Prosopon Healing and Coptic Survivor Urge Public Safeguarding Discussion in Orthodox Contexts

NEW YORK - EntSun -- A coalition released letters urging the Templeton Prize and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I to initiate discussion on safeguarding and reporting across Orthodoxy.

The letter signatories acknowledge the Patriarch's environmental leadership and note the 2025 Templeton Prize. To them, public statements and measures on clergy abuse remain limited. Survivors report prior appeals to the Patriarch.

Information & Reporting Practices

Prosopon Healing, a non-profit public benefit corporation, maintains an online compilation of public reports regarding abuse in Orthodox contexts. It is modelled on the "Academic Sexual Misconduct Database" and builds on documentation by Pokrov.org. According to the group, available data is incomplete. To their knowledge, Orthodox jurisdictions generally do not publish consolidated lists or regular public reports on clergy abuse.

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Prize organizers noted the Patriarch's collaborations with global religious leaders on environmental statements. Some religious leaders have issued public statements or taken actions in response to clergy-abuse scandals. Following publication of an independent review, Justin Welby announced on 12 November 2024 resignation as Archbishop of Canterbury; tenure formally ended on 6 January 2025.

Coalition Acknowledgements and Emphases

The coalition acknowledges the Patriarch's formal authority over other Orthodox jurisdictions is limited. It urges public discussion, the adoption of reporting and accountability mechanisms, and independent investigation processes across Orthodox jurisdictions.

The coalition calls for wider education about the prevalence of sexual abuse. They note abuse can occur in communities where clergy may be married. The group contends, public statements from the Patriarch could help advance awareness and reform.

The coalition asks that the Patriarch publicly address clergy-perpetrated abuse, support a safe and independent venue for reporting, and promote transparent accountability measures. It notes a 2020 document, For the Life of the World: Toward a Social Ethos of the Orthodox Church, which references child abuse; the coalition states the document does not explicitly mention clergy-perpetrated abuse or adult victims.

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The coalition states that appeals sent by John Metsopoulos, Kevin Hunt (spouse of Dr. Nedelescu), and Bojan Jovanović to the Patriarch had not received responses as of 18 September 2025.

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Prosopon Healing (https://www.prosoponhealing.com/)

Editor's note: References to organizations are based on publicly available information.

Media

Katherine Archer, Executive Director, Prosopon Healing: KatherineArcher@proton.me

Scott Douglas Jacobsen, Board Member, Prosopon Healing; Journalist and Publisher: scott.jacobsen2025@gmail.com

Bojan Jovanović, General Secretary, Union of Christians of Croatia: jovanovicbojan711@gmail.com

Hermina Nedelescu, Ph.D., Neuroscientist; Theologian; Co-Founder, Prosopon Healing: hermina.advocacy@proton.me

Melanie Sakoda, President, Board of Directors, Coptic Survivor: melanie.sakoda@gmail.com, 925-708-6175

Sally Zakhari, Executive Director, Coptic Survivor: copticsurvivor@gmail.com, 407-758-4874