Theodore Kalmoukos

Two 10-year-old twin boys, Demetris and Konstantinos Sporidis, from the Peoples Republic of Congo born to a Greek father and a Congolese mother are enduring a painful life-drama. They lost their father (Stylianos Sporidis) in 2002 and now face the grim reality of losing their beloved mother, who is terminally ill. Archbishop Demetrios rejected their legally blind uncle's personal plea to help bring them to the U.S. and find them shelter back on Dec. 21, 2009 citing immigration difficulties. Mr. Ioannis Sporides, the children’s uncle, told The National Herald that “if the Archdiocese wanted to help, we could have found the solution.”

BOSTON- Two 10-year-old twin boys from the Peoples Republic of Congo born to a Greek father and a Congolese mother are enduring a painful life-drama. They lost their father (Stylianos Sporidis) in 2002 and now face the grim reality of losing their beloved mother, who is terminally ill with cancer.

Their mother’s health has deteriorated to the point where she can no longer take care of the 10 year old twins, as was stated in a letter sent by Metropolitan Ignatios of Central Africa to His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America, in which he asks the Archbishop to open his heart and extend shelter and protection for the twins at St Basil’s Academy in N.Y.

Metropolitan Ignatios wrote that “the boys’ father Stylianos Sporidis (a Greek national) passed away on June 23, 2002, and their mother Florence Nkay Moseka is terminally ill with cancer and can no longer provide or care for the boys.”

Mr. John Sporidis (the brother of the twins’ deceased father who resides in Philadelphia, Pensylvania) is retired, legally blind and advanced in age. Mr. John Sporidis called on St. Basil’s Academy as well as the Archdiocese of America with a request for help to save the orphan twin boys and help them find shelter. He also offered to contribute to the best of his ability, given that he is retired and on a fixed income. However, after the passing of several months, on December 21, 2009, he received a final negative response to his plea from Archbishop Demetrios.

The Archbishop wrote to Mr. Sporidis that, “With much sorrow, I learned about the terrible position in which your two nephews, Kostakis and Demetris, have found themselves.” He continued by acknowledging “the situation for the boys is truly difficult and I truly hope that a solution is found that will provide a secure future for them.” The Archbishop stated that “this request of yours is in conflict with, among other things, the fact that the boys are not United States citizens and hence cannot live permanently in the United States.”

In conclusion, the Archbishop wrote “I wish you and your family every blessing of God and strength. Let the Lord, whose birth we will celebrate within the next few days, be your helper and supporter so these two children will be helped effectively.”

Mr. Ioannis Sporides, the children’s uncle, told The National Herald that “if the Archdiocese wanted to help, we could have found the solution.” He made a plea for help to other Greek American organizations such as AHEPA and SAE to “help these two children,” saying, “I want to save these children.”

The Herald’s story was widely reproduced in all forms of news media in Greece and throughout the world.

Late on Tuesday evening, January 12 the Archdiocese issued a news release that referred to “misleading statements distributed in the press on the case of two orphaned children in the Democratic Republic of Congo.” The release does not mention the Archbishop’s letter of December 21, 2009, where he refused to accept the two children, but on the contrary stated that “both the Archdiocese and the Academy look forward- fervently, was the word they used in the Greek text- to receiving Kostakis and Demetris as soon as possible.

Metropolitan Theoliptos of Iconion, ranking hierarch of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, was outraged by the way the orphans were treated.

Rev. Costas Sitaras, the director of St. Basil’s Academy did not return The Herald’s telephone calls.

The parent publication of The National Herald - Ethnikos Kirix - broke the story on Friday January 8. Metropolitan Theoliptos of Ikonion of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Constantinople, read the story about the orphans on the line edition of the paper, and the refusal of Archbishop Demetrios to help them. He responded by sending a strong letter to The National Herald expressing his deep disappointment about the Archbishop’s refusal.

Metropolitan Theoliptos wrote that “I confess that in reading the article written by Mr. Theodore Kalmoukos, I was shuddering, I became sorrowful and I am ashamed that I am a hierarch of the Orthodox Church.”

Metropolitan Theoliptos also wrote “Truly where are we going? Where has our wretched Orthodox Church been led? Where has the Church been led by the conscienceless shepherds? How can we want the faithful to believe us and to follow us when we do not practice what we preach?”

Metropolitan Theoliptos, one of the most prominent hierarchs of the Ecumenical Patriarchate also said in his letter that “If he (Archbishop Demetrios) is not in apposition to help two orphan boys ten years old, then it is bad that he remains in his position.”

The letters of the three hierarchs involved in the case are as follows:

The Letter of Metropolitan Ignatios:

Most Reverend Brother Archbishop Demetrios of America,

With much interest I have been following your activities and I pray fervently for your ministry.

The reason for this letter is the following: The young boys Demetris and Kontantinos Sporidis, who were born on June 23, 1999 and are brothers, were baptized Orthodox at the St. Mark’s church in Kinshasa, Congo, on April 30, 2005.

The boys’ father, Stylianos Sporidis (a Greek national), passed away on the 23rd of June 2002, and their mother Florence Nkay Moseka is terminally ill with cancer and can no longer provide for or care for the boys. Since they do not have any relatives in the People’s Republic of Congo, where they live, and since there are no institutions to offer shelter, the brother of their father, Ioannis Sporidis, and his son, Philip Sporidis, have suggested that St. Basil’s Academy offer them hospitality. I personally agree and I am kindly requesting that their request be accepted. I hope that Your Eminence will favorably respond to our plea.

With brotherly love,

Metropolitan Ignatios of Central Africa

The entire letter of Archbishop Demetrios of America to Mr. Ioannis Sporidis, dated December 21, 2009, reads as follows:

Dear Mr. Sporidis,

I received your letter through which you inform me about the issue that concerns you and I thank you. I also received the attached letter of Metropolitan Ignatios of Central America. With much sorrow, I learned about the terrible position in which your two nephews, Kostakis and Demetris, have found themselves.

The situation for the boys is truly difficult and I truly hope that a solution will be found that will provide a secure future for them. Of course we would like to favorably respond to your request to admit the children to the St. Basil’s Academy of our Holy Archdiocese, as Fr. Constantine Sitaras, the Academy’s director, has informed you.

Unfortunately though, this request of yours is in conflict with, among other things, the fact that the boys are not United States citizens and hence cannot live permanently in the United States.

In their case, despite our sorrowfulness for their ordeal and our willingness to help, we are not in a position to materialize the proposed solution. We hope that with the efforts of different parties and with the help of God, the really difficult problem of the children will be resolved in the best possible way for them.

I wish you and your family every blessing of God and strength. Let the Lord, Whose birth we will celebrate within the next few days, be your helper and supporter so these two children will be helped effectively.

With prayers and honor,

Archbishop Demetrios of America

The letter of Metropolitan Theoliptos of Ikonion of the Ecumenical Patriarchate to The National Herald, dated January 9th 2010 reads as follows:

It is with much sorrow that I read in your distinguished newspaper ‘The National Herald’ on January 8, 2010, the article, “They refuse to accept two orphans at St. Basil’s Academy”. I confess that in reading the article written by Mr. Theodore Kalmoukos, I shuddered. I became sorrowful and I am ashamed to be a hierarch of the Orthodox Church. I am asking: Was the conscience of Archbishop Demetrios, who had received the letter from the orphans’ uncle, at peace during the Holy Days of God’s Epiphany and New Year? Was he able to celebrate as a high priest the sacred days without any problem of conscience? How could he have sent that reply to the uncle of those two children, and further mock them by sending wishes for a solution? Truly, where are we going? Where has our wretched Orthodox Church been led? Where has the Church been led by the conscienceless shepherds? How can we want the faithful to believe us and to follow us when we do not practice what we preach? I felt very sorry for Archbishop Demetrios, as he disappointed me one more time.

Children enjoy an afternoon of sports and fun on the grounds of St. Basil’s Academy in Garrison, N.Y.

Which is our mission in the world? Just to organize dinners and events to celebrate our tenth anniversary on the Throne of the Holy Archdiocese of America, or to speak and preach about loving and helping our suffering fellow man, but not to do anything in reality? The entire Archdiocese of America is not opposed to helping two 10-year-old children. The reasons for their refusal were silly and without substance. They do not have, said the otherwise Holy Brother (Archbishop Demetrios), American citizenship. To whom is he trying to sell these fairytales? Is it possible to want to help and not be able to find some solution? If he is not in a position to help two orphan boys, who are 10 years old, then it is bad that he remains in his position.

The essence of the matter is that there is no will to help because we have strayed from our mission. If (the Archbishop) were to ask for 100 dollars from each hierarch of America, he would have collected 1,000 a month, and do not tell me that they do not have the money to give because everybody will laugh.

He (Demetrios) chose to reply shortly before Christmas and that is the tragicomedy of this whole issue. Yes, the Archbishop of America refused to provide help on Christmas Eve, on the par excellence feast of love where God becomes man out of love in order to save man. Is this our ecclesiastical conscience? I feel sorry for the plight of the Orthodox Church. I feel sorry for the plight of the Archdiocese of America and its Archbishop. The bones of our forefathers, who established the institutions for our suffering brothers, will be turning in their graves. There is a God and we will be accountable some day for our deeds.

We should not complain that the people of God stay away from the Church. We ousted them with our deeds and examples. Shame on us.

With honor and love,

Metropolitan Theoliptos of Ikonion

The Archdiocesan News Release follows:

“In recent days, misleading statements distributed in the press on the case of two orphaned children in the Democratic Republic of Congo, whose relatives in the United States approached the Saint Basil Academy for assistance, require that the Archdiocese of America set forth the following factual information.

In June of 2009 Saint Basil Academy in Garrison New York, received an inquiry as to whether the institution could be of assistance in bringing these two children to the United States and accept them into the Academy family. The relatives of the two children were advised that under present U.S. immigration law, the Academy, as a residential facility and no longer a school, could not legally sponsor the children to come to the United States. The family was also advised to consider options only available to them that would allow the children to enter the U.S. Under those circumstances, the Academy would be able to provide interim accommodations with a view to a more permanent placement once permanent guardianship status by the U.S. relatives had been established.

Saint Basil Academy never refused to accept the children and has been in communication with the family over the past seven months. There was never any question of financial resources in accepting the children. The Academy has been informed by the family that they are currently working toward securing guardianship of the children in order for them to be placed at Saint Basil. Both the Archdiocese and the Academy look forward to receiving Kostakis and Demetris as soon as possible.

To portray the Archdiocese of America, His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios, or Saint Basil Academy as being anything but willing and eager to assist this family is irresponsible and reprehensible. It is a shame and shameful that anyone would exploit the tragedy of any child, especially ones orphaned of a parent, through exaggeration, misstatement and accusation.