UNIA: The Face and The Disguise
The untrustworthiness of the official theological Dialogue between the Orthodox Church and the Papacy is, among other things, also proven by UNIA’s participation in the Dialogue -especially after its official recognition by both sides during the 1993 Meeting at Balamand.
However, it has been historically and theologically confirmed that the mention alone of the name “UNIA” brings back painful memories to the Orthodox, of all the atrocious schemings and the negative behaviors imposed and on Orthodoxy by the Papacy over a series of centuries. UNIA has always served the Papist demands to universally impose the Pope’s status of primacy (PRIMATUS JURISDICTIONIS), and also for the recognition of the Pope as the Vicar of Christ and as the universal head of the Church.
This explains why on the one hand the previous Pope, Benedict XVI, had characterized the Orthodox Church as “deficient” for not accepting the Primacy and the infallibility linked thereto, while the current Pope regards Her as “weak” for the same reason. In other words, albeit there being an ongoing dialogue - supposedly on the issue of the Primacy - the Popes are in fact unscrupulously flaunting primacy, by claiming that the said dialogue is only a pretense and that it is being held merely “for the sake of appearances”.
A historical theological and hermeneutical therefore approach to UNIA will help the reader to comprehend the so-called “Dialogues between the Orthodox and Latin Churches”, both those of the past as well as the current ones. It will simultaneously reveal the vast responsibility of Orthodoxy’s Hierarchy, who -under the pressure of the New Age and its patrons- have ventured to sacrifice the in-Christ Truth, that is, Orthodoxy, which is the only possibility for the salvation of mankind and the world. However, as we know from the Homilies of the blessed Chrysostom: “Unless one harms himself, no-one can harm him”. Our own mistakes and omissions have been exploited by our adversaries. This is what is being done by the Popes also, through UNIA.
I am grateful for the Christian Orthodox Philanthropic Society of Friends of the Holy Monastery of the Pantokrator “Saint Gregory Palamas” in Melissochori, who have included in their publications the present English translation of my essay on UNIA; as I likewise extend heartfelt thanks to a dear sister, Ms. Katarina Nikolopoulou who had undertaken the translation of this study of mine. May the Lord fortify them in their labours for the Faith, and bless their efforts.
Christmas 2014
Fr. George D. Metallinos
Pages: 124
Dimensions: 20 x 13 cm.
