New-York tribune., 1921-12-20
Two Churches
Join i'm Tribute
To Metaxakis
Patriarch-Elect of Greek
Catholic Body Is Honored
Here by Protestant and
Orthodox Bishops
Rejoice at Elevation
Effort Made to Invalislate
His Election Is Called
''Poliiical Vengeance"

blshops of the Greek Orthodox and
Protestant Episcopal churches united
yesterday at the Cathedral of ST.
NicL las, Is East Ninety-seventh
Sire :, in honoring His Holiness Mee-
tios Metaxaks, whose election by the
Constantinople Synod as Most Ecu
menical Patriarch of the Whole Apos-
tolic Orthodox Catholic Greek Church
has been questioned by the Athens
Synod.
The occasion was the celebration Of
the festival of St. Nicholas. but with
the Patriarch-elect present and the
frequent references to him by the
blshops who spoke. the service became
virtually an official proclamation of
the elevation OF Metaxakis.
dispatch received yesterday from
Athens announced that the Congress
OF Archbishops and Bishops Of the
Holy Greek Synod intended to investi-
gate the "ecclesias tical COUP by which
Metaxakis was elected in Constanti-
nople: The Greek official news agency
reported that the congress intended to
declare the post of Patriarch vacant
and elect some one else in place OF
MetaXakis.
The Rev. DR.. B. Talbot Rogers, of
Fond du Lac, Wis, member of the
World Church Conference Commission.
which visited the Near East in 1913,
who is in this city, said last night
that the hostility Of the prelates of
Athens to Metaxakis was inspired by
King Constantine.
Termed Political Spite
The whole effort to irvalidate the
election of Meletios Metaxakis, he said.
was piece of political vengeance
which the King of Greece was able to
set in motion because OF his Influence
with ecclesiastical powers in Athens.
1t was possible, DR.. Rogers said, that
the threatened action of the Athens
synod constituted a serious menace to
the peace and unity Of the Greek
Church, but it was his opinion that the
synod would not be successful in it's
effort
Meletois Metaxakis. he explained,
was a sympathizer with the Vcnizelos
cause in Greece. When Constantine re-
turned to the throne Meta xakis was one
of those marked for royal vengeance.
AS soon as the returned King was Sc
cure in his place he ousted him from
the post he then occupied and appointed
announcer IN MS place.
Metaxakis was elected Patriarch DR.
Rogers pointed ont, by the Constanti-
noplc synod, which is recognized By
Church authorities as having pre-emi-
nent leadership over any Church body
in Greece. His election. as DR.. Rogers
views it, was by the only competent eu-
thority in the Church, and the Athens
synod's Investigation of the "ecclesas-
tical coup can reveal nothing beyond
that, unless the dispute is pressed to
the point where schism in the Church
might develop.
It is Dr. Rogers's opinion that the
dispute viii not be pressed to that
point. The whole affair, he believes
Is merely a sp,teful politica trick on
the part of the Constantine clique in
the Greek Church, and when it is rec
ognized as an attempt to interfere
with the free church of Constantinople
its potency will be destroyed.
Evidence of the strength OF the pa
triarch-elect's position was given at
the services in the cathedral by the
presence of four Episcopal bishops and
The representatives of the Episcopal
Church were Bishop Thomas f. Gailor,
of Tennessee, president Of the ma
tional council Of the Episcopal Church;
Bishop Darlington, of Harris burg,
chairman of the episcopal commission
to confer with Eastern orthodox
churches; Bishop Shipman, suffragan
bishop, representing himself and the
Bishop of New York, and Bishop
Matthews. of New Jersey. Dean Rob
bins, of the Cathedral Of st. John the
Divine, was present.
The orthodox bishops attending we're:
Patriarch Metaxakis. the Metropoli
tan Platon of Odessa, Archbishop Alex
ander of the Russian Cathedral. Bishop
Aftimios of the Syrian Church and
Bishop Stephan, of Pittsburgh.