granting of autocephaly to the Orthodox Church in Ukraine, as well as from Turkey. He explained how the Archons work to alert the U.S. government, the European Parliament, and other entities to the hostility toward the Ecumenical Patriarchate and violations of its rights by the government of Turkey.
Also during the program, Dr. Limberakis explained that with the blessing and assistance of His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros, the Archons have established the St. Andrew Ecumenical Patriarchal Fund, a unique initiative to enhance and contribute to the financial independence of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
At another point, Dr. Limberakis discussed his desire to begin naming female Archons, and noted that His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros views the idea favorably.
The mission of the Orthodox Christian Network is to bring the Orthodox Faith to the Fingertips of all Orthodox Christian around the world. To accomplish this mission, the OCN utilizes today’s digital platforms to produce and provide unlimited access to faith-inspiring programming including podcasts, daily devotionals, blog posts, live streaming worship and much more.
Join thousands of your fellow Orthodox Christians at the Gathering online for prayers and discussion. Families are welcome. This program is generously brought to you by the James and Joanne Mitchell Foundation.