Cypriot Bishop is Unhappy with the Pope's Visit

Bishop of Limmosol Cyprus is ignoring his Archbishop's warnings by criticizing the Pope's visit and calling the Pope a "heretic". It's hard to believe that he wouldn't be aware of what his ordinary said in this regard, but he says he's unaware of this warning and insists that he is not outside of the Church.

NCR frequently gets things wrong and misquotes people while imposing their own strange perspectives on others. It may be true that Bishop Athanasios believes that the Pope is a heretic, he says as much, but he's not actually opposed to reaching out. He never said, "I am opposed to the Pope because he's reaching out to us." He actually said that he's not opposed to dialoguing with the Pope, but only putting him in the position of a student to learn Orthodoxy.

One of the most prominent and vocal opponents is the Bishop of Limassol, Athanasios, who, in an interview a few days ago, called the Pope a “heretic” because of his willingness to reach out to the Orthodox. Bishop Athanasios was once tipped to become head of the Cypriot Orthodox church.

Here's what the Bishop actually said:

It can, if we do it properly and base it on the right presuppositions. Unfortunately, as it is carried out today, it does not produce results, and that is why they have carried on discussions for so many years without coming to any conclusions.

Frankly, and above all, I disagree with the coming of the Pope to Cyprus, and I say with my whole soul that the Pope is a heretic, he is not a bishop, he is not an Orthodox Christian, and this is what the Holy Fathers say. If I am wrong, I am ready to be corrected, but based on the Holy Fathers, not based on the mindset of globalisation. Just because I disagree does not mean that I am being disorderly and am outside the Church [as some have claimed].

The Pope always speaks in a formal manner, he says things which are customary [to his position], as he will say now that he will come to Cyprus, but he will do nothing of essence, because he is not the leader of the Church, but a political person, who cannot come into conflict with the political establishment and system. Did the Pope ever speak up for the Orthodox Church? … However, I am not going back [to a distant past]. The reasons I am reacting today are purely theological. When I was consecrated a bishop, I pledged to preserve the Orthodox Faith.

He was also scandalized by the Pope's half-million-dollar bulletproof car. Oh well.

Cf. Voices from Russia, here.