The provocative statements by Orthodox Metropolitan of Kalavryta and Egialias Amvrosios that the devastating fires and the tragic loss of life were due to the wrath of God poured out on the country as punishment for its atheist Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, have caused a backlash on the part of the other Church heads, including the Archbishop of Athens and all of Greece, Ieronymos, who said in response: “God is love. God does not take revenge, he urges all to love one another”.|

Ieronymos admonished Amvrosios saying that even though his views did not reflect the official church, even personal opinions had a limit.

The Archbishop in his statements said: “We are living through tragic hours and admittedly what I have read somewhere that all of Greece is mourning is a reality. We came to the temple today to pray for the souls of these people and to comfort those who are in a difficult situation.”

He went on to dub the statements by Amvrosios “regrettable”. “It is a regrettable phenomenon. God is Love. God does not take revenge, he urges all of us to love each other. We are accustomed to saying that these views are personal, but personal views have a limit because the general diagram, the image of our God is that God of love and not punishment, not an avenger, but he loves us all.”