In Manhattan's Holy Trinity Greek Cathedral of New York, the Enthronement Ceremony of Archbishop Elpidophoros of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America was held on Saturday, June 22, 2019. The Hierarch is the seventh Greek Orthodox Archbishop of America. His Eminence Elpidophoros was elected to the dignity of the Archbishop of America on Saturday, May 11, 2019, being the successor to Archbishop Dimitrios Trakatellis.

Representatives of the Governments of the United States, Greece, Cyprus and Turkey, the Autocephalous Churches of Greece, Cyprus, Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria, Georgia, as well as American religious leaders and political personalities from both sides of the Atlantic were present at the ceremony. The Romanian Orthodox Church was represented at this event by the HE Metropolitan Nicolae of the Romanian Orthodox Metropolia of the Americas.

At the enthronement speech, quoting the words of the Psalmist (Ps. 57:7), HE Archbishop Elpidophoros has assured all those present that he is "ready with heart, soul, and mind to begin the new mission". After remembering the love and trust the Patriarch of Constantinople had given him, HE Elpidophoros noted the thriving mission of his predecessors, the Archbishops Athenagoras, Iakovos and Dimitrios. The new Archbishop appeared ready and eager to work for the unity of Orthodoxy: "My heart is ready and steadfast in the sensitive and critical matter of Orthodox unity. I sincerely pledge to devote myself—with all my heart, soul and mind—to the reaffirmation and reinvigoration of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in order that we may collaborate with greater unity, while witnessing with greater conviction and credibility to the broader American society. "

HE Elpidophoros then addressed the clergy and believers of the Greek Archdiocese, whom he assured of his desire of working together to fulfill the mission to children, young people and adults, to the poor and in need. He did not forget to recall the urgent problems of the Archdiocese to be solved, the issue of the Holy Cross School of Theology and the completion of work at the St. Nicholas Church at Ground Zero from New York City. Thanks were addressed to all those present, representatives of the Orthodox Churches, officials of the political and Academia worlds, clerics and believers.

Photo Credits: www.goarch.org