SHOCK: Metropolitan Evloghios Retires Episcopal Rank to Join MP

In what could well be the death-knell to the Milan Synod’s organization in Europe, Metropolitan Evloghios has officially decided to cease celebrating as a Bishop and celebrate as a priest, according to the website “ihtis.wordpress.com“, in order to facilitate union with the Moscow Patriarchate. The official website of the Milan Synod, metropoliadimilano.it,  is gone.

Pictures on the website’s notes for Palm Sunday also show the Metropolitan vested as a simple priest. It can be assumed, with the sudden “retirement” of the First-Hierarch, that no successor will be chosen from among the three remaining active Bishops. It is unclear, however, whether they will follow Metropolitan Evloghios into the Moscow Patriarchate.

Metropolitan John of New York, First-Hierarch of the Metropolia of North and South America and the British Isles, which until the break in communion in 2011 (due to Milan’s potential union with the Moscow Patriarchate) was the second highest ranking prelate among the Western Bishops, had no immediate comment for publication at the news, except to express general sadness at Metropolitan Evloghios’ decision, and he said a “statement would be issued” concerning the European parishes– to be made after discussion with other Bishops of the Synod. Indications were such a statement could be issued as early as this evening.