An uproar was caused by the action of the Metropolitan of Corfu Nektarios, to give orders to persecute disabled people who wanted to get his wish.
The video was posted on social media by the journalist Dimitris Alikakos (Greek Hoaxes), and shows a child with special needs approaching the Metropolitan and him making a sign to chase him away.
In the post, it specifically states:
“Watch this scene. The Metropolitan of Corfu Nektarios orders to remove the child with special needs who wants to get his wish.
“The command is carried out by his right hand, the General Hierarchal Commissioner of the Diocese, Father Themistocles Mourtzanos. Known in church circles and prolific with the well-known “love of neighbor” etc. Sadness and shame.
“(Note: The formality requires that the priests, monks, etc. receive the blessing first, and then the laity. The person with a disability (mental retardation) should not be moved away. He should receive the blessing first and not last, as can be seen at the end of the process because according to Jesus: “the pure in heart… theirs is the kingdom of heaven”)”.
Watch the video:
However, according to the Metropolis, there is a video where the same young man can be seen kissing the hand of Metropolitan Nektarios.
The event happened during the Vespers of the feast of Agios Spyridon in Corfu, on 11/12/2023.
What does the Holy Metropolis of Corfu answer?
The Holy Diocese of Corfu responded regarding the uproar created by the video, saying that this is a “classic example of fake news”.
“In a news website post, which was reproduced by various Social Networking Media, it was published that the Metropolitan of Corfu gave an order to expel a child with special needs for allegedly not getting his wish during the celebration of the vespers of the feast of Saint Spyridon on December 11, 2023 .
“The post is a classic example of fake news. This young man helps the Holy Pilgrimage as a reader and as a pilgrim, as the tradition of our Church provides, and what he was told was to go to the shrine of the Saint, to help, as is customary.
“The video was posted edited in such a way as to create false impressions. If one bothered to watch the entire video a little below (from point 6.13 to 6.15), one would find that the young man who is particularly dear to both the Metropolitan and the clergymen and ministers in all the churches of the old city (there is also relevant photographic material, which, however, respecting personal data, we do not publish, but is at the disposal of anyone interested), he enters the sanctuary, as defined by the order of the Church.
“At that moment he did not need to receive a blessing from the Metropolitan, just like another young man who follows and also enters the sanctuary. Also, they did not receive a blessing from the Metropolitan and the police authorities of the city, as can be clearly seen in the continuation of the video, but they worshiped Saint Spyridon and went to the appointed place.
“It is obvious that this practice is an attempt of an “assassination character” against the Metropolitan, for the views he has recently expressed regarding the marriage of “same-sex couples”.
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