Corfu, March 2 – On the evening of Sunday, March 1, 2026, the Penitential Vespers service took place at the revered Holy Shrine of Saint Spyridon in Corfu. The service was led by His Eminence Metropolitan Theoklitos of Bresthena, who delivered a profound sermon focusing on ‘the tragedy of condemnation’ to an assembly of priests and faithful.
Metropolitan Theoklitos Addresses the Peril of Condemnation
During his address, Metropolitan Theoklitos emphasized the profound spiritual dangers inherent in the act of condemning others. He highlighted that condemnation is not merely a minor moral transgression or a common social misstep, but rather a deep distortion of human nature, representing the highest form of spiritual schizophrenia.
“We have turned our brother into a stepping stone for our own delusions by condemning him without scrutiny,” stated Metropolitan Theoklitos. “Yet, condemnation is not a simple moral lapse or a daily social faux pas. It goes deeper, constituting a perversion of human nature itself, representing the highest form of spiritual schizophrenia. On one hand, we confess our faith in the Crucified One, in the Christ of love and condescension, and on the other, we daily set up courts where we are the incorruptible judges and others are the perpetual accused. We dethrone God to take His place, as demanded by the sick logic of fallen man.”
The Dangers of Religious Zeal and Online Slander
The Metropolitan further warned against the insidious nature of condemnation when it masquerades as religious zeal. He noted that often, in the name of truth and moral purity, individuals are quick to judge their neighbors, the weak, the sinful, and the marginalized. This religious self-righteousness, he asserted, is the most perilous aspect of spiritual life, as it transforms the sinful brother into an opportunity for self-justification rather than an occasion for prayer and compassion.
“The worst part is that this condemnation often dons the cloak of religious zeal, so that supposedly in the name of truth and moral purity, we put our neighbor, the weak, the sinful, and the marginalized against the wall. This religious self-satisfaction is the most dangerous thing in spiritual life, as we see our sinful brother not as an occasion for prayer and pain, but as an opportunity for our own self-justification.”
Metropolitan Theoklitos also addressed the contemporary manifestation of condemnation through the internet, which facilitates anonymous slander and defamation. He underscored that the digital world is not a separate, parallel reality but an extension of our own frail human nature. The ease with which people disparage, mock, and invalidate others online reflects the quality of their hearts, mirroring the same envy and dark disposition that once led individuals to spread slanders in public squares, now amplified globally and with lightning speed.
Silence as an Antidote and the Example of Saint Spyridon
As an antidote to this
