FROM THE NATIONAL HERALD: St. George’s Church Says Methodios Must Go, Battle Lines Drawn

Theodore Kalmoukos

LYNN, Mass. - The parishioners of St. George’s Church here, embattled in a row with Metropolitan Methodios of the Boston Metropolis after refusing to pay a $20,000 annual hike in their assessments, are demanding his removal. They made that known to The National Herald on the feast day of St. George on April 25 as they appealed to Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew “to remove him from Boston.” There were scores of members filling the church, where they proclaimed, alongside their priest, Rev. George Tsoukalas, the hymn “Christ is risen from the dead.” Fr. Tsoukalas advised them to “remain faithful to the Holy Orthodox Faith and to the traditions of our Hellenic Heritage.” He added that, “the life of Christians is uphill but the cross brings the resurrection.”

Fr. Tsoukalas welcomed TNH and told the congregation that “it is the means which informs us, unites us with Greece and with the venerable Center of Orthodoxy, the Ecumenical Patriarchate.” He also said that, “It is a sacred mission, the information of our Greek American Community.” They said the parish council and the St. George community is united and that they are disappointed and angry with the way the Archdiocese and Methodios are insisting on raising the assessment of the church, many of whose members are working class families, from $68,000 to $88,000 a year.

Methodios has banned the sacraments of weddings and baptisms from being done in the church and has pitted the priests of the Metropolis of Boston against Fr. Tsoukalas and the parish of St. George. Methodios got 53 priests who are under his control in New England to support him, but resistance to him is strong.

Many of St. George’s members cried as they spoke openly to TNH. Pericles Christopoulos, a pilot with USAir, and a expert on aviation accidents, said, “I feel sorry about what is going on; it is a blackmailing. I would recommend to Metropolitan Methodios to start reading the Holy Bible because I am afraid he does not know what it is written in it. I am extremely ashamed for his position.” He added, “Our children do not even want to come to church.” Stamelos Papakonstantinou said, “We are united and determined for everything.” He added: “Methodios should be removed.” Demetrios Diatzikis said, “I am a parish council member for 20 years; I work voluntarily for St. George for 45 years; we worked hard for this church which is the ornament of Lynn.” He also said “none of us will leave from here; let Methodios come here to remove us.” Barbara Stamos said, “This church was not built by the Bishop’s father or mother, but it was built by the pioneer Greeks. My in-laws use to eat bread and onions in order to save money to build this church.” She added, “My children are very disappointed with today’s situation.”

SHOW US THE MONEY

She asked, “What does Methodios do with the money? Why he does not give us accountability, a financial report?” To the question of why the Metropolis does not give a financial accounting, she said, “Because he doesn’t want us to know what he does with the money.” Zafiroula Douros said, “Our children are very disappointed; the Bishop is making a big mistake, he tells us to forgive but he does not talk to Fr. George (Tsoukalas) who is an exceptional priest.” She also said, “I said it from the very beginning - Methodios cannot remain in Boston any longer, he has to leave.” Niki Nikolouzos, with tears in her eyes said, “I am extremely saddened about the situation; Fr. George is a very good priest. I want to tell Patriarch Bartholomew that is not right what is going on.” She also said, “if Methodios removes the priest and the parish council we will protest; we will go down to Boston in buses.”

The parishioners of St. George parish in Lynn, Mass. who want the removal of Metropolitan Methodios from Boston. (L-R) Eleni Mazareas, Niki Nikozoulis, Barbara Stamos, Olympia Mamos, Eleni Pagratis,Despina Metaxakis, George Mouzakis, Athanasia Mpitopoulos.
George Mouzakis said, “If Metropolitan Methodios wants to remove Fr. George let him come himself if he has the guts” and he added, “I do not think that Methodios will be much longer in Boston.” Othon Arsenis said, “I will not leave the church unless they show me a letter from the Attorney General.” He also said, “All the people say and I agree too, that “Metropolitan Methodios must leave from Boston.” Theodore Paragios, a member of the Parish Council, said, “I am a member of St. George since 1966 and what is going on today is the worst thing that ever happened. I wrote a letter to Metropolitan Methodios.” Paragios was friends with Metropolitan Methodios, but he said, “We are not any more, our friendship is done; It is time for him to step down from his throne to go some where else and to stop bothering us.”

Ioannis Douros said, “Fr. George is an exceptional priest, the Bishop should be ashamed. When he was getting money from us he was here for the feast of our parish,” and he added that, “We are giving him enough.” He also said, “I was married here, I baptized my children and my grandchildren here. Methodios cannot stay in Boston any longer; he is not the proper person for us and Patriarch Bartholomew knows much more.” Spyros Makris, a former president of the Parish Council, said, “I have worked very hard for this parish and I knew Methodios from those years. The letter he sent was degrading.” He added: “He must leave from here.” Olympia Manos said, “My father came from Greece at age of 10 and he helped build this church. We do not want Methodios, he should leave, he is not a spiritual man, but he is a man of money; he should have become a banker, not clergy, because he is an insult to all those who are men of the cloth, he does not have any faith.”

Eleni Pangratis said, “Fr. George is the soul of Hellenism especially here in Lynn. If Methodios removes him we will sit outside of the church.” She also said, “I would tell the Patriarch to take Methodios from here; he has made us sick in these holy days.” Valerie Haralampatos said, “When I would see the Metropolitan before, I kissed his hand, now I turn my face in the other direction; our children do not even want to see him; they want to leave the church.” Peter Demetrakopoulos said, “Methodios should not see the parishes only for money; the 68,000 is enough; many parishioners have lost their jobs. Why does he forbid the sacraments, what is this?”