Deafening Silence, Utter Dishonesty, Treachery and the Split, a Fait Accompli!

Since the last general assembly, the silence from our community leaders continues to be deafening. With the exception of the "manifesto" distributed by those who are in favor of a split, one would think that all is well on the home front. A closer evaluation might just reveal the calm before the storm.

At the last general assembly, the Proistameno voluntarily offered and announced that he would personally write the Metropolitan requesting that a third priest be assigned to our community. When asked if the letter had been written, the company line is that the budget, finance, building, or whatever committee is reviewing the matter. The mandate was that a letter be written, not for a committee review.

The real truth is that the assignment of a third priest at this time is not part of the obvious master plan of splitting our community. The Proistameno never intended to write that letter, but has discussed the matter with the Metropolitan. The course of action obviously decided upon is to stall so that the process of splitting (we'll get to that in a minute) the community could proceed. This betrayal of our forefathers’ intentions has been an ill-kept secret all this time; it is now out in the open for all to witness. To put it mildly, we were looked directly in the eye and lied to, again, by our Proistameno. Now, there's a surprise!

This same Proistameno publicly stated at the general assembly that he didn't know anything about the split. Yet he held a question-and-answer session in the church this past Sunday, regarding that same subject – the one he knows nothing about! It has been further reported that he will coronate a committee of ten people from both churches to see how this split can take place. Undoubtedly, he will appoint only those who will return to him the conclusion he seeks. A rhetorical question: Does this guy EVER do anything that benefits the community as a whole, or does he only do things that benefit him and his few select cronies? Ahhh, we digress.

For the record, one of those in favor of the split was asked who gave permission for the meetings to be held in the board room at Prophet Elias. He answered “Fr. Mike.” Wait, the Proistameno publicly stated that he didn't know anything about the split. Looks like we were looked in the eye and lied to again by our Proistameno. Another rhetorical question: Does this guy know how to tell the truth? Ahhh, but again, we digress.

The reality that exists is that it has been communicated from above that this community will be split. We get denials with a straight face, but actions are clearly speaking louder than words. The clandestine behavior and backroom shenanigans continue and we all remain in the dark.

Only actions that facilitate the split are undertaken and approved. For example, at the last general assembly, the pavilion became a top priority, and, as we were told, it will be finished by August 15. Similarly, the dome at Prophet Elias was at the top of the list. The only reason these projects are so urgent is that they need to be finished before we are forced to split the community. Obviously, for the folks who want to split, the attitude is “get as much as you can while you can”. The attitude displays an utterly cynical and transparent ploy to divide that which our parents and grandparents worked so hard to keep together. And our clergy and hierarchy are, sadly, in the forefront of this travesty.