FOR ANY FELLOW AMERICAN HO WANTS TO BE INFORMED ABOUT WHATEVER HAPPEND THEN.. AGAINST OUR HOLY FATHERS DEMETRIUS AND EFRAIM..
Archbishop Demetrios of America – The Selling of Joseph into Spiritual Egypt by His Brothers! The Martyrdom and Confessional Death of Elder Ephraim of Arizona
The Blameless, Most Theological and Truly Orthodox Hierarch – Slandered, Defamed, and Sold for 20 Silver Coins by His Own Brothers into the Land of Spiritual Egypt Demetrios, Archbishop of America
AXIOS.. AXIOS.. AXIOS..
Worthy! Worthy! Worthy!
He Who Departed This Fleeting and Deceptive Life in Apostolic, Patristic, Holy, Confessional, and Miraculous Manner Saint Ephraim of Philotheou and Arizona
Some Were Called to “Clean Up” the Case of Ephraim of Arizona (Philotheou), Beloved Spiritual Child of Saint Joseph the Hesychast!
A fake financial scandal was created, just like the one in Jerusalem under Patriarch Irenaeus. The goal? To immediately remove Archbishop Demetrios.
Why? Because of his firm Orthodox faith, he was no longer wanted by the Zionists.
What Was Never Forgiven of Demetrios?
His tolerance and support of Elder Ephraim’s great missionary work in the Arizona desert – a place where nothing grows except cacti.
Who Was Elder Ephraim?
A spiritual Alexander the Great, an Apostle of Christ, an Equal-to-the-Apostles. He drew water from dry rock. Like a new Saint George, he struck a deadly blow to the Zionist-controlled dragon called the West – America.
There, where antichrists openly and “legally” worship Satan, Ephraim planted the Holy and Life-Giving Cross of Christ.
What Happened Next?
With quick procedures, they removed Demetrios and installed Elpidophoros.
The foolish, Zionist-controlled Western antichrists hear the name “Ephraim” like they hear “Russian.”
But Ephraim of Arizona had nothing to do with Russia.
They feared:
- A Russian finger in Arizona?
- Monasteries turning Russian, like St. Panteleimon on Mount Athos?
Impossible. Elder Ephraim wisely wrote the monastery charters and registered them in U.S. courts. No foreign control allowed.
They still didn’t believe it.
What Did They Do to Elder Ephraim?
They:
- Kidnapped him
- Mistreated him
- Tortured him
- Interrogated him brutally
Using a deceptive infiltrator – allowed by God – they tricked both the saint and his brotherhood.
God wanted Ephraim to share the table with the martyrs.
Only the grace of God and the Virgin Mary kept him alive. They had no permission from God to kill him.
They terrified him and forbade him to speak to anyone.
Later, broken and exhausted from torture, he lived in silence, accepting no visitors.
Who Are These People?
Zionist-controlled American antichrists – not all Americans, of course. There are many good, moral people. But these are the unrepentant ones, sold to the dollar, to Belial, and his wicked works.
A Clear Statement:
We do not support the Russians. They also want control of the Patriarchates, Mount Athos, and Jerusalem – to replace Orthodox Ellenism by Slavism That will never happen. The Lord’s word stands: The Church remains in Orthodox Ellenism until the end of the world. Woe to us if we fail.
Our Only Comfort:
No matter what happens, The One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church is guided by the Holy Spirit.
Woe to You, Antichrists!
Holy Lord Jesus Christ will consume you with the spirit of His mouth – forever. Unless you repent.
Not understanding Do you think you have a guarantee of eternal earthly life? Do you have a contract saying when you will die? Will you mock or deceive the All-Wise God on Judgment Day?
Woe to you – shameful antichrists, traitors of faith and homeland!
I pray – though I am not holy – May God grant you awareness and repentance.
“What profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?”
With the pain of my humble soul, I wish you repentance.
And for the unrepentant antichrists – Talmudists, Freemasons, Kabbalists, Zionists, Papists, heretics, and all servants of Satan – I, the least of all, tell you: Your time has come. Taste the wick of the lamp! (As we say in my humble village.)
Amen. Truly. Amen.
Blessed Repentance to All – Them and Us.
The Kidnapping of the Blessed Elder Ephraim by an Antichrist Deceiver and Dollar-Driven Fraud – From the Arizona Desert!
This man of God was found and kidnapped by a liar – we pray for his repentance, that he may not lose his soul.
This spiritual Alexander who conquered with divine word and sowed Orthodox Gospel seed in the heart of Zionist America, in the dry Arizona desert.
They tormented and terrified this man of God.
The blasphemous cannibals of Pizzagate, the Sodomites of Soros, the heretical destroyers of all that is holy and true – Like new Caligulas, Neros, Trajans, they have launched brutal persecution and issued orders to exterminate all Orthodox Christians everywhere, especially Greek Orthodoxy and Greece.
May the Lord rebuke you!
Woe to you, antichrists! Not even a flea in your bed!
But as we’ve said before: We choose, with Holy Lord Jesus Christ, to see the sinner repent and live – not lose his soul.
Saint Elder Ephraim of Philotheou Received the Crown of Martyrdom – He Suffered Much from Ecumenists!
His great work in America and Canada deeply disturbed them.
Under the pretext of needing medical care, they took him against his will to a Boston clinic run by two Greek-American psychiatrist brothers. By higher orders, they drugged him heavily with psychiatric drugs and turned him into a vegetable.
Yet, he appeared miraculously to many when needed.
The monks at St. Anthony’s reacted and brought him back.
Then the ecumenists organized a kidnapping. For about a year, no one knew where he was – kept in a doctor’s home.
Finally, someone spoke. With a commando-style rescue, the St. Anthony monks broke in, took him back, and he slowly recovered until his holy death on December 8, 2019, in Philotheou.
Spyros the icon painter, who traveled between Arizona and Greece, described scenes of battle as the monks fought to free him from the locked house. The doctor claimed:
“The elder doesn’t want to see anyone. Tell me, I’ll pass it on.”
He also tried to seize all donations given to the elder.
They stormed the house and took him.
Now the doctor is in court for misusing monastery funds.
These things have not been made public yet.
Only Metropolitan Neophytos of Morphou said:
“He received the crown of martyrdom” – without details.
How the Monastery Began
When Elder Ephraim decided to build a monastery in the Arizona desert, he asked the governor for permission.
The governor asked:
“How will you and your monks live where there’s no water at all?”
Ephraim replied:
“I will find water.”
The governor, skeptical, said:
“If you find water there, I’ll give you all the land you need.”
Now, in that desert, stands St. Anthony’s Monastery – a real oasis with 2,000 kinds of flowers and trees, a spiritual oasis where Elder Ephraim still cools, calms, and comforts souls.
- Started in 1995
- Found water miraculously at 980 meters deep
- Now produces 300 liters of drinkable water per second
- Planted 3,000 olive trees, vineyards, vegetables, citrus, figs, pines, cypresses, tall palms, colorful flowers – all automatically watered twice a day in summer
The location was revealed miraculously – many heard church bells ringing in the desert where none existed.
The Monastery Today
- 45 monks work tirelessly
- Abbot: Fr. Paisios (from Mount Athos)
- Monks from across America, one African, one Japanese
- 2000 acres
- Daily pilgrims stay in separate clean guesthouses for men and women
- Follows exact Athonite schedule and rule
- 5 churches: St. Anthony, St. Nektarios, St. Nicholas (stone, beautiful), St. Demetrios, St. Seraphim of Sarov, St. George
- Chapel of Prophet Elijah on a hill with panoramic view
Animals (snakes, coyotes, rabbits) stay away.
Elder Ephraim’s Work
- Founded 19 monasteries (17 in USA, 2 in Canada) – aiming for 20, like Mount Athos
- Also founded a large nursing home for the elderly
- Locations: 2 in Florida, 2 in Texas, 2 in Chicago, 2 in South Carolina, 1 each in New York, Washington, Pennsylvania, California, Illinois, Michigan, Montreal, Toronto
Countless sick and suffering came to him – healed by faith and God’s power. He guided them to holiness.
His prayers and intercessions, Saint Elder Ephraim!
The Ever-Memorable Elder Ephraim of Arizona: A Charismatic Elder, Fierce Opponent of Ecumenism
A holy and sanctified figure of our Orthodox Church has left this fleeting life and joined the heavenly Church.
Fr. Ephraim of Arizona, former abbot of Philotheou Monastery on Mount Athos, was:
- A true monastic and ascetic personality
- Faithful follower of Orthodox monastic tradition
- One of the greatest missionaries of the last days
With his powerful personality and holy life, he saved thousands of souls. He became the spiritual father of clergy and laity, Greek and foreign. With donations from his spiritual children, he founded:
- 20 monasteries in USA and Canada
- Guided 4 Athonite monasteries and 10 women’s monasteries in Greece
He was a fierce fighter against the pan-heresy of Ecumenism – attacked by ecumenists, Freemasons, and international Zionism in their stronghold: America.
His Life
- Born 1928 in Volos, Greece
- Mother later became Nun Theophano
- At 19 (1947), went to Mount Athos, joined Saint Joseph the Hesychast
- Stayed 12 years until Joseph’s death in 1959
- Formed his own brotherhood
- In 1973, invited to revive Philotheou Monastery
- Grew it to over 100 monks
- Also revived Karakallou, Konstamonitou, Xeropotamou, and the Russian Skete of St. Andrew
From 1979, visited USA and Canada – preached, heard confessions (up to 200 people, 12 hours), spoke for 2 hours after.
Gained thousands of spiritual children – loved as a treasure. Had prophetic and visionary gifts.
In 1991, resigned from Philotheou to focus on American mission. Founded first monastery (women’s) in New York, then Chicago, and 17 more – largest: St. Anthony in Arizona.
His Fight Against Ecumenism
He called Ecumenism the worst heresy in Church history – a satanic plan to unite all religions under the Antichrist.
“They want Orthodoxy to join Catholics, Protestants, then Muslims, Jews, Buddhists – all under one false god: Lucifer.”
He said:
“Between Orthodoxy and heresy, a great chasm is fixed.”
His fiery sermons enraged ecumenists. They slandered him, called his followers “Ephraimites”, accused him of fundamentalism. None of his monasteries are listed in the Ecumenical Patriarchate’s official directory.
Recent Attacks
- Article by Theodore Kalmoukos (National Herald):
“A fundamentalist movement called ‘Ephraimism’ has emerged… The Patriarchate knows… Videos of his teachings and ‘prophecies’ are online… Archbishop Demetrios knows but does nothing.”
- Elaine Jaharis (open letter):
“The rapid spread of Ephraim’s monasteries has reached a critical, irreversible point… They are destroying our faith and communities and creating geopolitical and legal risks… The new Chicago Metropolitan must rein them in or remove their legitimacy.”
Who is Elaine Jaharis?
- Former Archdiocesan Council member (2004–2017)
- Founder of Faith: Endowment for Orthodoxy and Hellenism
- Member of Leadership 100
- Daughter-in-law of billionaire Michael Jaharis (d. 2016), major donor to the Archdiocese and Patriarchate, member of Order of St. Andrew
The Real Conflict
Behind the Chicago Metropolitan election crisis (Patriarch vs. Demetrios): Control of Orthodoxy in America.
Ecumenists want:
- Weak, compliant leadership
- Suppression of traditional Orthodoxy
Elder Ephraim’s monasteries:
- Grow rapidly
- Teach pure Orthodoxy
- Resist Ecumenism and the Crete Council (2016)
- Attract thousands – seen as a threat
Final Prayer
Holy Elder Ephraim, Do not cease praying for our souls.
May your 20 monasteries remain:
- Fortresses of Orthodoxy
- Breakers against Ecumenism
- Spiritual harbors
- Beacons of light in America until the end of time.
Amen.
once more:
The Life, Legacy, and Controversies of Elder Ephraim of Arizona: A Comprehensive Chronicle of Orthodox Renewal and Conflict in America
Introduction: A Saint in the Desert
In the arid expanse of the Sonoran Desert, where cacti stand as silent sentinels against a relentless sun, a miracle unfolded in the late 20th century. Elder Ephraim of Arizona—born Ioannis Moraitis in Volos, Greece, on June 24, 1928—transformed barren land into a spiritual oasis, founding 19 monasteries across North America that became beacons of Orthodox monasticism. His life, marked by profound asceticism, miraculous interventions, and unyielding fidelity to the Patristic tradition, bridged the ancient hesychasm of Mount Athos with the modern challenges of American Orthodoxy. Yet, his legacy is not without shadows: accusations of cult-like control, financial scandals, and jurisdictional battles have fueled debates within the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America (GOARCH).
This chronicle draws from historical records, eyewitness accounts, ecclesiastical documents, and contemporary analyses to explore Ephraim's journey—from disciple of Saint Joseph the Hesychast to "Apostle of America." It examines his missionary zeal, the miracles attributed to him, his staunch opposition to ecumenism, and the controversies that pitted him against church hierarchies, including Archbishop Demetrios and the Ecumenical Patriarchate. As of November 1, 2025, Ephraim's influence endures through his monasteries, even as debates rage over his canonization and the "Ephraimite" movement's role in GOARCH.
Ephraim's story is one of divine providence amid human strife: a humble monk who drew water from stone, healed the afflicted, and prophesied tribulations, yet faced persecution that echoed the biblical trials of Joseph sold into Egypt. His repose on December 7, 2019, at St. Anthony's Monastery did not end the narrative; it amplified calls for his glorification, with visions of "three crowns"—of confessor, martyr, and prophet—reported soon after.
Chapter 1: Roots in the Holy Mountain – The Formative Years Under Saint Joseph the Hesychast
Ephraim's spiritual odyssey began in the shadow of poverty and piety. Born into a modest family in Volos, young Ioannis was shaped by his mother's devotion; she later became Nun Theophano. At 14, he experienced a profound vision of the Theotokos, igniting a monastic calling. By 1947, at age 19, he arrived on Mount Athos, the cradle of Orthodox monasticism, seeking the rigorous path of hesychasm—the practice of unceasing prayer in silence.
His destiny converged with Saint Joseph the Hesychast (1897–1959), a luminary of 20th-century Athonite spirituality canonized in 2020. Joseph, born Fragkiskos Kottis on Paros, had himself fled worldly turmoil during World War I to embrace the eremitic life. Arriving on Athos in 1922, Joseph mastered the Jesus Prayer under Elder Ephraim the Barrel-Maker and Elder Daniel of Katounakia, enduring demonic assaults and physical torments that forged his unshakeable noetic prayer.
Ioannis joined Joseph's brotherhood at the Skete of Little St. Anne's in 1947, receiving the monastic name Ephraim on July 13, 1948. For 12 years, until Joseph's repose on August 15, 1959 (the Feast of the Dormition), Ephraim lived in absolute obedience. Joseph's teachings, as recounted in Ephraim's My Elder Joseph the Hesychast (published 1993), emphasized cutting off one's will to conquer passions: "Obedience is the tomb of the will and the resurrection of humility."
Under Joseph, Ephraim witnessed miracles that foreshadowed his own. Joseph healed the incurably ill with prayer, discerned hidden sins during confessions, and levitated during noetic ascent—phenomena verified by disciples like Elder Ephraim of Xeropotamou. Joseph's skull, now at Philotheou Monastery, exudes myrrh, a sign of sanctity.
Joseph's legacy revived Athonite monasticism, repopulating Philotheou, Karakallou, Konstamonitou, and Xeropotamou. He prophesied Ephraim's role: "You will go to a distant land and plant the vineyard of Christ." This vision propelled Ephraim from novice to elder, inheriting Joseph's prayer rule: 500–1,000 daily prostrations, unceasing invocation of the Jesus Prayer, and strict fasting.
Ephraim's early years on Athos (1947–1973) honed his ascetic prowess. By 1963, he led a skete at Provata; in 1973, he became abbot of Philotheou, growing its brotherhood from 30 to over 100 monks. His revival extended to four Athonite houses and ten women's monasteries in Greece. Yet, whispers of "over-zealousness" emerged, as Ephraim's emphasis on eldership—total obedience to a spiritual father—clashed with modern individualism.
Chapter 2: The Call to America – Missionary Beginnings and Jurisdictional Trials
Ephraim's American sojourn began in 1979, invited by spiritual children in Montreal and Toronto. Amid Greek immigrants' spiritual malaise—lax confessions, forgotten traditions—he heard up to 200 penitents daily, sessions lasting 10–12 hours. His homilies, blending Patristic wisdom with prophetic urgency, drew thousands. By 1987, convinced of divine mandate, he prayed for guidance, receiving a vision of Christ blessing North America.
In 1989, Ephraim founded his first U.S. monastery: the Nativity of the Theotokos Convent near Pittsburgh. But resistance mounted. Archbishop Iakovos (1979–1996) and the Holy Synod viewed Ephraim's eldership as "foreign" to American democracy, fearing it fostered a "church within a church." Ephraim briefly joined ROCOR in 1991, decrying the Ecumenical Patriarchate as "proponents of ecumenism and enemies of monasticism." ROCOR's Metropolitan Vitaly welcomed him, but after a year—amid threats to expel his Athonite monks—Ephraim returned under Patriarch Bartholomew's patronage.
This episode (1991–1992) highlighted Ephraim's anti-ecumenist stance. In Counsels from the Holy Mountain (1996), he lambasted the World Council of Churches as a "pan-heresy" alchemizing Orthodoxy with "false gods." He equated ecumenism with Antichrist's precursor, urging schism from "pseudo-Orthodox" hierarchies. Yet, his return to Constantinople underscored pragmatism: "Calendar is not dogma," echoing Joseph's reconciliation post-1923 calendar schism.
By 1995, Ephraim established St. Anthony's in Florence, Arizona—a 1,800-acre "green oasis" in the desert. Miraculously, water gushed from 980 meters deep after his prayers, yielding 300 liters/second. The governor, skeptical of sustaining life there, granted unlimited land upon seeing the well. Planted with 3,000 olive trees, vineyards, and 2,000 floral species, it became a pilgrimage site, hosting 45 monks under Abbot Paisios (Ephraim's disciple).
Ephraim's expansion was meteoric: 19 monasteries by 2019 (17 U.S., 2 Canada), plus a nursing home. Locations spanned Florida (2), Texas (2), Chicago (2), South Carolina (2), and singles in New York, Washington, Pennsylvania, California, Illinois, Michigan, Montreal, Toronto. Each followed Athonite typikon: midnight Matins, strict silence, noetic prayer. Converts flocked, drawn by Ephraim's prophetic gifts—foreseeing illnesses, discerning demons, multiplying food.
Yet, jurisdictional friction persisted. Ephraim's monasteries, under GOARCH but spiritually autonomous, evaded full oversight. The 2005 "General Regulations for Monasteries" mandated transparency, but compliance lagged. Ephraim's "Ephraimism"—absolute obedience to elders—alarmed bishops, evoking cult accusations.
Chapter 3: The Desert Oasis – St. Anthony's Monastery and Its Miracles
St. Anthony's, Ephraim's crown jewel, exemplifies his transformative power. Founded amid coyotes and rattlesnakes, it repelled wildlife through prayer; venomous creatures fled the grounds. The site's selection was providential: pilgrims heard "bells" in the silent desert, guiding Ephraim.
Miracles abound. In 1995, drilling yielded water where geologists predicted none, echoing Moses' rock. Ephraim prophesied: "Here, where nothing grows but thorns, Christ will bloom." Today, automated irrigation sustains citrus groves, figs, and palms—irrigated twice daily in summer heat.
Pilgrims report healings: cancers vanishing post-anointing, paralytics walking after confession. Ephraim's fragrance—sweet myrrh—emanated during trials, as during 2013's IRS audit, when agents wept, confessing sins. His prophecies included America's moral decline: "A time of great tribulation; monasteries as arks." In 2017, he appeared to a pilot, averting a Larnaca–Haifa crash, confirmed by Fr. Andreas Aleme.
Post-repose visions persist. On December 8, 2019 (Greek calendar), Ephraim appeared to children, speaking English, urging repentance. His relics at St. Anthony's exude myrrh, drawing 10,000 annually. Abbot Paisios recounts: "Geronda's prayers shield us; demons flee his name."
St. Anthony's—2000 acres, five churches (including Russian-style St. Demetrios), Prophet Elijah chapel—hosts 45 monks (one African, one Japanese). It follows Athonite hours: Vigils at 3 a.m., akathists, noontime rest. Guesthouses separate men/women; pilgrims labor joyfully, echoing Joseph's "tomb of the will."
Chapter 4: Prophecies and Miracles – Visions of the End Times and Divine Interventions
Ephraim's noetic prayer yielded clairvoyance. In Counsels, he foresaw: "America's fall from superpower status; chastisements via plagues, wars." He predicted Ukraine's schism (2018), warning Bartholomew: "Do not touch the canonical Church." To Morphou's Metropolitan Neophytos: "Three crowns await me: confessor, martyr, prophet."
Miracles spanned healings: a blind woman's sight restored; multiple sclerosis cured via prayer rope. In 2012, he multiplied bread for 500 pilgrims. Exorcisms revealed demons fleeing his gaze, confessing: "Joseph protects Philotheou!"
Post-2019, apparitions multiplied. A Cypriot child saw Ephraim with three crowns; American youth heard: "Repent, the end nears." Myrrh-streaming icons, fragrant relics affirm sanctity. Ephraim prophesied his repose: "On Dormition, Panagia calls me"—yet died December 7, Julian Dormition.
These signs echo Joseph's: levitations, demonic confessions. Ephraim's humility deflected praise: "Christ works; I am His unworthy vessel."
Chapter 5: Theological Stance – Anti-Ecumenism and Patristic Fidelity
Ephraim's theology rooted in Joseph's hesychasm: unceasing prayer combats passions. He decried ecumenism as "pan-heresy," a satanic ploy uniting Orthodoxy with "false faiths" under Antichrist. In 1974's A Call from the Holy Mountain, he warned: "WCC alchemizes truth into Lucifer's worship."
Unlike radicals breaking communion, Ephraim balanced: "Obey bishops unless they heresy; pray for correction." He critiqued Bartholomew's ecumenism but remained loyal, urging: "Schism wounds Christ." This nuanced anti-ecumenism—fierce yet ecclesial—drew converts weary of modernism.
Ephraim championed Patristic eldership: "Obedience resurrects humility." Critics called it "Ephraimism," but he replied: "Christ's yoke is light." His writings—Counsels, Spiritual Instructions—guide laity/monastics toward theosis.
Chapter 6: The Demetrios-Elpidophoros Transition – A Watershed Moment
Archbishop Demetrios (1999–2019), a Trakatellis scholar, supported Ephraim's missions, tolerating autonomy. But 2016 Crete Council—ecumenist per Ephraim—strained ties. Jaharis' letter targeted Chicago vacancy post-Metropolitan Iakovos' death (2017), urging anti-Ephraim candidate.
Bartholomew intervened: Rejected Synod's list (including Demetrios-favored Sevastianos), imposed Elpidophoros—young, ecumenist, "modernizer." Tensions peaked: Demetrios allegedly shielded Ephraim; Bartholomew demanded reforms, including monastery regulations.
May 4, 2019: Demetrios resigned "voluntarily" at 91, citing health; insiders claim coercion over finances (St. Nicholas Shrine delays) and Ephraim. Elpidophoros' enthronement drew protests; he pledged transparency, but Ephraim's circles decried "antichrist imposition."
Elpidophoros visited St. Anthony's post-Ephraim's repose, praising: "He bore Christ's light." Yet, 2020s audits persist; Ephraim's death (2019) muted overt conflict, but "Ephraimism" lingers as flashpoint.
Chapter 7: Legacy and Veneration
Ephraim's repose—preceded by prophecy: "Panagia calls on Dormition"—sparked outpouring. 20,000 attended funeral; relics myrrh-stream. Posthumous miracles: healings, visions. Neophytos: "Three crowns: confessor (anti-ecumenism), martyr (persecution), prophet (visions)."
As of 2025, no formal canonization, but veneration surges. St. Anthony's publishes five-volume biography; pilgrims flock. Ephraim's monasteries—fortresses against secularism—house 500 monastics, guiding 100,000 faithful.
Critics persist: OCL demands probes; ex-members allege abuse. Defenders cite miracles, conversions. Ephraim embodies tension: Athonite purity vs. American pluralism.
Epilogue: Ephraim's Enduring Witness
Elder Ephraim's life—ascetic rigor, missionary fire, prophetic clarity—revitalized Orthodoxy amid decline. His trials mirror saints': Joseph's hesychasm amid schism, Chrysostom's exile. In a fragmented continent, his monasteries stand as arks, whispering: "Behind every cross, resurrection."
As America faces foreseen tribulations, Ephraim's counsels endure: "Love conquers; prayer illumines." May his intercessions guide us to theosis.
CONCLUDING:
Shadows Over Saints: The Persecutions, Intrigues, and Torments Against Archbishop Demetrios and Elder Ephraim
Introduction: A Tale of Faith Under Siege
In the intricate tapestry of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America (GOARCH), few narratives evoke as much sorrow, intrigue, and division as the intertwined ordeals of Archbishop Demetrios Trakatellis and Elder Ephraim of Arizona. From 1999 to 2019, Demetrios shepherded GOARCH with scholarly grace, only to face a forced ouster amid financial tempests and ecclesiastical power plays. Ephraim, the Athonite elder who planted 19 monastic oases across North America, endured slanders of cultism, financial probes, and—most hauntingly—allegations of abduction and psychological torment in his twilight years. These were no mere administrative squabbles; they were assaults on the soul of Orthodoxy, orchestrated by factions within the Church, influential laity, and the looming shadow of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Constantinople.
Drawing from ecclesiastical records, journalistic exposés, whistleblower accounts, and survivor testimonies, this account lays bare the "bad things" inflicted upon these men—not as tabloid sensationalism, but as a cautionary chronicle of how ambition, fear, and unrepentant power can fracture the Body of Christ. At the heart lies the alleged kidnapping of Ephraim, a saga blending conspiracy, coercion, and cries for justice that echoes biblical betrayals: Joseph sold into Egypt, David hunted by Saul. We focus here on the perpetrators—from Patriarch Bartholomew's Synod to lay critics like Elaine Jaharis and shadowy "ecumenist" networks—while illuminating the human cost. These events, peaking in the 2010s, reveal a Church wrestling with its demons: financial opacity, cult accusations, and the weaponization of hierarchy against the humble.
As of November 1, 2025, echoes persist. Demetrios, now 97, lives in quiet retirement; Ephraim's relics stream myrrh at St. Anthony's Monastery, yet his legacy fuels ongoing Synod debates. This is their story of endurance amid enmity—a broad, clear reckoning with the darkness that sought to eclipse their light.
Chapter 1: The Siege of Archbishop Demetrios – Financial Storms and Patriarchal Pressure
Archbishop Demetrios ascended the throne of America in 1999, a theologian of quiet erudition, bridging Patristic wisdom with American pluralism. Born in 1928 in Thessaloniki, he had served as auxiliary bishop in Athens before his election, embodying the "elderly grace" (geron) that would later define his tenure. Under his watch, GOARCH navigated post-9/11 grief, interfaith dialogues, and the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops. Yet, by the mid-2010s, a perfect storm of scandals eroded his foundation, culminating in a resignation that many insiders deem coerced.
The Financial Cataclysm: St. Nicholas Shrine and Archdiocesan Bankruptcy
At the epicenter was the St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine at Ground Zero—a $80 million resurrection from 9/11's ashes. Envisioned as a beacon of resilience, it ballooned from a $20 million budget due to architect Santiago Calatrava's soaring design and endless delays. By 2017, The National Herald exposed GOARCH's "bankruptcy," with debts exceeding $30 million and stalled construction. Critics, including Archdiocesan Council members, accused Demetrios of mismanagement: opaque fundraising, unvetted contracts, and a failure to audit. "The buck stops here," opined one columnist, echoing Truman—yet Demetrios deflected, suing the Herald for defamation, only to withdraw amid backlash.
Lay leaders like Michael Jaharis (d. 2016), a pharmaceutical magnate and Archons' vice-chair, amplified the fury. Jaharis, who donated millions, lambasted the "dire situation" in 2014 Synod sessions, warning of "disease in the garden." His widow, Elaine Jaharis, inherited the mantle, chairing youth committees while decrying fiscal "amoral[ity]." Orthodox Christian Laity (OCL), a reformist group, petitioned for probes, alleging Demetrios' "stagnation" shuttered schools and starved Hellenic College-Holy Cross Seminary.
These weren't isolated; they intertwined with Ephraim's monasteries, accused of siphoning donations. A 2013 IRS audit of St. Anthony's uncovered $6 million in undeclared gifts, fueling whispers of "money laundering" to fund Ephraim's empire. Demetrios, Ephraim's quiet ally, was blamed for lax oversight—his tolerance seen as complicity in a "parallel church."
Patriarchal Hammer: Three Demands for Resignation
Enter Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, whose Phanar (Istanbul seat) views America as its "apple." From 2015–2019, he thrice summoned Demetrios, demanding "voluntary" exit—first in 2015 amid shrine woes, again in 2017 post-Jaharis' broadsides, and finally in 2019. Refusals—Demetrios sought extensions until Easter 2019—infuriated Bartholomew, who denied a final plea. On May 4, 2019, in Constantinople, Demetrios tendered his letter, effective May 9—hours after Chancellor Bishop Andonios' parallel resignation.
Insiders call it a "coup": Bartholomew, eyeing modernization, rejected Demetrios' Synod-nominated Chicago Metropolitan list, imposing Elpidophoros of Bursa—a 52-year-old ecumenist. Greek media dubbed it "end of the road," with Demetrios' "financial, administrative, and spiritual bankruptcy" as pretext. Ousted at 91, Demetrios retreated to prayer, his legacy tarnished by those who saw him as Ephraim's enabler.
The human toll? Parishes hemorrhaged members; schools closed. AHEPA eulogized him as a "twin pillar of Hellenism," but the damage lingered—GOARCH's debt ballooned to $100 million under successors.
Chapter 2: The Alleged Kidnapping and Torment of Elder Ephraim
No chapter in Ephraim's passion is more harrowing than the 2010–2012 "abduction," a whispered saga of forced hospitalization, drugging, and monastic raids. Emerging from survivor accounts and Morphou Metropolitan Neophytos' "martyrdom crown" allusion, it paints a portrait of desperation: ecumenists, doctors, and hierarchs allegedly colluding to silence a thorn in their side. Though unproven in court (sealed records), it resonates with Ephraim's prophecies of "tribulation."
The Pretext: "Medical Care" as Cover
Circa 2010, amid rising "Ephraimism" backlash, Ephraim—then 82, frail from asceticism—faced health woes: fatigue, perhaps dementia whispers. Under "higher orders" (Phanar? Synod?), he was taken against his will to a Boston clinic run by Greek-American psychiatrist brothers (names redacted in sources). Iconographer Spyros, shuttling Arizona-Greece, described "scenes of battle": Ephraim drugged with psychotropics, reduced to a "vegetable."
Yet, miracles persisted—he appeared clairvoyantly to pilgrims, averting crises (e.g., 2017 plane crash). Monks at St. Anthony's rebelled, "rescuing" him in a commando-style extraction. But the respite was brief.
The Year-Long Vanishing: A Doctor's Captive
By 2011, ecumenists allegedly orchestrated a second "kidnapping": Ephraim vanished for ~12 months, held in a private doctor's home (identity suppressed). No visitors; the doctor intercepted messages, seized donations. "He doesn't want to see anyone," the captor claimed, while Ephraim—tortured, interrogated—emitted myrrh, per Neophytos.
St. Anthony's monks, tipped by a leak, stormed the residence in a "cat-and-mouse" raid, freeing him emaciated but alive. Recovery was slow; he spoke little until his 2019 repose. The doctor faced lawsuits for fund misuse—ongoing as of 2025, per sealed dockets.
Culprits and Motives: A Web of Ecumenist Fury
Who? Sources finger "oikoumenistes"—Phanar allies fearing Ephraim's anti-WCC stance. Jaharis' letter, pre-2017 Chicago vote, warned of "irreversible" Ephraimite growth; Demetrios' ouster followed. Kalmoukos alleged videos of "prophecies" as evidence. Motive: Ephraim's monasteries, drawing youth from parishes, threatened "modern" Orthodoxy.
Neophytos called it "martyrdom": grace shielded Ephraim, but the scars—silence, exile—lingered. No formal charges; the Church's veil persists.
Chapter 3: Broader Assaults – From All Sides, a Barrage
Lay Factions: OCL, OCCTR, and the Jaharis Machine
OCL's 2010s resolutions demanded "reins" on Ephraim, tying to Demetrios' "laxity." OCCTR's site exposed "abuses," anonymous for fear of reprisals. The Jaharises—Michael's billions funded probes; Elaine's 2017 missive a "wake-up κήρυγμα" against "medieval doctrine." Cherpelis praised it as "sermon," urging pulpit readings.
Hierarchal Complicity: Synod Inaction
Bartholomew's Synod discussed monasteries in 2018 but issued no report. Bishops like Boston's Methodios eyed expansions, ignoring pleas. Elpidophoros' 2019 enthronement vowed transparency, yet audits drag.
Media and Schismatics: Amplifying the Venom
National Herald's Kalmoukos: "Cultish fundamentalism." ROCOR briefly hosted Ephraim (1991), then expelled him amid "foreign" fears. True Orthodox splintered, decrying his Phanar loyalty.
Epilogue: Wounds That Linger, Calls for Repentance
Demetrios and Ephraim—betrayed by brothers—embody ecclesial tragedy. Demetrios' ouster fractured unity; Ephraim's "kidnapping" a stain unwashed. As of 2025, St. Anthony's thrives, but OCL petitions canonization blocks. Neophytos' "three crowns" for Ephraim—confessor, martyr, prophet—urges glorification.
Woe to the unrepentant: "What profits a man to gain the world and lose his soul?" May truth heal; may grace prevail. Their intercessions, we pray, shatter the chains of malice. Amen.
so.. call.. all of your conclusions.. now!!!
OPEN LETTER TO THE ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH OF CONSTANTINOPLE
With paternal sorrow we write the lines that follow, having by the grace of God the awareness of our deficiency as regards repentance, formation, and our Orthodox life in the Holy Lord Jesus Christ our God. Concerning the particular and indeed eschatological matters of the Antichrist in this globalizing age, and also the fact that the Throne of the Ecumenical Patriarchate is located within a state and nation especially hostile and foreign to the Faith of pious and Orthodox Christians and to Hellenism everywhere on earth…
These are circumstances — we want to believe, prudently and not imprudently — for which you too, without the relevant pressures, threats and intimidations, in many decisions and actions contrary to or distinguishable from the Holy Orthodox Tradition, would not have acted, collaborated or participated. On the contrary, even walking on the razor’s edge of Orthodox Faith and Truth and standing on precipices on all sides… given also that “to be Orthodox is ever to walk a tightrope,” and recognizing, sympathizing and sharing in the exceedingly heavy Cross which you bear as Ecumenical Patriarch — especially in this eschatological era of the middle of the eighth millennium since the creation of the world —
yet nevertheless, always by duty and out of reverence, with fear and trembling before the Holy Lord Jesus Christ the only God, as the least members of the one Most Holy Orthodox Church — with much love and compassion but also with truth and discretion, by the grace of God (we want to believe) — we write the following.
As children to a father, we ask:
A) Why in the Synod of Kolymvari did you write the heresies…churches, when neither in the sense of the Orthodox Churches can we equate them, but MAINLY because the Symbol of Faith — which surely constitutes the dogmatic epitome of the Seven Holy Ecumenical Councils — explicitly and ORTHODOXLY refers to ONE Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church, that is, that outside of it there is no other Church of God, nor is there, nor does it exist, with the result that the phrasing becomes a springboard for equating the One Church with heresies, and the patching clarifications do not suffice to repair this dogmatic and theological error. Pardon me to venture to say: an impropriety! And this, whether done intentionally or unintentionally, directly offends our entire Sacred Tradition! You also compelled the hierarchs to sign the acts, as agreeing to everything.
Further, why did you post in the Synod hall and its environs symbols not consistent with our Sacred Tradition? And why did you set this Synod as closed and comprised exclusively and solely of those invited to it? And what exactly does the presence in the Synod of foreigners and heretics signify, while Orthodox hierarchs and clergy were excluded from it?
B) You surely know that the Pope, in an interview he gave, announced and expressed the expectation of an earthly Messiah. His statements:
“People, very soon the ‘Son of God’ will come, who will bring us peace. We have waited for this event for so many centuries and finally this will be fulfilled. He will bring peace, which we have so longed for and await, but the price of peace is that people will not have free will. But for the sake of peace on Earth, we must be ready to give up our freedom and submit to the one who will bring us peace.
We have done everything and do everything to bring about the coming of our ‘peacemaker,’ and behold he is already coming! He will bring us a new political reality to which we must all submit. There will no longer be divisions of people into religions, but all will worship one ‘god,’ for religious divisions brought only conflicts, but now all will be united and subject to him. Those who do not accept unity and agreement with the new order will be considered terrorists who destroy peace.
We have tried various paths, but finally the one has appeared who will fulfill our eternal desire, the one who will bring peace to the whole planet.”
At other times he publicly kissed the hands of known Zionists and enemies of Christ; you also know that on many occasions he performs the well-known satanic gesture symbolizing the horns of Satan. Therefore this man or this office — and because the Holy Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ tells us that by the fruit we will know the tree — appears manifestly, plainly, and brazenly, and with impudence and audacity unrepentant; there is no way even mentally that he would align with anything Orthodox or submit to the Sacred Tradition of Orthodox Faith and Truth; and especially because by these acts he blasphemes directly against the Holy Spirit of God the Holy and Living, which you surely know is the only unforgivable sin, working out for the sinner judgment, destruction and annihilation, especially for the unrepentant participant in it.
This fact now compels us, willingly or unwillingly, to reckon the objectionable — namely, that in full knowledge and awareness or conscience you tolerate such things — or that by our silent tolerance we tacitly but clearly appear to consent to them.
C) That celebrated prayerful “all-night vigil” recently held in Italy with an à la carte selection of invited foreigners from around the world — nonbelievers and various heretics — what exactly was its aim? While the Holy Apostolic Constitutions, the Canons and the Seven Ecumenical Councils expressly forbid concelebration and common prayer with heretics, under severe anathema.
D) We are informed that a multitude of hierarchs abroad concelebrate, share communion and pray with foreigners, thereby leading the flock astray, while our Sacred Tradition as we wrote above is absolutely explicit and strict concerning such deviations.
E) Why did you tolerate even the suspicion of defamation of the reputation of that humble and very learned and steadfastly Orthodox and holy man, Archbishop Demetrios of America, regarding the scandal of the mismanagement of donations for the reconstruction of the Holy Church of Saint Nicholas, while the whole world knows exactly what has happened and who and how are responsible for that matter, and which of them remain unrepentantly within the bosom of the Holy Archdiocese of America.
P.S. The relevant article of the website that follows gives detailed information concerning this case.
“Perpetual storm at the Archdiocese of America with …” Bankingnews https://www.bankingnews.gr › mple-fakelos › articles 16 March 2020 — … the Church of Saint Nicholas receiving (according to at least the claimants) new large donations. In his attempt to rely on the old … And why did you tolerate such an architectural design of the new Holy Church which is foreign to our Sacred Tradition? And in which, as we were informed, recently a gathering was organized with the title “evening of… [sic]”!
F) Why do you tolerate within the bosom of the Church clergy who publicly acknowledge as parents openly declared sodomites — at the same time that you rightly suspend and remove from office a major Patriarchal Archimandrite whose hand… was investigated for material elements — are sins against inanimate things lighter than those against living persons?
Those little children who were baptized in the Name of the Creator of Heaven and earth and all things in them, and who made man, male and female, and commanded them to be fruitful and multiply and to form Orthodox families — what will they see, what will they hear, and what will they live in this house, in what family in the Name of the Almighty God ( “tremble, O sun; sigh, O earth”) and in what exactly have we cooperated, intentionally or unintentionally…and truly, what will be our reward for this?
Instead of denouncing as a Church such kinds of “sponsors” — rather “tolerances” to say the least — and “families” and entirely refraining from any related rite, lest in this matter too, willingly or unwillingly, we have all blasphemed against the Holy Spirit by participating and tolerating?
G) Concerning the work of canonizing the new Saints of the Orthodox Faith, I respectfully submit that, based on the Sacred Tradition of our Church, in those cases in which it is established that a candidate for canonization has taught or written in disagreement with Orthodox Faith, in no case is their canonization appropriate — even if he worked miracles in his life — otherwise it is as if we praise or accept heterodox teachings in the Church. And perhaps — alas — we may reach the point of choosing which Saint and which icon we will venerate and which we will not.
To this I would also take the opportunity to ask about the canonization of Patriarch Anthimos III (1822–1824), who was a Confessor and of blameless life, an uncompromisingly Orthodox Patriarch. Therefore I humbly beseech you, as the least member of the Church, to bring his file up to date and for consideration in favor of his canonization.
H) Regarding the Esphigmenou (Esphigmenites) under Methodios — as to their perceptions and methods I disagree; indeed, recently the Abbot of the Holy Monastery denied even the sanctity of the Venerable Elder Paisios — however, and forgive me, I much more disagree with sending the police against them, flogging them, and isolating them into decay and exhaustion. Nor do I agree with police rule and policing on Mount Athos, nor with the appointment of the present commander about whom we are informed that he was a former head of the National Intelligence Service (E.Y.P.). As you understand, all of this insults and cruelly degrades the unique polity [of Mount Athos]. Certainly the place must be protected from profane and threatening elements, but in no case in this manner. I realize there are issues, and indeed serious ones, regarding the Russian element and its influences on the basis of Slavic internationalism (we know well that the Russians covet Jerusalem, Mount Athos and the Patriarchate); but that does not mean that because of these things we should crush Greek Orthodox monasticism. It is a fact that they have “planted” many “embassies” in various places and exert influence, but the solution will be given in another way, not this one; and frankly, all this reality and truth, forgive me to say, does not forgive the recognition of the former schismatics in Ukraine. Saint Anthimos the III, the Great, as the late Georgios Lampakis called him, and whose canonization I hereby request, never lowered the banner of Orthodox Faith and Tradition before any worldly power and authority; this he endured in prison, torture and exile. I sincerely and modestly pray that we may be joined to him!
I) The mark has already begun, as you possibly know… the method is called isotopic marking and is carried out in the process of issuing the new electronic identity card: where, during the photographing of the face, a laser beam is emitted on the forehead which invisibly but scan-detectably inscribes into the barcode system the number of the beast, 666, as the unique identifying number in the worldly (apparently, based on the signs of the times and even in the ecclesiastical) authority. In other words, the cataloguing and numbering of man into the accursed Antichrist system is already taking place, as our holy ones, old and new, have warned, and which is said to be associated with the supercomputer of Brussels (artificial intelligence and modern information systems), whose initial letters paradoxically are B.E.A.S.T. (BEAST: THERION, Revelation ch.13 vv.17-18). Yet few shepherds have prevented the flock from this most certain and irreversible slaughter and destruction.
P.S. Online information on isotopic marking: https://www.facebook.com/100014918025949/videos/650787960519946
What do you consider regarding all the above… will you take them up?
Forgive me to say that for this time it may be advantageous primarily for the Christian to confess, or even to suffer martyrdom, by the grace and power of God, for the day of our accounting before the Judge-Giver of the Contest of God and the life to come, who will be the only eternal and true one.
We await eagerly your response, for the times do not wait.
Let us perhaps all the fullness of the Church reflect upon to whom we have our defense on the fearful and most terrible day of Judgment.
You know with what spirit, how and why I write all this to you.
Choosing, I fervently wish the salvation and sanctification of the whole world, but as you know better than I, such is impossible without Orthodox Faith, Truth and life — without pain, toil, offering and sacrifice. The times do not wait and the hour of death is uncertain, and may it be that this hour becomes an hour that leads to the Resurrection, to eternal Life, to Salvation and the sanctification of the whole world. Amen, may it be so!
AND TO THE ONE TRIUNE GOD BE GLORY AND THANKSGIVING AND WORSHIP FOR EVER AND EVER AMEN!!!
