Symeon of Nea Smyrna: "We are being led to an episcopal inflation unprecedented for our Church" - Opposite to the institution of Assistant Bishopstranslated

The Metropolitan of Nea Smyrna, Mr. Simeon, expresses his views on the question of positions and the Election of Assistant Bishops in a text, just a few days before the convocation of the Regular Hierarchy (October 6-8).  From the beginning, His Eminence makes it clear that the institution of Assistant or Titular Bishops is not consistent with the fundamental principles of Orthodox ecclesiology and the spirit of the holy Canons.

His Holiness mentions in another point of his views that: "Opening the Diptychs of the Church of Greece for the current year (p. 348), we find that at this moment our Church has twenty-three (Yes, 23!) assistant bishops and eight titular Metropolitans! If now to them if we add the exoclimatists, who usually live and are active in Greece (with all the concomitants...), we are led to an unprecedented episcopal...inflation for our Church, which I very much doubt will build the Church and cooperate in preserving the prestige of episcopal liturgy".

In detail the text of…