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Athens News Agency - August 20, 1999

Patriarchate elects new Archbishop of America

Athens, 20/8/1999 (ANA)

The Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Istanbul yesterday unanimously elected Dimitrios of Vreshteni as the new Archbishop of America, an ANA dispatch from Istanbul said.

Earlier in the day the Synod had accepted the resignation submitted by the Archbishop of America Spyridon, who was elected to the post of the Metropolitan of Chaldea.

The new Archbishop of America, who comes from the Church of Greece, is scheduled to arrive at the Fanar, the Seat of the Orthodox Church in Istambul today for the ceremony.

Former Archbishop of America Spyridon earlier yesterday confirmed his resignation following a long period of tension among the Orthodox faithful in the Archdiocese of America, according to an ANA dispatch from Montreal.

In a laconic statement to the ANA, Mr. Spyridon said he hoped "the future decisions of the Mother Church will prove to be for the good of Orthodoxy and Hellenism of America".

He said he was grateful for having been given the opportunity to contribute "to this holy cause" from his position as Archbishop of America.

Mr. Spyridon declined to comment on the reasons for his resignation, but circles in the Greek-American community said the second change in just three years of the prelate holding the post would create further problems for the ethnic Greek community in A merica.

The Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Istanbul had for some time been receiving reports from Greek-American groups condemning Spyridon's handling of affairs and claiming that he was "allied" with a particular section of the ethnic Greek commu nity.

Earlier this year, Mr. Spyridon attributed the tension to "defamation" by a small group of his "enemies".

The Ecumenical Patriarchate's Holy Synod unanimously elected Spyridon as Archbishop of America on July 30, 1996.

The Synod is due to convene in Istanbul this evening to name Mr. Spyridon's replacement. {sic} 

Archbishop of Athens and All Greece Christodoulos said that the election of Mr. Dimitrios to the post "is an excelent choice and because of his spiritual, theological, practical and mental abilities it heralds a rebirth of the Greek-Orthod ox Church of America, with the help of God."

Greek Deputy Foreign Minister Grigoris Niotis, responsible for issues concerning ex-patriate Greeks, called on Greeks in the United States to unite around their new church leader, thus securing the peace and the unity of Hellenism and Orthodoxy.

He added that "it is an autonomous and final decision of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the of the Holy Synod, which was arrived at following a responsible way of weighing all elements."

[ Athens News Agency - www.ana.gr - August 20, 1999 ]