At the request of Archbishop Sotirios of Canada, and pursuant to the proposal put forth by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople, the Holy and Sacred Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople unanimously elected during its Session of 13 February 2020, the following three Archimandrites to serve as Auxiliary Bishops:
1. Father Nektarios Mostratos was elected Bishop of Keramos
2. Father Alexandros Salmas was elected Bishop of Patara
3. Father Dimitrios Antonopoulos was elected Bishop of Zinoupolis
The ordinations of the three Bishops-elect were originally scheduled earlier this year, and more specifically for Saturday, March 14; Saturday, April 4; and Thursday, April 23.
Unfortunately, the ordinations were postponed as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. The ordinations were rescheduled for Tuesday, July 7; Thursday, July 9; and Saturday, July 11; but they were again postponed because of intervention of the Canadian government authorities. Finally, the ordinations were rescheduled and carried out as follows:
- The ordination of Bishop-elect Nektarios Mostratos of Keramos took place on Saturday, July 25, at the Greek Orthodox Church of the Holy Cross in Laval, Quebec, with Archbishop Sotirios presiding and concelebrating with the following hierarchs:
- Bishop Alexander (Patriarchate of Antioch)
- Bishop Ioan-Casian (Romanian Orthodox Church)
- Archbishop Irénée (OCA)
The newly ordained Bishop of Keramos was named Bartholomew.
- The ordination of Bishop-elect Alexandros Salmas of Patara took place on Sunday, July 26, at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church in Toronto, with Archbishop Sotirios presiding and concelebrating with the following hierarchs:
- Bishop Mitrophan (Serbian Orthodox Church)
- Bishop Andriy (Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Ecumenical Patriarchate)
- Bishop Bartholomew (Ecumenical Patriarchate)
The newly ordained Bishop of Patara was named Athenagoras.
- The ordination of the Bishop-elect Dimitrios Antonopoulos of Zinoupolis took place on Thursday, July 30 at St. George Greek Orthodox Church in Montreal, Quebec, with Archbishop Sotirios presiding and concelebrating with the following hierarchs:
- Bishop Ioan-Casian (Romanian Orthodox Church)
- Bishop Bartholomew (Ecumenical Patriarchate)
- Bishop Athenagoras (Ecumenical Patriarchate)
The newly ordained Bishop of Zinoupolis was named Iakovos.
Archbishop Sotirios said: “I am delighted that the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Canada has received three worthy Auxiliary Bishops. We are determined to work as a family so that our Church in Canada can continue its spiritual and material progress. I congratulate the three new Auxiliary Bishops. I wholeheartedly wish them to live according to God. To work with all their souls. To enjoy true happiness, which stems from accomplishing God’s will and the satisfaction one receives from the fruits of one’s efforts. I deeply regret that many faithful could not attend the ordinations due to the measures taken as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
I respectfully and gratefully thank His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and the Holy and Sacred Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate for the tremendous love and support they have shown to our Holy Archdiocese. On bended knees do I bless, glorify and praise, and wholeheartedly thank the Thrice-Holy God, who watches over the least of us and has gifted us three new Bishops. I promise to work together and in harmony with their Graces the new Bishops so that our Church in Canada can continue to progress in glory to the Thrice-Holy, Trinitarian God.”
Source: Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Canada
