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Athens News Agency - August 21, 1999

Patriarchate elects new Archbishop of America

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 sumbitted by the Archbishop of America Spyridon, who was elected to the post of the Metropolitan of Chaldea.

The new Archbisop 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 America.

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 community.

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.

[ Athens News Agency - www.ana.gr - August 21, 1999 ]