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GOARCH - March 13, 1999
OFFICIAL NEWS

Ecumenical Patriarchate Elects New Diocesan Bishops

New York, NY - The Holy and Sacred Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople held elections today in order to fill the three vacant Diocesan Sees of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America: New Jersey, Atlanta and Detroit. His Grace, Bishop Alexios of Troas was elected Bishop of Atlanta, His Grace Bishop George of Komana was elected Bishop of New Jersey, and the Very Reverend Archimandrite Nicholas Pissare was elected Bishop of Detroit.

A Communiqué of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, that included the news of the election of His Grace Bishop Stephanos of Nazianzus as Metropolitan of Tallinn and all Estonia announced the elections for the American Sees to the world. The portion of the official Communiqué that pertained to the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese is below (the full text may be found at http://www.patriarchate.org).

During the same session, the Holy and Sacred Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate elected as eparchial bishops of the Holy Archdiocese of America, filling the prolonged vacant dioceses of:

Atlanta, His Grace Bishop Alexios of Troas, who until now was an auxiliary bishop to His Eminence the Archbishop of America,

New Jersey, His Grace Bishop George of Komana, who also until now was an auxiliary bishop to His Eminence the Archbishop of America, and

Detroit, the Very Reverend Archimandrite Nicholas Pissare, who until now was the dean of the Holy Cross Church in Brooklyn, New York.

Upon learning of the elections, His Eminence Archbishop Spyridon immediately sent His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew a telegram, expressing his gratitude and the gratitude of the Greek Orthodox Church in America for providing the Archdiocese with these new Eparchial Bishops.

The Archbishop informed the Bishop-Elect Nicholas personally, as they were together at the Cathedral of Saint Paul in Hempstead, NY, attending the Biennial Metropolitan Philoptochos Convention. Bishop-Elect Nicholas has been serving as the spiritual advisor to the Philoptochos.

Archbishop Spyridon commented on the election:
«On behalf of all the faithful of our Holy Archdiocese, we praise and give thanks for the guidance of the Holy Spirit and the love of our Mother Church. I look forward with great joy to the ordination of Bishop-Elect Nicholas, and the enthronement of all the holy brothers who have been elected to the Holy Eparchial Synod. May God grant to each of them a fruitful ministry in His Holy Vineyard.»

Details on the consecration and enthronement of Bishop Nicholas, and the enthronements of His Grace Bishop Alexios and His Grace Bishop George will be forthcoming from the Archdiocese.

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