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Orthodox Observer - September 1996

A Closer Look at Our New Archbishop

By Fr. George Papaioannou

Since the announcement of the retirement of Archbishop lakovos a year ago, I have been living in agony. My mind has been occupied by the dreadful question: who will replace him as archbishop?

The Church has been the center of my life for 37 years. I have served, studied, and loved her with all of my being. It was natural, therefore, for me to agonize and, like so many others, to look, see and study all the prospective candidates who might soon assume the reins of the most important Greek Orthodox Archdiocese in the world.

Like so many, many others I had formed my own opinion as to who was best qualified to lead the Church in the United States, in my heart and in my mind I had my own candidate.

I had even come to believe that the man I wished to become Archbishop of the United States had been created by God's continuous love for our church, the work of His Providence for His Orthodox people in the United States.

"Has He not provided the finest possible leadership for this Archdiocese since its inception 75 years ago?" I asked that question to try and calm myself. At the clergy conference in New York this past July, I heard loud cries of concern from some of the delegates and noticed silent agony on the faces of others. I even counseled the delegates not to despair but have faith in the wisdom of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, which had lovingly provided us with so many fine leaders in the past. I remember addressing a skeptical assembly and calling them "men of little faith" for doubting that the selection would please us and be most beneficial for us all. Yet in my heart I shared their concern.

Upon my return from New York I did a most daring thing: I expressed my wish to the person whose decision would most influence the selection — Patriarch Bartholomew.

"Please your Holiness, forgive my intrusion; my heart commands me to make this last-minute appeal to a father's heart. Send us the man best suited and best prepared to assume the duties and responsibilities of the Archbishop in the Americas.

How marvelous are the works of the Lord! It was His Providence for our holy church that guided our loving and caring Mother Church to give us Spyridon of Italy to be our spiritual leader.

Providence has provided him, for he is flesh of the flesh of the Greek American community and flesh of the flesh of the Mother Church of Constantinople."

I wrote those words to His All Holiness with awe in my heart but also with confidence. I did truly believe that Spyridon was the work of Providence.

He is a man born in the United States, raised among us and introduced by his parents to both Greek and American culture. Providence directed his steps to Halki, the famous Patriarchal theological school, where he began training for the lofty calling of the priesthood.

It was there, in Halki, where for 150 years all great patriarchs and archbishops and all of Spyridon's own predecessors in the Americas had received their training. The crown jewel of Orthodoxy, the Theological School of Halki, remains unforgettable for all those of us who have studied there.

Halki used a unique method to develop the ecclesiastical conscience of the future Levites. The worship services were exemplary, elevating the souls of the faithful, and leaving an unforgettable and deeply sweet impression in the hearts of its graduates.

Spyridon is the product of this marvelous school and its majestic setting. Upon his graduation from Halki, Providence brought him to the heart of the European continent to study the culture, history, languages and especially the religions of the Christian West.

It would not take long for the Patriarchate to notice the special talents and gifts of the young Levite. The Patriarchate assigned him to the Orthodox delegation of the World Council of Churches in Geneva as secretary.

The Geneva assignment broadened his knowledge and opened new horizons for him. In Geneva, he helped make Orthodoxy shine in all its splendor. He pursued his assignment with zeal and enthusiasm and helped bring together the Orthodox and coordinate their ecumenical efforts.

His reports to the Ecumenical Patriarchate so impressed the highest echelon of the Mother Church that they decided to reassign him from the center of Protestantism to the center of Roman Catholicism at the Vatican.

He was elevated first to a titular bishopric and then to Metropolitan of Italy, the first hierarch ever to serve in that capacity. In this new setting he became the personal and trusted emissary of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in implementing a dialogue of love with the Roman Pontiff.

World Orthodoxy recognized Metropolitan Spyridon's courage as he expressed his deep concerns about Vatican initiatives in the former Soviet Union. Because of his concerns Orthodox leaders developed a joint strategy in dealing with the rather aggressive Uniate movement in territories which had always been predominantly Orthodox.

He was praised for speaking the truth in love. In the course of his harmonious and diligent work with the leaders of the Orthodox Diaspora in Western Europe, Spyridon developed an appreciation for the need of unity among Orthodox in the United States. He electrified the delegates to the 32nd Clergy-Laity Congress in Chicago in 1994 when, as representative of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, he called for an end to Orthodox pluralism in the Americas.

This is the man that the Providence of God, working through the Holy Spirit, the loving kindness of Patriarch Bartholomew, and the wisdom of the Holy Synod chose to be our spiritual leader. He is eminently qualified for this post, possessing undisputed talents and abilities. His is a man of impeccable character, deep faith, a polyglot, a world citizen, a scholar, a theologian, a loving shepherd; and his is flesh of our flesh.

He will come to his own home, his own people, and his own will recognize him and embrace him. To be sure, his task will not be an easy one. He is replacing a giant, and must carry on his shoulders the legacy of all his illustrious predecessors and their burden of love. But he has so many advantages that his predecessors did not have.

First among those advantages is the unity of the Church which, although shaken a little by the natural pain of separation, remains intact.

Archbishop Spyridon also has at his disposal the two basic strengths of our dynamic Church as he begins his tenure which, by the grace of God, will be fruitful and will take the Church well into the 21st century.

Those two strengths are the Greek Orthodox faithful of the United States, who are willing to make available all of their physical, spiritual and material resources in assisting the ministry of their spiritual leader.

The second strength is our clergy: the best-trained and most-dedicated Orthodox clergy in the world; a spiritual army waiting for its leader to call, and ready to follow him. With these strengths our new Archbishop will lead the Church in fulfilling her mission, which we should never forget is the edification and sanctification of her people; the salvation of souls.

Your Eminence, we are aching for you to come. We embrace you. Please embrace us, all of us. We are your people.

[ Orthodox Observer - Vol. 61, No. 1118 - September 1996 - p. 9 ]