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Protestar el tratamiento del Archimandrita Kyprian K.

Letter no. 072
Recipient: Minister of the Interior, Greece

February 26, 1971

The Minister of the Interior

Government of Greece

Stadiou and Dragatsaniou Sts.

Athens, Greece

Your Excellency:

We have heard that the Archimandrite Kyprian Koutsoumbas has been reduced to the lay state by the official Church of Greece. We beg you to use your authority to protect him and his priesthood against any act of violence from the official Church of the Government.

In America we know Archimandrite Kyprian Koutsoumbas as a highly respected priest of the Old Calendarist jurisdiction, which is recognized by the Holy Synod of the Russian Church Outside of Russia and many bishops outside of Greece. We, in common with many Orthodox Christians in America, wish to believe that the Greek Government will respect the sincere religious convictions of those in Greece who have separated for canonical reasons and for reasons of conscience from the official Church, and will allow Father Kyprian to freely practice his Orthodox faith and exercise his priesthood without interference from the Government.

If, despite our hope, Archimandrite Kyprian should be subjected to any kind of violence on the part of the Church or Government, we and many thousands of Orthodox Christians outside of Greece can only regard this as an ACT OF PERSECUTION against the true Orthodox Church and faithful, about which we would be obliged to inform the readers of our Magazine.

With respect Seraphim, Monk

Herman, Monk

Editors, The Orthodox Word