By Yorgo KIRBAKI
ATHENS - Hürriyet/TDN - Fener Greek Patriarch Bartholomeos has dismissed two of his top aides after they allegedly undermined the patriarchate`s credibility with their actions.
Bartholomeos dismissed Sivas (Sevastia) Metropolitan Dimitrios, who allegedly longed to become the patriarch, and his "right hand man" Alasehir (Philadelphia) Metropolitan Meliton from the patriarchate`s administration in Fener, within the scope of a revision plan being kept secret at the patriarchate.
Bartholomeos first dismissed the patriarchate`s principal clerk, Dimitrios, with a sudden decision, and then accepted without any hesitation the resignation letter of the secretariat coordinator, Meliton, who was known to be the patriarch`s right hand man until recently. The Greek press commented on Bartholomeos` "cleanup" attempts by reporting, "Fener is now closer to Ankara."
Both Dimitrios and Meliton were characterized as extremely authoritarian harsh personalities that got their way at the patriarchate. The two were responsible for foreign visiting delegations and overseas communication. It was Dimitrios and Meliton who established contacts with foreign politicians and diplomats. They were responsible for the patriarchate`s administration when Bartholomeos was abroad.
Holy Alliance
Both Metropolitans had ambitions of becoming patriarchs, according to some sources. Therefore, they supposedly entered a "holy alliance" and declared a kind of "kingdom of their own" at the patriarchate. Dimitrios has longed to become the Kadyköy (Halkedon) Metropolitan, who is considered "second to the throne," according to the hierarchical structure of the Fener Greek Orthodox Patriarchate. Dimitrios wanted to take advantage of the fact that Kadyköy Metropolitan Meliton (who shares the same name as the Ala_ehir metropolitan) was sick, and was pressuring Bartholomeos to be assigned to the post. Following the Sivas metropolitan`s personal attacks on Bartholomeos, the patriarch demanded the metropolitan either apologize or resign.
When the Ala_ehir Metropolitan Meliton, the secretariat coordinator, who is also responsible for Greek foundations and educational topics and known to have been the patriarch`s right hand man until recently, backed Dimitrios, Bartholomeos also accepted Meliton`s resignation letter dismissing him from the patriarchate`s administration.
Tense relations
Meliton allegedly followed policies that "cast shadows" on the patriarchate`s relations with Ankara, Athens and Moscow, raising tensions between the parties. Meliton is also said to have leaked information to the Greek press that put Bartholomeos in a difficult position. Church circles commented on Bartholomeos` decision to dismiss two very powerful figures in the patriarchate from the administration by saying, "The patriarch showed that he ruled the game."