Retirement Of The Greek Archbishop Spyridon In America

Church News - Aug-Oct, 1999

The appointment by the Ecumenical Patriarchate three years ago of Bishop Spyridon as the Exarch in America after the forced retirement of Archbishop Iakovos, very soon provoked a lot of criticism. A first major displeasure with the new Archbishop was with his strict reforms ordered in the educational system of the Hellenic College of Holy Cross in Brookline, near Boston. Then displeasure became more and more public and was reported in several secular American newspapers.

Archbishop Spyridon was accused of poor handling of finances. inability to cooperate with a number of distinguished clergy and even of excessive conservatism: in America, he demanded that clergy wears cassocks and not cut beards and hair.

As a result of persistent numerous complaints of American Greeks about their Archpastor, he was forced to go for consultation to Istanbul and meet there with the Ecumenical Patriarch. Bartholomew requested from Archbishop Spyridon a letter of resignation.

In his last epistle to the Greek-American flock, Archbishop Spyridon stated that on August 30th he wrote a letter of resignation and asked to be retired. In it he made also a short evaluation of his work during the previous three years. Amongst his accomplishments he included "an unprecedented ministry to interfaith marriage partners." Then he declared that: "Guided by a love for all God's children, we have together reached out through dialogue as far as our Jewish friends and as close as our Old Calendarist brethren, whose reception into the bosom of our Mother Church."

While speaking about the Greek heritage in America, the Archbishop didn't remain silent regarding his reforms of the theological educational system. He said, "Knowing that theology cannot exist in a vacuum. it was necessary that the theology we teach be aligned with the traditional 'praxis' of the Church, in order for the fullness of the faith to come alive in personal experience. This fullness of faith has been the central mission and vision of my ministry."

Yet, hardly had Archbishop Spyridon left the country, when the dean of the Hellenic College he appointed Archpriest Damaskinos Ganas resigned and the Dean Alkiviadis, who was previously retired from this post, immediately was re-appointed.

Bartholomew offered to the disgraced Archbishop a new post with the title of Metropolitan of Chaldia {by the Greeks, a Metropolitan is a grade lower than the Archbishop). This appointment was refused by Spyridon in a telegram in which he said that, "I received the August 19th telegram sent by your Holiness, wherein you advise me of my election by the Mother Church as Metropolitan of Chaldia. I submit to the Mother Church my sincere thanks for this affectionate gesture and call to duty. Unfortunately, as I expressed in my views to the Mother Church during my last visit to the Phanar, I find myself unable to accept, in view of the recent happenings and have decided to totally withdraw from active ecclesiastical ministry. With this reverently issued statement to the Mother Church, I remain, in Pennsylvania this l9th day of September 1999. The least of the Bishops, Spyridon."

To replace the retired Archbishop Spyridon, Bishop Demetrios Trakatellis was appointed and has been enthroned, born in 1928 in Greece. He completed his studies in Athens and was teaching in Harvard University, where he obtained his doctorate. He also taught in Hellenic Holy Cross College. The New Archbishop is author of several books on biblical issues. He speaks fluent English, French, and German, but also knows Hebrew, Latin, Aramaic and Coptic languages.

[ Church News - Vol. 11 No 5(81) - Aug-Oct, 1999 - pp. 8-9 ]