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GOARCH - June 16, 1999
OFFICIAL NEWS

Chancellor of Archdiocese Resigns to Take a Sabbatical

New York, NY - His Eminence Archbishop Spyridon, Primate of the Greek Orthodox Church in America, has announced that the Very Reverend Protopresbyter George Passias, the Chancellor of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, has resigned his position, effective July 1, 1999, in order to take a sabbatical for the personal needs of his family. In his letter to the Archbishop, the Chancellor mentioned that health concerns in his family now require his full attention and that in all fairness to his position, another Chancellor should be put in place. The Archbishop released the following statement, expressing his best wishes for Father Passias and thanking him for his untiring efforts on behalf of the Archdiocese.

"As a Church, we must always be mindful of the personal and family needs of our clergy, and as a family in Christ, we must be supportive of those needs. Father Passias has served the Archdiocese with honor and integrity and has brought to the Chancellery of this Archdiocese new standards of competence, accountability and professionalism. His deep love and devotion to the Church, his commitment to the Ecumenical Patriarchate and this Holy Archdiocese, are exemplary. I can only express my deepest thanks to Father George for his untiring efforts on behalf of the clergy of the Archdiocese and his faithful service and loyalty to my person. We will continue to support Father George and his family in this time of challenge, sustaining their spiritual health as we pray for physical healing. I am sure that I speak for all the faithful of the Church when I wish him and his family well and that we will hold them very dearly in our prayers."

The Archbishop has named the Rev. Protopresbyter Michael Kontogiorgis, the Assistant Chancellor, as Acting Chancellor as of July 1, 1999. Father Kontogiorgis has been Assistant Chancellor since September of 1998 and was previously the Chancellor of the Diocese of Pittsburgh.

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