In his capacity as Chairman of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States, Archbishop Elpidophoros of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America sent a letter to the U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken regarding the ban on His Holiness Patriarch Porfirije of the Serbian Church entering Kosovo.
The Pristina authorities announced the ban last week, on the eve of the Serbian primate’s planned pastoral visit. His Holiness was then physically stopped at the border and turned away.
As OrthoChristian reported last week, two Serbian hierarchs in America sent letters of protest to local and state officials: His Grace Bishop Longin of New Gračanica and Midwestern America wrote to Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and His Grace Bishop Irinej of Eastern America wrote to Sec. of State Blinken.
And according to another report from the Serbian Eastern American Diocese, Abp. Elpidophoros also contacted Blinken, representing the Assembly of Canonical Bishops.
The diocese writes:
On December 29, 2022, the Chairman of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States, His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America sent a letter to the United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken regarding the ban on entry into Kosovo and Metohija to His Holiness Patriarch Porfirije of the Serbian Orthodox Church.
In his letter, His Eminence expressed solidarity and sincere concerns brought to his attention by the hierarchs of the Serbian Orthodox Church in North, Central, and South America with regard to the current situation developing in Kosovo and Metohija. In particular, His Eminence drew Secretary Blinken’s attention to the denial of entry to Kosovo of His Holiness Patriarch Porfirije of the Serbian Orthodox Church on December 26, 2022. Patriarch Porfirije was, thereby, unable to be with the Serbian Orthodox faithful in Kosovo and Metohija in the days leading up to Christ’s Nativity.
As a result of the current situation in the region, on behalf of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States, His Eminence called upon the Secretary to continue facilitating peace together with human rights and religious freedoms of the Serbian people in Kosovo and Metohija.
The letter from Archbishop Elpidophoros, together with the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States, demonstrates sincere Christian love and unity to the Serbian Patriarch, clergy, monastics, and people of Kosovo and Metohija.
Also read Bp. Irinej’s letter to Sec. of State Blinken:
