KGB, CIA, and the Deconstruction of Orthodoxy

Put not your trust in princes, in the sons of men, in whom there is no salvation” Ps. 145/146:3

It is vital to understand that the current spiritual sickness in the Ecumenical Patriarchate (EP) has been festering for well over a century now. Understanding at least to some degree historical context is of utmost importance.

My hope is that by addressing the sickness, healing may come. I and many others who are voicing concern desire healing and restoration for the Ecumenical Patriarchate, not its demise.

Yet, the EP has been following along a premeditated trajectory for some time now. It seems, at present, to have no intention of changing its course. The fruits that we are witnessing in Ukraine only evidence the reality that certain un-Orthodox mentalities have begun to dominate the ethos of the EP and that certain ungodly powers are behind its current actions in various parts of the world.

In this post, two articles will be primarily highlighted. Both articles illustrate several aspects that have provided the fertile ground in which the current actions of the EP find sure and deep roots.

The first article is – Fr. Kyrill Johnson: the Prestige of the Oecumenical Patriarch. This article was kindly sent to me by a reader, for which I’m very grateful. I encourage everyone to read it in full.

The above article was written in the 1940s. Already evident at that time are particular mindsets that have only grown and become more well-defined with the passing of time.

Although the article touches upon a few issues, its main focus is the pronouncement of then Pat. Meletios on Anglican orders.

Even in the 1940s, the author observes, If one collates this series of pronouncements issued by Greek ecclesiastics with the political events and pressures, which paralleled their appearance, one soon discovers an obvious relation between their interpretation of Orthodox canon law and faith and the political tensions to which they were subjected.

Of particular interest for current events is the confirmation the author gives to the fact that the EP was heavily dependent upon Western powers for support. Of course, the Patriarch of whom the author writes is the infamous Meletios, who was a Mason.

From very early on Meletios was intimately tied to political powers. Two notable powers mentioned (besides Greek politicians) in the article are Britain and the United States. The reader also will note that one of the main concerns for the EP, even at that time, was one of maintaining the Greek ethnos. The primary matter was that of the preservation of “Greek nationalism.” Meletios is said to be a “Greek nationalist.”

The author notes with blunt finesse,  Each day the diminished Greek race was being decimated throughout Asia Minor; the Great Idea of a reconstituted Byzantine Empire was dissolving into dust and ashes before his eyes. Meletios, the Greek nationalist, became a desperate man. He had but one last jewel to spend on wooing British Imperialism to stop the decimation of his co-racialists in Asia Minor. The jewel was his Orthodox Faith. He would offer up this precious jewel to international politics in a last desperate gesture. Out of Meletios’ racial agony was born his pronouncement on Anglican ordinations.

Another point of great interest is the observation,  Greek ecclesiastics are very prone to consider themselves as Greeks in the political sense first and as representatives of the Orthodox Faith afterward.

The author does ask the reader to not judge these hierarchs too harshly, even though they are resorting to worldly politics to save their heritage.

In brief, one may glean at least this information: The EP has been working with Western powers since the early 1900s, it has been willing to use Orthodoxy itself as a bartering chip for its own survival, and political issues occupy a place of primary importance.

The second article is – Ousting the Ecumenical Patriarch: the removal of Maximos V according to CIA records.

This article simply confirms that which many have long known, during the Cold War the EP was developed and supported by the US as an asset to counter “Soviet influence,” specifically as it was perceived through the Moscow Patriarchate (MP) at that time.

It is well known to students of history that the MP had a period of deep involvement with the KGB during Soviet times. This is a tragic period for the MP. On the geopolitical stage of that era, the MP was considered the KGB Patriarch. The US sought to effectively consolidate an Orthodox Patriarch for itself. The EP, who already had a history of deep collaboration with Western powers, became the obvious choice.

The prime candidate was Athenagoras. I have pointed out in previous posts that Athenagoras was a Mason. The author of the article rightly points out that Athenagoras is a very influential figure in 20th-century Orthodoxy. I would elaborate that he is so in the manner of Arius and Nestorius, both of whom one could argue were very influential figures in Church History but to the negative and not to the positive.

The article confirms that the CIA became very involved in the affairs of the EP. The EP once again turns to political powers for preservation rather than to Christ the Lord. Honestly, this trend of turning to Western powers could be traced back to the times of the “Council of Florence,” yet at present that is well beyond the scope of this article.

The CIA worked for the removal of then Pat. Maximos V in favor of Athenagoras. Athenagoras the Mason was, as it were, handpicked for the job. He, like his predecessor Meletios, had formerly lived in America before taking the seat as Ecumenical Patriarch. Athenagoras was somewhat close to President Truman, who was also a Mason. (Note the Masonic connection.)

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Truman was also tied to what is known as the “Truman Doctrine.” Interestingly enough, the original articulation of this “doctrine” revolves around the political state of Greece.

It was vital for the US and its interests to have a religious leader in the area of Greece and Asia Minor who would advance US policies. Moreover, it was crucial to US foreign policies to have an Orthodox religious leader who would promote and work for the advancement of said policies (keep in mind that Orthodoxy is the world’s second-largest “Christian group.”)

It is my opinion that since the fall of the Soviet Union the MP has ceased to be under the tyrannical thumb of the KGB (which also does not exist anymore, FYI to most Americans). Although there is a clear collaboration of the MP with the current government in Russia, it seems to me that the Church is more fundamentally independent. There exists a vast difference between the collaboration of a government and the Church as more or less equal entities and the subjugation and exploitation of “church” by a government for grossly political motives.

Both the KGB and the CIA saw religion as a material tool to achieve their narrow political agendas. Although seemingly on different political spectrums, they both applied the same method of manipulating religion. Both saw it in terms of only an earthly institution to be exploited for control over certain populations; neither regard it as Truth nor a truly spiritual reality. Each one sought to deconstruct, if possible, Orthodoxy.

It seems that even though the MP was generally freed, by God’s grace, from the bounds of the KGB, the EP has yet to be freed from its enslavement to the CIA and US State Department. In fact, current events reveal that it is being wielded by them as a weapon to deconstruct True Orthodoxy. The even greater tragedy is that it seems to be more than willing to fulfill the role.

Historical and current events reveal that the collaboration between the EP and US government forces is deeply entrenched – to the point that the actions of the EP must be understood in this light: it is working not for the good of the Kingdom of Heaven but for the profit of earthly powers.

To attain for itself a place of power over its brethren, it is willing once again to barter with the jewel of Orthodoxy. The EP is most willing to sell it to worldly powers because they have promised him a place of “first without equal” in the Orthodox world.

The current EP has progressed well beyond the excesses of his predecessors. He is bringing the Masonic work begun by both Meletios and Athenagoras to a dark fulfillment.

These historical events and facts further elucidate the reality that the EP’s actions in Ukraine and elsewhere are being dictated not by the Holy Spirit but by the US State Department and globalist agendas.

It is worth noting in closing, that the great Saint of the 20th century, John Maximovich, also wrote in a loving manner in 1938 warning of the decline and corruption of the EP.

Now we are reaping the bitter fruit of not heeding the warning. Will we now see and heed? Or will we choose to bury our heads deeper in the sand?

4 thoughts on “KGB, CIA, and the Deconstruction of Orthodoxy

  1. John

    Father bless.
    Fr. Lynch,
    Thank you for your well detailed commentary on “the current spiritual sickness in the Ecumenical Patriarchate.”
    I’m passing along the attached article from the Union of Orthodox Journalists [link included] on the report of the Holy Kinot of Mt. Athos from May of this year. As the article states ‘For those who do not know: Kinot is a governing body of the Holy Mount brotherhood, a kind of parliament of Athos.’

    It is very informative and instructive for those who tend to see the actions of the EP as his so-called “right(s) as the EP” and as the ‘respected Fathers of the Holy Mountain’ point out the EP’s flagrant disregard for sacred Tradition and the Canons of the Church.
    I’ve highlighted the main headings from the article and the “summing up” of their report for convenience.
    May the Most Holy Theotokos continue her protection of the Holy Mount.
    Doxa to Theo. John
    Father bless.

    Schismatics remain schismatics key theses of Athonite elders regarding OCU 1 May 2019, 21:01
    Konstantin Shemliuk
    https://spzh.news/en/zashhita-very/61753-raskolyniki-ostalisy-raskolynikami-glavnyje-tezisy-afonskih-starcev-o-pcu [Union of Orthodox Journalists]

    What 12 respected elders of the Holy Mount declared about the Ukrainian split, Tomos for the OCU and actions of Patriarch Bartholomew.
    Soteriological motive
    According to the monastics, those who support the Ukrainian dissenters endanger their own salvation. “The Holy Scripture and the fatherly tradition repeatedly teach that heresy and schism lead to destruction, because the Holy Spirit does not work there,” they remind. For “heresy and schism are the works of the devil”.
    Ecclesiological motive
    Fathers are sure that the legalization of the Ukrainian split by Patriarch Bartholomew reminds of the situation that already existed in the XI century, when in 1054 the largest schism occurred in the history of Christianity.
    Ethical motive
    The elders of Athos are sure that the visits of the Ukrainian schismatics to the Holy Mountain “are not about pilgrimage”, but are calculated for the authority of Athos, which will allow them to go “out of pan-Orthodox isolation” and achieve “their lawless plans”.

    Highlight of the main theses and arguments:
    1. Schismatics have no grace
    2. Schismatics are out of the Church fold
    3. Patriarch Bartholomew had no right to lift anathema from Ukrainian schismatics
    4. Patriarch Bartholomew had no right to accept an appeal from Ukrainian schismatics
    5. Patriarch Bartholomew, having entered into communion with schismatics, became the violator of sacred canons himself
    6. Schismatics remained schismatics
    7. The only canonical Church of Ukraine is the one led by Metropolitan Onuphry
    8. Kiev Metropolis has been under jurisdiction of the Russian Church for over 300 years
    9. Moral offences of schismatics

    Summing up, they come to the conclusion that the status of the new autocephaly looks problematic because:
    • Patriarch Bartholomew invaded foreign canonical territory;
    • the Patriarch bestowed autocephaly arbitrarily;
    • the canonical Local Church did not ask for this autocephaly;
    • moreover, the canonical Church expressed the opposite opinion;
    • on this issue, instead of pan-Orthodox consensus we have a pan-Orthodox objection;
    • reference to the right to hear appeals is non-canonical;
    • a claim to jurisdiction after more than three centuries, accompanied by the reinterpretation of the relevant documents, is ridiculous.
    Thus, the position of many highly respected Fathers of the Holy Mountain, despite pressure from the Constantinople Patriarchate, remains true to the canonical tradition of our Church. For them there exist no OCU, Epiphany is a “false metropolitan”, while his religious organization is a “false church”.

    Liked by 1 person

  2. Deacon Nicholas

    Father, you need to draw a deep breath. As a former CIA staff historian and a deacon, this is an interesting story to me. However, are drawing the conclusion that a stream of foreign intelligence reporting is tantamount to CIA’s controlling the situation, which is nonsense.

    Like

  3. Pingback: US reportedly paid $25 million for Patriarch Bartholomew to meddle in Ukraine – The Chaos Cat

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