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GOARCH - August 20, 1999
NEWS & EVENTS

Patriarchal Encyclical To Be Read From The Pulpit

[ TRANSLATION FROM THE ORIGINAL GREEK TEXT ]

To the Most Reverend and beloved of God Hierarchs of the Most Sacred Dioceses of the Holy Archdiocese of America, dearest Brothers in Christ and co-celebrants, the honorable Presbyters, and all the faithful who are beloved of Christ of the Holy Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, most beloved in the Lord children of our Modesty: Grace and peace from God.

With much love, prayer, and concern we have followed the affairs of the Holy Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, and with a view to its benefit, peace, good order and spiritual progress, we have been led together with our Holy and Sacred Synod to the decision to transfer the present Archbishop of America Spyridon to the Holy Metropolis of Chaldia, with the view of assigning him to other duties in the future.

In the newly vacated position of the Archbishop of America, we have elected His Excellency Metropolitan Demetrios of Vresthena, who has received widespread acceptance and acclaim.

The warmest blessings and prayers of the Mother Church accompany him, so that with care and wisdom and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit he may steer the vessel of the Holy Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America to a peaceful harbor in a safe and godly manner.

We paternally exhort you from the depths of our heart, our most beloved and Christ-loved Omogeneia, to be united around him as with one soul and one heart, to accompany him in his difficult task, forgiving and committing to oblivion anything in the past which may have upset or dismayed or separated any members of the Archdiocese from one another, and extending the right hand of cooperation for the common good of all the sisters and brothers of the Omogeneia, irrespective of their past differences and preferences.

Accordingly may God be your help, and may His Divine Grace and great mercy be your protector and saviour. Amen.

August 20, 1999

Your beloved brother in Christ,

BARTHOLOMEW
Archbishop of Constantinople and Ecumenical Patriarch

[ GOARCH
   www.goarch.org/en/news/NewsDetail.asp?id=421
   August 20, 1999 ]