The Sacred Metropolis of Patras
From Patras on the 4th of December 2020
Num. Prot. 454
Encyclical 373
To the Sacred Clergy and pious People
From Patras on the 4th of December 2020
Num. Prot. 454
Encyclical 373
To the Sacred Clergy and pious People
of the Sacred and Apostolic Metropolis of Patras
My beloved brethren and children in the Lord,
During this time the so-called Jehovah's Witnesses, taking advantage of the difficult situations faced by the Greek people, have flooded private and public institutions, businesses and even schools with electronic messages by which to proselytize, with the purpose of influencing with their ill-intentioned and very dangerous beliefs, the people.
Many times we have dealt with this subject and we have informed the Christian Fullness of the Church of the dangers of this pan-heresy, which began in America in 1884, inspired by Charles Russell.
It is a multinational corporation headquartered in Brooklyn, USA and has branches all over the world.
The Jehovah's Witnesses have nothing to do with Christianity. They use the title, which is false and misleading, "Christian Witnesses of Jehovah". However they are also known by the name of "Millenialists", due to their beliefs.
They are a rascist organization. They teach, among other things, that those who do not obey the teachings of the Society, that is, those who are not Jehovah's Witnesses, during "Armageddon", which according to them will take place shortly, non-Christians will be slaughtered and the Jehovah's Witnesses will wash their feet in their blood (The Watchtower, 1968, p. 83).
Their beliefs are circulated through the magazines "The Watchtower" and "Awake!".
In short, we would say that they have adopted all the heresies that have arisen in the past, in fact, they have essentially rejected the entire teaching of the Orthodox Church.
Indicatively we mention the following:
1. They deny the doctrine of the Holy Trinity and insultingly state that this is the worst satanic delusion.
2. They deny the Divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ.
3. They deny the Divinity of the Holy Spirit.
4. They deny the nature of the Church, in the place of which they place the "Watchtower Society", in which, according to them, "the servants of the kingdom" must belong.
5. They do not accept the teaching of the immortality of the soul. They talk about the annihilation of people after death, as happens with animals.
6. They speak disparagingly/insultingly about the Most Holy Theotokos, whom they do not honor as Ever-Virgin, since according to their false teaching Christ is not God.
7. They deny the honoring of the Saints and reject their intercessions to God.
8. They disparage the Honorable Cross and are outraged by its sight, like the devil. It should be noted that until 1931 the "Watchtower" had the Cross as its emblem. Then they changed their minds, as is sometimes the case with their beliefs.
9. They deny the honor given to sacred icons.
10. They do not accept the tradition of the Church.
11. We must particularly note that they refuse blood transfusions and therefore because of this are extremely dangerous.
12. They refuse to defend the Homeland, since they do not accept to carry a weapon.
My brethren,
The Jehovah's Witnesses, the Millenialists, as they are known, in order to approach people and convert them, use various satanic ways, such as falsely interpreted passages from the Holy Scriptures, etc. In this way they approach naive people who they lead into error.
In their visits, behind a fictitious "nobility", they hide an insidious character and for this reason you should avoid discussions with them and inform the Priest of your Parish or the Holy Metropolis.
Emphasize to them that you are members of the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church and study Holy Scripture as interpreted by the Orthodox Church, and exclude and refuse any other discussion with them. Do not accept their books and pamphlets.
We must remain immovable in the truth revealed by God and in the teachings of our Holy Apostles and Holy Fathers. We must consciously live the life of the Church and participate in the Sacramental life.
The Apostle Paul proclaims: "But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let them be anathema" (Gal. 1:8).
Also, my brethren, let us pray for those people whom the most-deceptive devil has in his fingernails, so that they may be saved and not be swallowed up by hell. They, as well as the other heretics, we call with love to repentance and to return to the holy fold of the Lord, that is, our Holy Church.
Finally, inform your acquaintances, your neighbors, your friends about the perilousness of this teaching and about the satanic actions of Jehovah's Witnesses, so that we can all face this attack of the devil united.
In conclusion, we reiterate that "there is no salvation far from Jesus Christ and outside His Church."
With paternal love I embrace you in the Lord,
During this time the so-called Jehovah's Witnesses, taking advantage of the difficult situations faced by the Greek people, have flooded private and public institutions, businesses and even schools with electronic messages by which to proselytize, with the purpose of influencing with their ill-intentioned and very dangerous beliefs, the people.
Many times we have dealt with this subject and we have informed the Christian Fullness of the Church of the dangers of this pan-heresy, which began in America in 1884, inspired by Charles Russell.
It is a multinational corporation headquartered in Brooklyn, USA and has branches all over the world.
The Jehovah's Witnesses have nothing to do with Christianity. They use the title, which is false and misleading, "Christian Witnesses of Jehovah". However they are also known by the name of "Millenialists", due to their beliefs.
They are a rascist organization. They teach, among other things, that those who do not obey the teachings of the Society, that is, those who are not Jehovah's Witnesses, during "Armageddon", which according to them will take place shortly, non-Christians will be slaughtered and the Jehovah's Witnesses will wash their feet in their blood (The Watchtower, 1968, p. 83).
Their beliefs are circulated through the magazines "The Watchtower" and "Awake!".
In short, we would say that they have adopted all the heresies that have arisen in the past, in fact, they have essentially rejected the entire teaching of the Orthodox Church.
Indicatively we mention the following:
1. They deny the doctrine of the Holy Trinity and insultingly state that this is the worst satanic delusion.
2. They deny the Divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ.
3. They deny the Divinity of the Holy Spirit.
4. They deny the nature of the Church, in the place of which they place the "Watchtower Society", in which, according to them, "the servants of the kingdom" must belong.
5. They do not accept the teaching of the immortality of the soul. They talk about the annihilation of people after death, as happens with animals.
6. They speak disparagingly/insultingly about the Most Holy Theotokos, whom they do not honor as Ever-Virgin, since according to their false teaching Christ is not God.
7. They deny the honoring of the Saints and reject their intercessions to God.
8. They disparage the Honorable Cross and are outraged by its sight, like the devil. It should be noted that until 1931 the "Watchtower" had the Cross as its emblem. Then they changed their minds, as is sometimes the case with their beliefs.
9. They deny the honor given to sacred icons.
10. They do not accept the tradition of the Church.
11. We must particularly note that they refuse blood transfusions and therefore because of this are extremely dangerous.
12. They refuse to defend the Homeland, since they do not accept to carry a weapon.
My brethren,
The Jehovah's Witnesses, the Millenialists, as they are known, in order to approach people and convert them, use various satanic ways, such as falsely interpreted passages from the Holy Scriptures, etc. In this way they approach naive people who they lead into error.
In their visits, behind a fictitious "nobility", they hide an insidious character and for this reason you should avoid discussions with them and inform the Priest of your Parish or the Holy Metropolis.
Emphasize to them that you are members of the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church and study Holy Scripture as interpreted by the Orthodox Church, and exclude and refuse any other discussion with them. Do not accept their books and pamphlets.
We must remain immovable in the truth revealed by God and in the teachings of our Holy Apostles and Holy Fathers. We must consciously live the life of the Church and participate in the Sacramental life.
The Apostle Paul proclaims: "But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let them be anathema" (Gal. 1:8).
Also, my brethren, let us pray for those people whom the most-deceptive devil has in his fingernails, so that they may be saved and not be swallowed up by hell. They, as well as the other heretics, we call with love to repentance and to return to the holy fold of the Lord, that is, our Holy Church.
Finally, inform your acquaintances, your neighbors, your friends about the perilousness of this teaching and about the satanic actions of Jehovah's Witnesses, so that we can all face this attack of the devil united.
In conclusion, we reiterate that "there is no salvation far from Jesus Christ and outside His Church."
With paternal love I embrace you in the Lord,
THE METROPOLITAN
+ Chrysostomos of Patras
+ Chrysostomos of Patras
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.