» Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I on July 30 announced the unanimous election of Metropolitan Spyridon of Italy to succeed Archbishop Iakovos as Archbishop of America.

The newly elected Archbishop Spyridon immediately appointed Bishop Sotirios of Toronto as Archiepiscopal Vicar General to serve until his arrival in the United States.

The 12-member Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate convened in the Phanar under the chairmanship of Patriarch Bartholomew to fill the vacancy in the office of the Archbishop of America whose See is in New York.

The Holy Synod tapped Metropolitan Spyridon of Italy to succeed Archbishop Iakovos who retired on July 29, after 37 years as Archbishop.

To better serve the spiritual needs of the Orthodox faithful of North and South America, the Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, furthermore, established three new metropolitanates of the Ecumenical Throne, namely: the Metropolitanate of Toronto and Canada; the Metropolitanate of Buenos Aires and South America; and the Metropolitanate of Mexico City and Central America. The metropolitans to these new eparchies are to be elected at a later date.

Patriarch Bartholomew is the spiritual leader of 250 million Orthodox Christians worldwide.

The Ecumenical Patriarchate has direct jurisdiction over the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America as well as other Orthodox dioceses in the Western Hemisphere.

Orthodoxy traces its roots to the Holy Apostles and has been present in the Western Hemisphere since the 18th century. The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese in America is composed of approximately 550 parishes with a membership of over 1.5 million members. The newly-elected archbishop will be the fifth archbishop of America since the organization of the Archdiocese in 1922 and the first American-born Archbishop of America.

Archbishop Spyridon matriculated with honors from the Theological School of Halki, Turkey, in 1966. He subsequently pursued graduate studies in Switzerland (1967-1968) and in Germany (1969-1973) after having been awarded a scholarship from the Ecumenical Patriarchate.

During the years 1966-1967, the new Archbishop served as a member of the permanent delegation of the Ecumenical Patriarchate to the World Council of Churches in Geneva, Switzerland.

In 1968 the newly elected archbishop was ordained a deacon, and became a priest in 1976, at which time he received the title of Archimandrite of the Ecumenical Throne from the late Patriarch Dimitrios.

From 1973-1975 he served as secretary of the Orthodox Centre of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Chambesy, Switzerland and director of its periodical "Episkepsis". In 1976 he was assigned duties as dean of the Greek Orthodox Community of St. Andrew in Rome, where he served until 1985. He assumed added responsibilities in 1984 as Orthodox Executive Secretary of the International Joint Commission for the Theological Dialogue between the Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches.

Archbishop Spyridon was elected titular Bishop of Apamea on Nov. 5, 1985, by the Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and ordained as a hierarch in the Patriarchal Cathedral of St. George at the Phanar on Nov. 24 of the same year.

Upon elevating the Orthodox Church in Italy on Nov. 5, 1991, to a metropolitanate with Venice as its see, the Patriarchate subsequently elected Spyridon as its first metropolitan.

In 1992, Metropolitan Spyridon was appointed Chairman of the Inter-Orthodox Commission for the Theological Dialogue between the Orthodox Church and the Lutheran World Federation.

Expressing his appreciation for the dedicated service of Archbishop Iakovos and to the Orthodox faithful of America for their unity and commitment to the Church, His All Holiness noted that, as we prepare to enter a new century, he is confident that Archbishop Spyridon will meet the challenges ahead and lead the vibrant American Church to the glory of God and for the spiritual gratification and edification of all the faithful.

The enthronement of Archbishop Spyridon will take place on Sept. 21 at the Archdiocesan Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in New York City.

At the Phanar, July 30, 1996

From the Office of the Chief Secretary of the Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate

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