JANUARY 8, 2013

Announcement on Vassula Ryden by the Ecumenical Patriarchate, March 16, 2011

http://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2011/03/announcement-on-vassula-ryden-by.html

By John Sanidopoulos

ΟΙΚΟΥΜΕΝΙΚΟΝ ΠΑΤΡΙΑΡΧΕΙΟΝ
Ἀνακοινωθέν περί τῆς Βασιλικῆς Παρασκευῆς Πεντάκη – Ρύντεν (Βασούλας)

Ἡ
Ὀρθόδοξος Ἐκκλησία, ἀκολουθοῦσα ἀπαρεγκλίτως τό λαμπρόν ὑπόδειγμα καί τήν διδαχήν τῶν Ἁγίων Ἀποστόλων, τήν διδασκαλίαν τῶν ἐχόντων τήν ἐξ αὐτῶν Διαδοχήν Πατέρων τῆς Ἐκκλησίας καί τάς θεοπνεύστους Ἀποφάσεις τῶν Οἰκουμενικῶν Συνόδων, διαφυλάττει ὡς πολύτιμον μαργαρίτην τήν πίστιν τῆς Μιᾶς, Ἁγίας, Καθολικῆς καί Ἀποστολικῆς Ἐκκλησίας, τήν ὁποίαν βιώνει τό χριστεπώνυμον πλήρωμα αὐτῆς διά μέσου τῆς συμμετοχῆς εἰς τήν μυστηριακήν καί τήν καθόλου πνευματικήν ζωήν τοῦ θεοϊδρύτου ἐκκλησιαστικοῦ σώματος. Οὕτως, ἡ οἱαδήποτε τάσις αὐτοσχεδιασμοῦ καί κίνησις, προσωπική ἤ συλλογική, περιφρονήσεως ἤ
ἀθετήσεως τῶν δογμάτων τῆς πίστεως τῶν Ὀρθοδόξων χριστιανῶν καί τῆς ἐν Χριστῷ ζωῆς ἐντός τῆς Ἐκκλησίας ὡς μόνης ὁδοῦ διά τήν σωτηρίαν τῶν ψυχῶν ἡμῶν, πολλῷ δέ μᾶλλον τῆς αὐτοανακηρύξεως προσώπων ὡς «δῆθεν χαρισματικῶν», ἀπεδοκιμάσθη πάντοτε ὡς ἀπαράδεκτος καινοτομία.

Ὑπό τό πνεῦμα τοῦτο, καί διά τήν ὀφειλετικήν προστασίαν τοῦ μέν εὐσεβοῦς ὀρθοδόξου πληρώματος ἐξ ἐπικινδύνων πνευματικῶν συγχύσεων, τῶν δέ μή γνωριζόντων καλῶς τά πράγματα ἐκ τοῦ
ἐλλοχεύοντος κινδύνου τῆς πλάνης, ἀποδοκιμάζονται ὑπό τῆς Μητρός Ἐκκλησίας αἱ
ὑπό τῆς Βασιλικῆς Παρασκευῆς Πεντάκη – Ρύντεν, εὐρύτερον γνωστῆς ὡς «Βασούλας», καί τῆς ὑπ᾿ αὐτῆς ἱδρυθείσης ὀργανώσεως ὑπό τόν τίτλον «Ἀληθινή ἐν Θεῷ ζωή» ἀκρίτως καί ἐπιπολαίως εἰσαγόμεναι διδασκαλίαι περί τῶν δῆθεν «ἀπ᾿ εὐθείας διαλόγων της μετά τοῦ
Ἱδρυτοῦ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ» καί τῆς κατακτήσεως ὑπ᾿ αὐτῆς τε καί τῶν ὀπαδῶν της τῆς «ἀληθινῆς ἐν Θεῷ ζωῆς», αἱ
ὁποῖαι παρεκκλίνουν αὐθαιρέτως τῆς θεοσδότου διδασκαλίας τῆς Ἐκκλησίας, ἀλλά καί σκανδαλίζουν τό ὀρθόδοξον φρόνημα τῶν εὐλαβῶν πιστῶν.

Ὅθεν, καλοῦμεν τούς εἰσηγητάς τῶν ἀπαραδέκτων αὐτῶν καινοτομιῶν καί τούς ἐμμένοντας εἰς αὐτάς ὑποστηρικτάς των, οἱ
ὁποῖοι τούτου ἕνεκα δέν γίνονται δεκτοί εἰς ἐκκλησιαστικήν κοινωνίαν, ὄχι μόνον νά μή παρεμβαίνουν εἰς τό ποιμαντικόν ἔργον τῶν κατά τόπους Ἱερῶν Μητροπόλεων, ἀλλά καί νά ἀποκηρύξουν τάς καινοφανεῖς διδασκαλίας των, ὥστε νά προληφθοῦν αἱ
ὑπό τῶν Ἱερῶν Κανόνων προβλεπόμεναι κυρώσεις.

Ἐκφράζομεν, τέλος, τήν βαθεῖαν λύπην τοῦ Οἰκουμενικοῦ Πατριαρχείου ἐκ τῆς ἐνεργείας ἐνίων –ἐλαχίστων, εὐτυχῶς- κληρικῶν τῆς Ὀρθοδόξου Ἐκκλησίας νά παρευρίσκωνται εἰς ὁμιλίας τῆς εἰρημένης «Βασούλας» καί νά παρέχουν εἰς αὐτήν «πιστοποιητικά Ὀρθοδοξίας».

Ἐν τοῖς Πατριαρχείοις, τῇ 16ῃ Μαρτίου 2011
Ἐκ τῆς Ἀρχιγραμματείας τῆς Ἁγίας καί Ἱερᾶς Συνόδου

[Also see
http://www.impantokratoros.gr/ecumenical_patriarchate_vasoula.en.aspx]

The Orthodox Church, following strictly the shining example and teaching of the Holy Apostles, the teaching of the Fathers of the Church who have their succession, and the divinely-inspired decisions of the Ecumenical Synods, safeguards as a pearl of great price the faith of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church which the Christian plenitude experiences through their participation in the Sacraments and entire spiritual life of the divinely-founded ecclesiastical body.
Hence, whatever movement and improvised tension, personal or collective, in contempt or in breach of the dogmas of the Orthodox Christian faith and life in Christ within the Church as the only path for the salvation of our souls, all the more the self-proclaimed “supposedly charismatic” personality, is rejected always as an unacceptable innovation.

In this spirit, and for the beneficial protection of our pious Orthodox plenitude from dangerous spiritual confusion, who do not know well matters underlying the risk of delusion, denounces from the Mother Church Vasiliki Paraskevis Pentaki-Ryden, widely known as “Vassula”, and her organization founded under the title “True Life In God” which rashly and frivolously proposes teachings based on the supposed “direct dialogue between her and the Founder of the Church Jesus Christ our Lord”, and those conquered by her and the supporters of “True Life In God”, which deviate arbitrarily from the God-given teaching of the Church, but also scandalize the Orthodox phronema* of pious believers.

Hence, we call upon the proponents of these unacceptable innovations and the supporters who maintain them, who henceforth are not admitted to ecclesiastical communion, not only to not be involved in the pastoral work of the local Holy Metropolis, but also to not preach their novel teachings, to prevent the appropriate sanctions under the Holy Canons.

We express, lastly, the profound sorrow of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of the acts of some – fortunately few – clergy of the Orthodox Church to be found at talks of the said “Vassula” and give to her a “certificate of Orthodoxy.”

At the Patriarchate, the 16th of March 2011
Of the Chief Secretariat of the Holy and Sacred Synod

*Phronema is a Greek term that is used in Orthodox theology to refer to mindset or outlook; it is the Orthodox mind. The attaining of phronema is a matter of practicing the correct faith (orthodoxia) in the correct manner (orthopraxia).

Source: http://orthodoxwiki.org/Phronema

At the Antiochian Orthodox Christian archdiocese of North America site: http://www.antiochian.org/node/25563

http://web.archive.org/web/20110713114351/http://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2011/04/my-translation-of-decree-against.html

By John Sanidopoulos, April 4, 2011

A few days ago I received an anonymous email telling me to correct my translation of the patriarchal decree denouncing Vassula Ryden, which can be read here along with the original Greek below it. The email simply said: “Attached is a more correct translation of the announcement of The Ecumenical Patriarchate… Please post this correct one…” They thus offered me an alternative translation to post which for the most part was similar to mine though certain words were more an interpretation rather than a literal translation.

Of particular interest to this person (or people) was that I correct the two lines which I translated as “rejects from the Mother Church Vasiliki Paraskevis Pentaki” and “who henceforth are not admitted to ecclesiastical communion“. Essentially they thought my translation was too strong, and that a more accurate translation would in fact deflate the intensity of the statement. Of the first they wrote in a footnote: “In the original Greek text, the word αποδοκιμάζω means disapproved, not reject.” Of the second they wrote: “The Greek word κοινωνίαν does not mean Holy Communion (Eucharist), but communion in the sense of community.”

Now I don’t consider myself a Greek scholar in any sense, but I do know Greek good enough to be able to translate things. I do make errors and always welcome corrections. For example, after I published my translation of this decree on my blog the day after it was issued by the Ecumenical Patriarchate, a few days later I received an email telling me that I made an error in one word in my translation. It was in the last paragraph where I translated: “We express, lastly, the profound sorrow of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of the acts of nine….” The number “nine” was pointed out to me to be a mistranslation of ἐνίων, which is an ancient Greek word thrown into the text and would be better translated as “some”. Glad to be corrected in my error, I made the correction.

However, the correction offered to me did not sound reasonable, especially in the context of the decree. There was obviously an agenda at play here by a sympathizer of Vassula. This is the letter with which I responded to the anonymous email:

I think your translation is more interpretation than an exact translation. For example, your translation of λαμπρόν as “glorious” is a mistranslation. “Shining” or “bright” is more accurate. Also, Ὑπό τό πνεῦμα τοῦτο is not “In this light” but rather “In this spirit”. There are others, but I hope you see my point.
Your first footnote is a bit too soft compared to the literal translation. I would agree however that the word “denounced” is more accurate and will change this.
Your second footnote is a copy of my translation, where the meaning is both communal and sacramental, as one cannot be separated from the other.
I accept corrections on translations I make as I usually do them very quickly and without an editor, but my approach is to always provide literal translations (especially on official texts) rather than try to interpret the spirit of something which often leads to rewriting a text.
Thank you,
John

I received no response.

This morning I received an email from a woman named Maria Laura Pio who runs the website http://www.infovassula.ch/. She is an ex-follower of Vassula and the website is critical of her teachings and activities primarily from a Roman Catholic perspective. Maria expressed her appreciation for my translation and even had it checked by a Greek friend of hers. She further told me the following: “As was to be expected, and following the same logic used to twist the Vatican documents, Mrs. Ryden’s association is not only challenging the validity of the decree, but they are also internally circulating a different translation of it.” This put everything in better perspective for me.

In the email was included the translation, though it was a bit different from what was sent to me. They in fact took my advice and made the text closer to a literal translation in the parts I mentioned, but they still altered the words and meaning they particularly asked me to change in the footnotes to their text.

It should be noted as well that it seems Vassula is not only denying her denouncement and excommunication, but even the validity of the decree itself. Introducing the text of their translation there is written as an introduction the following:

An announcement has appeared on the website of the Ecumenical Patriarchate (Constantinople) regarding Vassula and True Life in God. A translation is copied at the bottom of this email.
Vassula states that the document is not signed nor does it contain the seal that it comes from the Patriarch himself. Normally the Patriarch signs it and adds his seal with his signature. Nevertheless, Vassula believes that the Patriarch will be aware of the document.
As in the case of the Notification of 1995 from the Vatican, there has been no dialogue between the Patriarchate and Vassula. Vassula invites all who read and love the True Life in God messages to write and complain to Patriarch Bartholomew at the following address:
His All Holiness Bartholomew, Archbishop of Constantinople, Rum Patrikhanesi, 342 20 Fener- Haliç, Istanbul, Turkey

The document however was in fact issued by the Ecumenical Patriarchate and is posted on their official website. Vassula and her followers are seeking to soften and deny this reality. The reality however is clearly written in the official document which I translated here.

[Also at
http://web.archive.org/web/20110713114542/http://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2011/04/my-translation-of-decree-against.html
with a comment from TLIG’s Nilotpal Datta: Your fight against Vassula is the fight against the Holy Spirit, how much you try, you will never succeed…]

ONE COMMENT AT
http://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2011/03/announcement-on-vassula-ryden-by.html

Thank you John for the translation! Here in Switzerland we could never get a clear condemnation or official declaration concerning this sect by the hierarchy of Constantinople, and lots of simple, naive, but pious people got trapped in this pseudo teaching since it was not officially condemned!
I will post this on my blog http://orthodoxologie.blogspot.com/ tomorrow (March 19, 2011)
Keep up the good work! In Christ, subdeacon Claude (Lopez-Ginisty)

L’Eglise orthodoxe, suivant strictement l’exemple et l’enseignement éclatants des Saints Apôtres, l’enseignement des Pères de l’Église qui leur ont succédés, et les décisions d’inspiration divine des Conciles œcuméniques, garde comme une perle de grand prix la foi de l’Eglise une, sainte, catholique et apostolique que le plérôme des chrétiens connaît à travers sa participation aux Sacrements et à la vie spirituelle de l’ensemble divinement fondé du corps ecclésiastique.

Ainsi, quel que soit le mouvement et la tension improvisée, personnelle ou collective, au mépris ou en violation des dogmes de la foi chrétienne orthodoxe, et la vie en Christ dans l’Eglise comme unique voie pour le salut de nos âmes, la personnalité auto-proclamée “soi-disant charismatique”, est toujours d’autant plus rejetée comme innovation inacceptable.

Dans cet esprit, et pour la protection bénéfique de notre pieux plérôme orthodoxe, de la confusion spirituelle dangereuse, qui ne connaît pas bien les questions sous-jacentes au risque de l’illusion [spirituelle], rejette de la Mère Église Vasiliki Pentaki Paraskevis – Ryden, largement connue sous le nom de “Vassoula”, et son organisation fondée sous le titre de “La Vraie Vie en Dieu” qui témérairement et frivolement propose un enseignement basé sur un prétendu “dialogue direct entre elle et le fondateur de l’Église, le Christ Jésus notre Seigneur”, et ceux conquis par elle et les partisans de “La Vraie Vie en Dieu “, qui s’écartent de façon arbitraire de l’enseignement donné par Dieu de l’Eglise, mais qui scandalisent aussi l’esprit orthodoxe des pieux croyants.

Par conséquent, nous appelons les promoteurs de ces innovations inacceptables et les partisans qui les entretiennent, qui désormais ne sont pas admis à la communion ecclésiastique, non seulement de ne pas être impliqués dans le travail pastoral de la section locale de la Sainte Métropole, mais aussi de ne pas prêcher leur nouvel enseignement, pour éviter les sanctions appropriées en vertu des saints canons.

Nous exprimons enfin, la profonde tristesse du Patriarcat œcuménique pour les actes de neuf (ils sont – heureusement- peu nombreux) membres du clergé de l’Eglise Orthodoxe qui se trouvent à des causeries de ladite “Vassoula” et lui donnent un “certificat d’Orthodoxie.”

Au Patriarcat, le 16 Mars 2011
Du Secrétariat général du Saint et Sacré Synode

Version française d’après http://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2011/03/announcement-on-vassula-ryden-by.html

sur l’excellent blog de John Sanidopoulos

Claude Lopez-Ginisty March 18, 2011

See

PRIVATE REVELATION

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/PRIVATE_REVELATION.doc

VASSULA RYDEN-PROBLEMS WITH ROME BUT WELCOME IN INDIA

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/VASSULA_RYDEN-PROBLEMS_WITH_ROME_BUT_WELCOME_IN_INDIA.doc

VASSULA RYDEN-A CDF NOTIFICATION BISHOPS WARNINGS AND THEOLOGICAL CRITIQUES

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/VASSULA_RYDEN-A_CDF_NOTIFICATION_BISHOPS_WARNINGS_AND_THEOLOGICAL_CRITIQUES.doc

VASSULA RYDEN-THE EUCHARIST AND INTERCOMMUNION ONE DATE AND PAN-CHRISTIAN ECUMENISM

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/VASSULA_RYDEN-THE_EUCHARIST_AND_INTERCOMMUNION_ONE_DATE_AND_PAN-CHRISTIAN_ECUMENISM.doc

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/VASSULA_RYDEN-EXCOMMUNICATED_OR_NOT-A_LAW_SUIT.doc

VASSULA RYDEN-THE REASONS FOR THE CHURCH’S NEGATIVE REACTION

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/VASSULA_RYDEN-THE_REASONS_FOR_THE_CHURCHS_NEGATIVE_REACTION.doc

VASSULA RYDEN-FR FRANCOIS MARIE DERMINE

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/VASSULA_RYDEN-FR_FRANCOIS_MARIE_DERMINE.doc

VASSULA RYDEN-FR MITCH PACWA

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/VASSULA_RYDEN-FR_MITCH_PACWA.doc

VASSULA RYDEN-FR PETER JOSEPH

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/VASSULA_RYDEN-FR_PETER_JOSEPH.doc

VASSULA RYDEN-FR BRIAN HARRISON

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/VASSULA_RYDEN-FR_BRIAN_HARRISON.doc

VASSULA RYDEN-MARIA LAURA PIO

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/VASSULA_RYDEN-MARIA_LAURA_PIO.doc

VASSULA RYDEN-MARK WATERINCKX

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/VASSULA_RYDEN-MARK_WATERINCKX.doc

VASSULA RYDEN-CARDINAL BASIL HUME

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/VASSULA_RYDEN-CARDINAL_BASIL_HUME.doc

VASSULA RYDEN-A CRITIQUE-DIALOGUE CENTRE INTERNATIONAL

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/VASSULA_RYDEN-A_CRITIQUE-DIALOGUE_CENTRE_INTERNATIONAL.doc

VASSULA RYDEN’S JESUS-INGERLISE PROVSTGAARD

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/VASSULA_RYDENS_JESUS-INGERLISE_PROVSTGAARD.doc

VASSULA RYDEN-RICHARD SALBATO

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/VASSULA_RYDEN-RICHARD_SALBATO.doc

VASSULA RYDEN-JOE NICKELL

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/VASSULA_RYDEN-JOE_NICKELL.doc

VASSULA RYDEN-CAREY WINTERS

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/VASSULA_RYDEN-CAREY_WINTERS.doc

VASSULA RYDEN-CONSTANCE CUMBEY

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/VASSULA_RYDEN-CONSTANCE_CUMBEY.doc

VASSULA RYDEN-RONALD L CONTE

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/VASSULA_RYDEN-RONALD_L_CONTE.doc

VASSULA RYDEN-AN ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/VASSULA_RYDEN-AN_ORTHODOX_CHRISTIAN.doc

VASSULA RYDEN-LAURENCE ENGLAND

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/VASSULA_RYDEN-LAURENCE_ENGLAND.doc

VASSULA RYDEN-LAURETTE ELSBERRY

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/VASSULA_RYDEN-LAURETTE_ELSBERRY.doc

VASSULA RYDEN-MURIEL

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/VASSULA_RYDEN-MURIEL.doc

VASSULA RYDEN-RICHARD CHONAK

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/VASSULA_RYDEN-RICHARD_CHONAK.doc
VASSULA RYDEN-TERRY NELSON

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/VASSULA_RYDEN-TERRY_NELSON.doc

VASSULA RYDEN-THEOTOKOS

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/VASSULA_RYDEN-THEOTOKOS.doc

VASSULA RYDEN-CATHOLIC ANSWERS

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/VASSULA_RYDEN-CATHOLIC_ANSWERS.doc

VASSULA RYDEN-CATHOLIC DOORS

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/VASSULA_RYDEN-CATHOLIC_DOORS.doc

VASSULA RYDEN-BENEDICT TANG

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/VASSULA_RYDEN-BENEDICT_TANG.doc

VASSULA RYDEN-BRO IGNATIUS MARY

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/VASSULA_RYDEN-BRO_IGNATIUS_MARY.doc

VASSULA RYDEN-INTERNATIONAL MARIAN RESEARCH INSTITUTE

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/VASSULA_RYDEN-INTERNATIONAL_MARIAN_RESEARCH_INSTITUTE.doc

VASSULA RYDEN-INVESTIGATE VASSULA

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/VASSULA_RYDEN-INVESTIGATE_VASSULA.doc

VASSULA RYDEN-APPARITIONSITES.COM

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/VASSULA_RYDEN-APPARITIONSITES.COM.doc

VASSULA RYDEN-EWTN

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/VASSULA_RYDEN-EWTN.doc

VASSULA RYDEN-SUSAN BRINKMANN

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/VASSULA_RYDEN-SUSAN_BRINKMANN.doc

VASSULA RYDEN-TE DEUM

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/VASSULA_RYDEN-TE_DEUM.doc

VASSULA RYDEN-DANIEL KLIMEK

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/VASSULA_RYDEN-DANIEL_KLIMEK.doc

VASSULA RYDEN-TONY-ALLEN CUCOLO

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/VASSULA_RYDEN-TONY-ALLEN_CUCOLO.doc

VASSULA RYDEN-SGERBIC

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/VASSULA_RYDEN-SGERBIC.doc

VASSULA RYDEN-ASK A CATHOLIC

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/VASSULA_RYDEN-ASK_A_CATHOLIC.doc

VASSULA RYDEN-TESTIMONIES

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/VASSULA_RYDEN_TESTIMONIES.doc

VASSULA RYDEN-ORTHODOX CHRISTIANITY

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/VASSULA_RYDEN-ORTHODOX_CHRISTIANITY.doc

VASSULA RYDEN-SEMPER FI

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/VASSULA_RYDEN-SEMPER_FI.doc

VASSULA RYDEN-CATHOLIC-PAGES.COM

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/VASSULA_RYDEN-CATHOLIC-PAGES.COM.doc

VASSULA RYDEN-CHRISTIANFORUMS.COM

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/VASSULA_RYDEN-CHRISTIANFORUMS.COM.doc

VASSULA RYDEN-NOTIFICATION
CDF, OCTOBER 6, 1995

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/VASSULA_RYDEN-NOTIFICATION.doc

VASSULA RYDEN-THE TLIG APOLOGISTS

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/VASSULA_RYDEN-THE_TLIG_APOLOGISTS.doc

Categories: False Mystics

Tags: Vassula Ryden