Kadıköy Metropolitan removed by Holy Synod over disloyalty to Patriarch Bartholomew

Yorgo Kirbaki – ATHENS

The Holy Synod, the decision-making body of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate, has removed the Metropolitan of Chalcedon, currently known as the Kadıköy district in Istanbul, over his alleged disobedience and disrespect to Patriarch Bartholomew, the spiritual leader of some 300 million Orthodox Christians worldwide.

The Holy Synod discharged the 85-year-old Metropolitan Athanasios Papas and appointed the Metropolitan of France, Emanuil Adamakis, 68, instead.

According to Greek media reports, Papas had close ties with Barthelomew’s adversaries, including former Karavriton Metropolitan Amvrosios who publicly and repeatedly “insulted” the Patriarch. Papas also was using a nun, who was close to the Patriarch Kirill of the Russian Orthodox Church, another one of Barthelomew’s adversaries, for house work.

“Athanasios Papas was participating in the Greek’s carnivals in Istanbul wearing fancy dresses, which were unfit for a metropolitan. Barthelomew warned him several times, but he did not care,” said previous Greek media reports.

Papas is a native of Kadıköy and a graduate of the Heybeliada Seminary.

The newly appointed Emanuil was born on Crete Island, Greece. After Turkey entitled citizenship to the metropolitans of the Greek Orthodox Church abroad in 2010, Emanuil became a Turkish citizen when he was 57.

On March 19, Kostas Bakoyannis, the mayor of Athens, visited Istanbul to attend the appointment ceremony at the Patriarchal Church of St. George.

Bakoyannis is the nephew of incumbent Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and the son of Dora Bakoyannis, the former Greek foreign minister and the mayor of Athens.

With the ceremony, Emanuil, who was the Metropolitan of France since 2003, became the Metropolitan of Chalcedon, who ranks second in the Holy Synod of the Patriarchate hierarchy.