[Pjayjukr]

The Ecumenical Patriarch made this post today:

The Press Release is as follows:

Gathered today, 10 January 2012, under the presidency of His Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, the Holy and Sacred Synod at this tactical conference, among other things, discussed the emerged issue of the imprisonment of the Abbot of the Monastery of Vatopaidi Ephraim.

Regarding this matter we communicate the following:

1. The Ecumenical Throne and Its Holy and Sacred Synod express their sorrow for this shapening of the situation in relation to the decision of this matter.

2. The Ecumenical Patriarchate, according to its tactical consistency, respects the independence of the Justice system, always avoiding every interference in pending court cases, since, after all, they are ignorant of the contents of the case files.

3. The Ecumenical Patriarchate, in connection with statements expressed by sister Orthodox Churches in connection with this issue, recalls that the Holy Mountain, its canonical territory, is constituted of Orthodox monks from various nationalities, but this adds nothing to its Pan-Orthodox character by allowing any kind of interference within it by any Autocephalous Church.

At the Patriarchate, 10 January 2012

By the Chief Secretary of the Holy and Sacred Synod