The Enthronement of Archbishop Elpidophoros of America

a new chapter opens today for the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America on May 11 2009 teen the holy and sacred cenote of the ecumenical Patriarchate elected Elpida for us as Archbishop of America in his address to the archbishop Baku medical patriarch bartholomew advised him to exemplify charity humility and unity born johannes Lambrini Oddie's in 1967 in istanbul turkey LP la foto studied in Thessaloniki Greece and born Germany receiving his doctorate at the University of Thessaloniki where he taught a chemical theology in 2004 he was visiting professor at Holy Cross School of Theology in Boston he was appointed Deputy Secretary of the Holy Synod in 1994 and elevated to chief secretary in 2005 in 2011 he was elected metropolitan and assigned as abbot of the Holy Trinity patriarchal monastery on the island of hulky in Turkey he served as Secretary of the theological dialogue with the Lutheran World Federation and attended General Assemblies of the Conference of European churches and the World Council of Churches Elpida four-dose is the seventh Archbishop of America following the legacy of such prelate says athenagoras a giant visionary of Christian unity iakovos a bold pioneer who marched in Selma with Martin Luther King jr. and Demetrius his predecessor elected in 1999 today LP before us is enthroned Archbishop of America [Music] Oh [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] Oh [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] this particular enthronement ashes a new era of optimism of anticipation for the church in America but it is also accompanied by a measured celebration rather than unqualified jubilation the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese is arguably the first and foremost the largest the paramount a party or archdiocese of the equ manacle Patriarchate but at this stage of its history it may also call for some soul-searching I've been in the United States 25 years and during that period the Greek Orthodox Church has seen four Archbishop's four out of it six in the last century but there is no doubt that the new archbishop is turning a new page prior to his arrival he reached out through modern technology through social media speaking to his clergy hundreds of clergy throughout the nation lay leaders expressing his support his care for them and also outlining his vision which will be articulated during his enthronement speech today [Music] you will witness much symbolism ritual and other I will try and guide you through some of these elements of the service as the archbishop walks into the Cathedral you'll also notice a wide range of governmental representatives and VIPs various institutions that are represented here from the United States from all over the world partly reflected of course reflective of the history and the influence of the Orthodox community in the United States but primarily also indicative of the relations and the reputation of the new Archbishop in Greece but more broadly in Europe [Music] as he enters the church you will most likely hear cries Axios which means worthy in fact it is an acclamation that is more an aspiration than a prayer lead is a prayer of the church that the new archbishop will be worthy of his new calling [Music] the human being chanted as he enters the church is a marriage him part of the symbolism of the enthronement service an ancient service dating back to the second century at least in its theological content and inspiration the archbishop is known as LP the four-dose of America he renounces his last name his surname is replaced by the name of the diocese with which he's identified for the rest of his life [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] it becomes identified with this new diocese and responsible for its faithful he brings new hope to the church in America his very name means bearer of hope and that's the hope that he's bringing that will sustain the church in America for the years to come as greeting his mother who's here also with his father and his siblings close family members [Music] [Music] [Applause] as he enters the altar to venerate the gospel the source and center of his ministry he wears a particular vestment called the or more foreign which symbolizes the lost sheep that the Good Shepherd leaves the 99 sheep for the long robe or manveer a royal and monastic gob from medieval times which has numerous folds and creases indicative of the many challenges that he will face in his ministry [Music] the Deacons hold a set of candles with three candles another set with two candles symbolizing the doctrine the faith for which he is responsible and accountable the three candles symbolical of the trinity the two candles symbolical of the two nature's of Christ [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] as the archbishop ascends the throne in his Cathedral for the very first time he venerates the icon of Christ in whose image he stands on the throne [Music] [Music] you saw my dog look at also they all seemed or vasila for our near par architect of never met seven years of otaku peril get up on Doppler on the surface begins with a prayer to the Holy Spirit the role of the Holy Spirit is very important in this service as it is in the apostolic succession of one Bishop to another in the case of a communicate reality I'll follow you who ordained who nominated and who was part of the election of archbishop will be the Follis as the leader of the archdiocese here in the United States you can clearly unambiguously trace the line of predecessors all the way back to Saint stockist the disciple of the apostle andrew the first-called disciple of christ this notion of apostolic succession are continuous a direct line of ministry and authority of charisma and office is in turn transmitted to the disciples of Christ and by then to their successes this is what guarantees the identity and the continuity of the church in time and space their owners from there or no [Music] [Music] they follow a series of hymns from the feast of Pentecost and the descent of the Holy Spirit on the disciples of Christ and their successes the Holy Spirit is a central of vital figure in the enthronement service [Music] [Music] Oh [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] listening to one of the most beautiful and ancient hymns to the Holy Spirit from the feast of Pentecost which goes the Holy Spirit provides all the Holy Spirit overflows with prophecy the Holy Spirit fulfills the priesthood the Holy Spirit taught wisdom to the illiterate the Holy Spirit revealed the fisherman as theologians the Holy Spirit brings together all the laws of the church [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] this is the doxology of giving Thanksgiving and glory to God the ultimate expression in liturgy the ultimate expression of gratitude the ultimate expression of worship is glory glory to you who have shown us the light glory to God in the highest [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] as you're looking at the archbishop on the left is the Archbishop of Germany from the Eco manacle Patriarchate representing interminable patriarch bartholomew metropolitan of gusty nose and as you're looking at the archbishop to his right with the staff Archbishop Demetrios the previous Archbishop of America who led this archdiocese in great dignity and spiritual faith from 1999 to this year [Music] of the verses of this doxology reminds everyone that the one enthroned ultimately is Christ except our prayer we sing you are the one enthroned at the right hand of the father have mercy on us there are a number of bishops and hierarchs from all over the world the personal representative as I mentioned of his all holiness but also bishops from the ecumenical Patriarchate throughout the world members of what's called the epochal Synod the local synod here in the United States who are standing in fact right in front of the altar representing every state of America some 100 some 550 parishes and communities standing immediately across from the archbishop from the throne are representatives of the jurisdictions of the Orthodox assembly of Bishops all of the jurisdictions are actually represented here either by their heads or senior representatives a very very positive and promising sign in group of hierarchs often riddled by internal sometimes national strife so you see some white robes there are Ukrainians among these bishops of the assembly of Bishops Serbians Bulgarians Russian Romanian OCAD Orthodox Church of America Antiochian Georgian Albanian and Campese Russian [Music] [Applause] there are churches entities from throughout the world bishops priests deacons monks Abbot's and nuns the ecumenical community is also represented with leaders from the inner Christian and interfaith communities and academic leaders scholars representing universities and theological seminaries from the United States and from abroad including the University of Thessaloniki where newly elected Archbishop LP before us taught as professor [Music] listen emulsifiers cut America and they also their meth also a powerful soul kill a so [Music] we pray for all pious and orthodox christian [Music] if they all my fiber to our hippy scope women LP though for all prayer for the archbishop who blesses the congregation and in turn the archbishop praise for the patriarch to our campus cop who kept a tree arc we mourn Bartolome who keep our sister century story born adele 42 [Music] among those in the congregation are members of the archdiocese and council the highest advisory and consultative body of the archdiocese the National Philip to host Society the official philanthropic organization of the church and the archons of the chemical Patriarchate the lay defenders of the Iike manacle Patriarchate didn't clear screen there of the members of the epochal Synod the eight Metropolitan's representing all of the state's people to illion have many kiveat engineers the tanaka for a philanthropist a honeymoon to oppose reps a tedious gave us a parson organ can also the got Iman Aquila man in Genesis famous excessive became enemies the chaos of to a police shall I say [Music] again we prayed that the Lord our God will hear the voice of the prayers of our sinners and have mercy on our [Music] apakah sunomono cirrhosis OT Ramon ELP spawn don't own Purohit aunties gisquette Onan Selassie Makran que ellos ellos en women disposer a fetus amarte es amor que les una mas LM uncork a philanthropist a OC party's case eating walks on an affair boomer tapa tricky okay - ah he open affirmative mean ke jaise to say owners don't notice yo thorough see move or to see or any DPD non gloss all wood on authentic up up a closing prayer of the enthronement service read by archbishop will be the for us glory to you our God glory to you may he who sent the all Holy Spirit as tongues of fire on his holy disciples and apostles Christ our true God have mercy on us for he is good and loves all of humanity dear on tour no see on Catherine but their only mode when I hear until the council patron yo Keem kyani's to a UN walkthrough yo Marty Rose F save you Epis kogo-sama Sultan as the archbishop closes the service the choir will chant his theme or acclamation his title as Archbishop praying that God may grant him many years [Music] [Applause] [Music] distinguished honor I will deliver to you the patriarchal and synodical order of the announcement chief secretary of the the park you'll see not here in America bishop apostolos will read the patriarchal of announcement for the election of his and pretty women in Christiani this idea parties are Hibiscus Americas they cannot assume all material Tito's interior capito sorry see me kdeeny para CEO forum or deaf he Kevlar here I can sing Horace's a stock no stop passing email or the DCR are similar hippies copies a prostitue as the proclamation is being read in greek i would like to mention some of the representatives that are in attendance this morning members of the US administration and the US Congress both Republican and Democratic members from the Greek government in particular representing the Greek government the foreign minister of Greece but also the opposition party's ambassadors of Greece and Cyprus and Turkey to both the US and the UN to AU megalomart eros your you too Tropez in Matera pthe keep ro tropic via he POTUS Perry mas are years care I mentioned earlier that the enthronement service is grounded on derives from the early second century when Saint Ignatius of Antioch modern-day Syria said that the bishop represents the image of God within the whole community where the bishop appears writes Ignatius they're also the crowd of faithful are there are two is Jesus Christ there are two the universal Church sometimes in our world it appears difficult to reconcile the bishop with society Jesus Christ with the church but the images that we're seeing in the church today in the cathedral during this enthronement service somehow bring everything together and it all makes sense with the people who waited for their new archbishop who welcomed their new Archbishop and who now pray for the new Archbishop and with the new Archbishop guess you know the Kouga ramicus you know be understood all too often the church and the orthodox church in particular is portrayed as a hierarchical institution but today we catch a different refreshing glimpse seeing the church through a wider lens today we have a fresh dimension of the word hierarchy where everyone has a place everyone has a role a function a service the bishop and the archbishop to perceived in a different light not just as Authority or sovereign distant or ethnic but as one member of a faithful crowd presiding over and above for the praying congregation that's the picture I see in this environment service regrettably it's a picture all too often forgotten in the daily administration of the church but it's how the church ought to be clergy and laity men and women priests and deacons mature elderly and young children [Music] SOT Rosamond mujeres que tu appearin ellos dicen metaponto naman annette sot rio de Sciglio stowe Ducato konato katomina my own TN ducati happiness opinion is also the cottage o Cosentino Paulo's vartholomio a puffiness at this point we will hear a brief message from the Honorable Alex secretary for Human Services and representing the US administration members of Congress hired member of the clergy and distinguished guests I am humbled and honored to be here with leaders from across America and around the world to celebrate the joyous occasion of the enthronement of a new Archbishop of the Greek Orthodox Church in America I bring greetings to the new Archbishop and all of you from president Trump and vice president Pence who have a great appreciation for the work of the church in America and the value that Americans of all faiths bring to our country America's founding drew on the dual traditions of Athens and Jerusalem reason and faith the Greeks taught the world to know how to think while Christ taught the world how to know one endeavor cannot flourish without the other as we read in Proverbs the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge fools despise wisdom and instruction the intertwined traditions of Athens and Jerusalem are quite literally symbolized by the Greek Orthodox Church they are also well embodied by the great theological and scholarly accomplishments of the new leader whom we welcome today Archbishop l-pod offer us the Greek Orthodox Church has played a powerfully positive role over the course of American history well before the founding of our nation Greek immigrants that settled in Florida by the late 1800s the first permanent Greek Orthodox community was firmly established here in New York City sadly there were dark moments some of the newly immigrated Greeks were victims of racial prejudice it was not uncommon for groups such as the Ku Klux Klan to boycott Greek businesses or to espouse racist racist philosophy that regarded Greeks as inferior as Greek Americans put down their roots in America they never forgot the pain of persecution and discrimination knowing what it was like to be marginalized the Orthodox Christian community in America has often led in defending the rights of minorities in fact one of archbishop Elpida for us as predecessors Archbishop iakovos was one of the key faith leaders who advanced America's civil rights movement in the 1950s and 1960s his commitment to justice led him on a 54 mile journey right alongside the Reverend Martin Luther King jr. a journey that would later be known as the Selma freedom march Archbishop iakovos his leadership not only inspired the faithful under his care it also influenced leaders in positions of power and authority he was a personal friend and advisor to nine u.s. presidents it was to no one's surprise when President Carter awarded Archbishop iakovos the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1980 the most recent Archbishop of America Demetrios also distinguished himself with his heroic service to our nation on and following September 11 with his service and witness to the victims of the terrorist attack on this city these are just two of the great Greek Orthodox leaders in American history through the Greek Orthodox community has blessed America with leading contributions to science politics and business why did all these people with so much potential so much ambition come here to America the answer is generally simple freedom and opportunity but in many cases the answer was deeper they were in search of not just political freedom but the freedom for their souls the freedom to live out their faith that was in part true of my family when my grandfather arrived here from immune Lebanon 99 years ago on a personal note I also want to greet my fellow Antiochian Christians here today including Archbishop Elpida for OSes mother who has traveled here from Greece today assalamualaikum Greeks and other Orthodox Christians have come from all around the world and in particular the Middle East to practice their faith freely here in America such freedom however remains under attack throughout the world one in nine Christians worldwide experience high levels of persecution a century ago Christians represented about 20% of the population of the Middle East and North Africa today they represent less than 5% of the population in all two hundred and forty five million Christians around the world have faced persecution as a result of their faith and the attacks have only grown stronger what should be our response America and the church today must follow the example of leaders like Archbishop iakovos I'm proud to say that America under the current administration is fervently committed to protecting religious minorities around the world President Trump has led the destruction of the Islamic state one of the most serious threats to the safety of Christians and other religious minorities in the Middle East in a very long time at the same time we have extended a helping hand to Christians and other minorities and help them rebuild in Iraq for instance we have invested more than 239 million dollars in life-saving humanitarian aid changes by this administration have ensured that this aid is actually directly reaching those most in need not only of communities like those in the Nineveh Valley been provided with food water and shelter but American aid also helps local businesses and communities rebuild in order to prevent future unrest our commitment to the freedom of religious minorities is a paramount foreign policy priority for President Trump last year the Trump administration convened the first ministerial meeting ever hosted by the United States to advance religious freedom in the world and will be hosting the second such gathering this summer our ambassador-at-large for International Religious Freedom Sam Brownback just returned from a trip taken at Secretary Pompeo request throughout Europe including Greece specifically to meet with Orthodox leaders he boldly proclaimed our commitment to the rights of Orthodox Christians in the Middle East Ukraine and elsewhere specifically he strongly reaffirmed the it meant of the United States and supporting the reopening of the seminary in Halki Turkey [Applause] as many of you know Archbishop Elpida foros served as the abbot of hulky monastery he helped receive a brotherhood of Clure revive a brotherhood of clergy at the monastery where there had not been one for years the United States will continue to make the case that the reopening of Halki as a seminary is absolutely vital to the future of the ecumenical Patriarchate in Constantinople [Applause] our dedication to religious liberty is evident in our efforts overseas but it extends here at home to the Trump administration has made it a priority to respect Americans right not just to worship freely but to live out our faith in the public square we have appreciated the aid of Orthodox leaders in fighting for policies that respect religious freedom here at home as we have in the fight to protect the lives of the most vulnerable and the voiceless our unborn sons and daughters I'm proud to work for a president who has delivered the most pro-life administration in American history sometimes fighting for the voiceless [Applause] sometimes fighting for the voiceless can be controversial or feel inconvenient so was Archbishop iakovos decision to march with those seeking liberation from oppression and Prejudice just over fifty years ago doing what we know is right even in the face of hostility even when it sets us apart is part of our Orthodox identity it has become part of the Orthodox tradition in America we are blessed to live here under a constitution that protects our natural rights and that holds sacred our first right of religious liberty under such a government bigotry has given no sanction persecution no assistance but these American traditions cannot truly flourish without faith traditions to and without the great church leaders that God has given us to guide our paths I know that Archbishop alpha-2 for us is already one such leader and I pray that he may have a long and fruitful tenure here in America as I said today is only the seventh and throne men of a Greek Orthodox Archbishop in America and I hope and pray they're a 70 or 700 more and it is my joy honor to join all of you and praying for archbishop Alpana for us in particular may God grant you many years your eminence he's pala 80 despot [Applause] and may God bless you your eminence may God bless all of America's Orthodox faithful and may God bless the country they have so enriched the United States of America Thank You secretary as our representing the highest authority in the nation speaking on various subjects sometimes crossing partisan lines but his mention of the school of hockey is crucial here it's the school where Metropolitan of goose Tino's studied and which was forcibly closed in 1972 by the Turkish government Archbishop LP before us was the abbot of that monastery and school until his election several administration in the United States actually worked very hard to the reopening of the school even before President Trump President Obama spoke about hulky theory brazenly in the Turkish Parliament president bush Alex as President Clinton across it's been a very important appeal and request on the ecumenical Patriarchate to reopen the school of how we get on a satiric on the syllabus here Katrin Ghana acute memory to America a coup Congress and the Mali yacht at the offices of Akali these Morales to the straight wishes extra-hot 30 demoted the apostrophe to diplomatic coup a political Cosmo I've got mo patterns capitalist retailers he is Keeley I will feel the other fest in the store here at the Thomas but yeah he's here don't get evolved a sous chef Josh the SPCA turn atlántico Malone - Pandu yeah tourist oh yes the speaker now plane leaves his metropolitan boost Emil's of germany who has known the archbishop a year since his childhood saw him growing up many mented him during life studies supported him through his doctoral studies and he comes from the throne archbishop LP the forests on behalf of eq miracle Patriarch Bartholomew but we are available Yana plus one is a sin Tony nathan is nominal women are he is a bishop is America's this emblematic is of disappears this Proctor thrown at Lycia stone Orthodox Christian on he appear victory of t30 still battle he chica via the Metropolitan says that Iike me Nicole Paige has appointed LP the forest Diocese of the Patriarchate you know the khutba you - Ellis Toto's ettus emeriti honestly you discussed until Apollo's the smallest Nokia gazillion Ithaca's jealous Martin told Rocko apirana Ngata through a similar set analogy to parody mottos store puke Alisa Nara koalas thisis a pump see feeder at low here beautiful you have thin steel Apostoli funny Roni and meteorolo gist assini axia or Amma tell people the Apple in the metropolitan is referring to the fact that one is and that's the new Archbishop was born a series in history and he has the trust of the ecumenical patriarch is no doubt in my mind it's probably very rare Archbishop embodies so vivid leases of vision is the elemental patriarch in his openness to other rocks churches his openness Christians in his openness to other religions and that's for human rights and religious Russia woman owes his skull artistically Epidaurus us bill analysis this process Epidaurus elephants a Torah study knows the Illuminati enter to Cosmo Ferrand as oshimen and elpida a la Gaviota the auditor purposely epigraphy a potent Pluto Don Harris Martin the topia a hurry to therapy yet appear then grata says yeah Tony after so you take arrival of Los Alamos dachshund to the oxygen Castellanos donít Robin geração Tyrion - Priscilla - Theo he says me ahora poo decals a patellae same a trophy locker to Cyrano police move to the unit yet in proceed under melon liqueur Martin to anthropo yet brass peaceable Aditi success to katakana say hopeless tendo's a Abu turnip you exist in the deities the vehicle near disagree sees me ahora tu familia Templeton yet in interest pc-12 anaconda Salinas this is anomalous case of volunteers are hence Europeans leave a success His Eminence Metropolitan of casinos is drawing connections between this openness this vision of the chemical patreon and the foundation and the visioning code of the United States as a leading nation working in struggling for peace and equality no pol America lattice in Asia is an ACEF two pistols he use para versus Tom profit or Oh Tom battle key material to material all the profit on Donna pastoral Peggy Rican televangelist own material Tolliver Leggett on negative tone all wrong tony has men on and wrong gigantic on a cross for peace Mia Orthodox via an ik DKV Allah geeky Yoshi caption death logistic oh machine his MO he ecclesia to parameter meta logo here you are representing yourself and all that all silver and in tile with an author of some religion that is nationalistic autre holistic Alitalia allah p XO valid on foreign after exam in top nav materialists colleges to appeal then feel like isseta just endure a tuna coma was we off electricity or supporters disk alec is also a peripherals to and thoroughly so sinner are still or a new yorky tonetti protein as a woman oh the Sierras Moniz are years three others colleagues also metropolitan German ears and in a moving tribute to heal closed unjustifiably closed schools in Turkey which trained for over a hundred and fifty years numerous leaders of the community arcade numerous patriarchs that sir he can many Kilpatrick a top Garcia copies Jakarta the Metropolitan says I am God moon that as a graduate of that school at Halki in enthronement service in a meadow someone who served as the abbot school a balloon wash put on a bikini in Olivia or the oysters in a toe climber Jaime's equally my father he's a chinos for many a nominal mesito after scanning after no kappa yetee for acceptance they burrow a teapot Nakano the advocacy are not use real artists opera measures for cattle horses or lawyers or price here on appears semiotic asahi Episcopal Pro America's Heroes limiters oak a famous artists officer and exceedingly the Metropolitan Area special reference among the immediate predecessors of Archbishop LP the forests are metric to Archbishop Demetrios or he just retired as Archbishop a large forest is described as an intellectual system weak man denying that brought unity approaches capital Jannetty opus mas Panoramio Posterous Pablo's autoloader monarchies Jeanette ipanema yet asbestos and logo tennis trophy and a happy and networking obesity and agnya actually pole the arathi undone banished in a moment you will see the Metropolitan intimate handing over the Stars the pastoral road archers the Stars with which he begins his ministry open a new tab here in the archdiocese a symbol of authority a symbol of symbol of the cross in whose shape it appears the symbol of his pastoral care and for his faithful action I will say to him you are usually support not just yourself ot a frantic an irony here gallons a year Axios loyalty thought of a neuron a comma K Estevez presume a simulator Axio cc-can I see Pandavas are America's she was not that they re America's economic Raj - panna cotta was endless they abide he knows push technology technology dos chess you know there was laborious Swizzle pbut really Kira pushes watershed or abuse probably host party artists f4 manasha matheson mobility Mustafa is a personal gear from a chemical patriarch bartholomew conveyed by his representatives at this year's metropolitan of histology stephen amell equality is america's he may always to sip solution project management and authority appalling to excuse we will now hear the first formal address of archbishop LP do for us as Archbishop of the Greek Orthodox Church in America and exit representative of the chemical patriot on August eNOS of Germany personal representative of his all holiness the communal Patriarch Bartholomew exhorted the key be a year here katroo golly he projects a telecon que pasaba technique is given users a litmus helium are ever met at a key across operate a sacrament is a deposit observes salado's your eminence Archbishop Demetrios beloved and esteemed predecessor suppose morality across op2 necklace-- on the salado's nación es mythropolit TVA Gabrielle Katy skip roof service mute at Metropolitan cost Andy Eskimo for stone kiria Basilian your eminence with report and Methodius of boston and beloved brothers of the holy a partial C note and bishops of the holy Archdiocese of America your eminences and graces here art of our sister Orthodox churches and ancient oriental Orthodox churches Reverend Abbott's of the Mount Athos monasteries and the monasteries of our holy Archdiocese the world clergy and presbyteries of this holy Archdiocese of America honored members of ecumenical interfaith and academic communities esteemed representatives of the diplomatic world extra-hot a tequila periphery are here a graffiti a diamond here's a salami quiche distinguished Arkham's members of the Order of Saint Andrew the archdiocese and Council the National Philip rockers a HEPA and the Holy Cross Hellenic College beloved brothers and sisters my dear children in the Lord today I stand before all of you humbled and grateful declaring with the holy prophet and psalmist David eighty me a guardian of the earth eighty me a guardian which means ready is my heart or God ready is my heart indeed my heart my soul and my mind are ready and eager to embark on this great challenge and charge that our thrice holy God has granted to me by His grace with my election at the recommendation of his all holiness the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and the election by the most reverent members of the holy and sacred cenote and among them we have here the metropolitan of Germany and the metropolitan of Chicago and they elected me in order that I might serve you you the beloved faithful of America sell you as your spiritual father and pastor and as the seventh Archbishop of the holy Archdiocese of America the fact that this sacred Commission took place on May 11th coinciding with the feast of st. cyril and methodius piers of their posters and illuminators of the slavs this fact reminds me of the principal conviction and commitment of the first throne of constantinople to an ecumenical worldview and mission this sign further in Sapa inspires me to steer and sustain the grace that flows from God to the mother and daughter churches of Constantinople as well as to the to our archdiocese here in America and to increase this gift in the worlds of the Gospel of John hiring and the heart occurs from grace to grace through the intercessions of the all holy panagia Theotokos whose city Constantinople from 330 ad to this day celebrates its foundation on May 11 therefore I gratefully remember among the first and Proteas my Archbishop and Patti are Bartholomew who bears the foremost burden and the first responsibility of unity in the church it is he who instructed me in this daily in his daily concern for the welfare of all the Churches of God Meryem non pissant on occasion it is he who entrusted and encouraged me from the earliest moments of my ministry it is he who prepared and predisposed me to serve the people of God you my beloved children as a young deacon in the patriarchal Court the clinical part we are encouraged me to sharpen every skill from the ministry or the church as a priest he entrusted me with the administration of the chief secretariat of the holy and sacred sinner and as a Metropolitan of Borgia and a lot of the holy trinity monastery of kalki he commanded me to my care the welfare of an ancient sea balsa and the well-being of our precious theological school and monastery which school as you already said your eminence remains unjustly closed since 1971 for a hundred and fifty years that historical and trailblazing school educated and trained the clergy of the great Church of Christ among them His Eminence metropolitan Auguste eNOS of Germany he is graduate of the school this great Church of Christ is the sacred sea of Constantinople it is where Akuma Nicole consoles convened it is where doctrinal definitions were articulated it is world liturgical traditions were shaped it is where saints and confessors were recognized and it is where the all Holy Mother of God was especially honored the unparalleled history of service and sacrifice encapsulated by the Mother Church of Constantinople over the centuries is a source of inspiration and regeneration to all its daughter churches and effigies throughout the world this is a relationship that we are all called to nurture and reinforce unceasingly and increasingly at this solemn hour this sacred bond is epitomized and expressed in the venerable person of His Eminence Metropolitan Agostino of Germany who has proven a mentor and patron for me throughout the years of my learning information in Germany I am personally and profoundly indepted to him for this precious presence among us today thank you your eminence I wish to thank our brother in the Orthodox faith secretary of health health and human services mr. Alexander Kaiser who today affords all of us the great honor of representing the President of the United States mr. secretary your worlds filled this Cathedral with the eternal truths of the gospel and the highest ideals in the American Dream I thank you for your commitment to both to Athens and Jerusalem for they are both the foundation of our civilization moreover I recognize those who have preceded me in this glorious and blessed archdiocese all those who have shaped and defined this exceptional church these include first His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios who honored me with his presence today in order to transmit to me the church that he saw faithfully and so attentively ministered for two decades thank you [Applause] but also Archbishop iakovos who boldly worked beside Martin Luther King jr. against the cultural tide of the time and even against the advice of his peers and above all above all the inspired pioneer athenagoras who recognized the importance of breaking down barriers with other church confessions and faith communities my aspiration is to plant and multiply their diverse gifts in the fertile soil soil of this church and land and as I reach out in a dialogue of love and truth to our Akuma local and interfaith brothers and sisters my heart is certainly ready and steadfast to follow their groundbreaking lead in their illustrious example I would like to express my humble gratitude and sincere appreciation to my beloved brother Metropolitan's and bishops as well as the pious clergy and faith will lay people men and women you all all those who represent and comprise the many ministries and manifold departments of our archdiocese I want to thank you - thank you for the wholehearted welcome and genuine warmth demonstrated from the moment of my election your solidarity and support signal a promising and positive collaboration in the days months and years ahead as all flux Christians of course thought up the worlds of the nicene-constantinopolitan creed which is our symbol of faith we as Orthodox Christians are truly Catholic and apostolic only when we remember and realize that we are also one and holy and so my heart is ready and steadfast in the sensitive and critical matter of Orthodox unity I sincerely pledge 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 our teaching is one is one in the sacrament and one in the life of the church therefore our preaching should also reflect the same unanimity and consensus in the culturally diverse and pluralistic world that we inhabit and share in this way we shall be ready and steadfast at all times stead ready and steadfast to preach good news to the poor to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind to set at liberty those who are oppressed and to declare the acceptable year of the Lord as Luke the Evangelist says and it sounds like this in Greek Evangelista step to his kirik Malati's officing kata fleas on our lips in our poor still a death of Manos NFS he leaks any often kirio tecktonik and we shall always be prepared to make a defense to anyone who calls us to account for the hope for the hope that lies in us and to do so with gentleness and reverence furthermore I acknowledge and greet with all my heart on this occasion those representing the highest political of this nation and civil authorities of this city as well as the distinguished leaders and members of the ecumenical and academic communities you are a powerful reminder that none of us can respond to or resolve the challenges before us without the solidarity and support of everyone without exception without exclusion and without discrimination I think I thank each and every one of you for this important confirmation and imperative of information in addition I thank the representatives from the national government the state and the city of New York as well as those from Greece Cyprus and Turkey your participation your participation here honors both the ecumenical Patriarchate and the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America I am particularly moved to see and to express my thanks to my mother whom I embraced my mother and my family members would traveled across the globe in order to be with me today along with my many many friends friends from Greece from Cyprus from Turkey and from Europe your love and support through the years have made me who I am today mother henceforth I hope to inspire all those entrusted in my care is Archbishop with the same love and support that you have shown me throughout my life dear and distinguished friends dear and distinguished friends my heart is especially ready and steadfast to serve this archdiocese and nation both of which I have long admired since childhood and from my ministry at the Vanara through the decades I have observed the development of the church here in America the challenges it has encountered in the ground it has broken so I am here as your new Archbishop I'm here to listen to you to dialogue with you and of course to work with you my prayerful aspiration is to stand before you and beside you to lead by example and exhortation and to minister through service and of course sacrifice let us advance together together as the body of Christ and body of believers as a united archdiocese and Church and as has cherished Apogee of our venerable ecumenical Patriarchate I can think of no higher calling and no finer vocation for my life than to be with you with you in your joys and your sorrows with you in your triumphs in your trials my heart is ready and steadfast willing and prepared willingly prepared to serve you at all times and in all tasks of the many areas that I hope to address with a sense of pastoral urgency I would highlight the loving ministry to our beloved youth who welcomed me some minutes ago they reinforced in enforcement of the our theological education as well as the completion of the shrine at Ground Zero in all these areas we implore above and beyond all others and all else the strength and support of God's grace for unless the Lord builds our house those who labor do so in vain says the psalmist David and in Greek aeronomy killers because the Missy ikan is not in a copious and equals among this there is a precious lesson and enduring vision about leadership as service transmitted to be by his all holiness the ecumenical Patriarchate and that is the importance of building bridges of creating relationships such connections are precisely what the church is all about none of us is either born or planted in vacuum the Orthodox Church in particular we breathe and bequeath the richness of a long and sacred tradition this is what it means for Bishops to be successors in the faith of the Apostles there can only be genuine progression in the church if there is also an unbroken apostolic continuity we must never forget our forefathers and our fathers our patriarchs and prophets apostles and preachers saints and martyrs confessors and ascetics all those men and women known and unknown these people have laid the foundations for the church and paved the way for us to belong to the body of Christ this is what it means for a church to look back at its traditions and to look forward to sharing its treasures by establishing its roots in the local surroundings and circumstances this is what it means to generate connections between the global and the regional in order to reflect the universal in the local this finally is what it means to integrate the cultural and the spiritual elements of a living community then we shall be able to address the language of heaven to the reality of this world for then we can translate the eternal world of God in a way that truly transforms the transient nature of the world but how shall we prepare for and respond to this calling first if we are to be true to our angelical roots and spiritual traditions we must be a church that embraces our young people a church that embraces the strangers in our midst that embraces all members of our community and our country our young people face and ever-growing the loads of information and access to knowledge that is unprecedented the church which means all of us the church must be ready to meet our youth where they live and where they're learn in our communities on college campuses with all of the range and resources of social media at our disposal we cannot lose any time and we cannot wait for them to reach out to us we must offer them a taste of the sacramental life of the living body of Christ we should welcome and embrace them meeting them just as the Lord Jesus Christ himself did with his disciples on their own terms in their own heart and with our own resources second our ministry to our youth and our message to our world must be grounded in the development and expansion of our theological School in Boston the heart of Education of clergy and formation of leaders for our archdiocese but also beyond I will never forget the extraordinary semester I spent teaching at Holy Cross School of Theology in the spring of the year 2004 you see my dear brothers and sisters the challenges of church management are not merely secular mundane concerns for the church they touch on the very heart of our response to celebrating and communicating the gift that we have received from God in a very real sense we are all deacons servants we are all accountable stewards of the resources of the faithful and if we face our challenges and hurdles humbly and collectively then I have every confidence that we shall overcome them if the Lord is our strength and our salvation our consolation and our illumination then our brightest days are surely ahead of us third as I stand on this throne beholding all of you in this splendid Cathedral and addressing so many more more of you by means of modern communications I also behold the sacred image of the relics of San Nicolas the wonder-worker precisely because we believe in miracles precisely because San Nicolas works wonders precisely because the name Nicholas means the victory of the people that's why we are able to equal the words of the letter to the Romans which proclaims we are able to overcome every challenge through the God who loved us Alan Tootie's passing if Ernie Coleman V at huaca peace endures amass in this Victorian miracle that the st. Nicholas National Shrine at the World Trade Center represents and symbolizes not only for our archdiocese but for the city of New York it in fact for the entire American nation on that bitter day of September 11 2001 so many lives were lost so much suffering was caused and our little San Nicholas Church was obliterated in the collapse of the Twin Towers yet hatred has ultimately overcome overcome by hope violence was overcome by forgiveness and death fear was overcome by mercy by compassion and love it is our duty and our responsibility as Orthodox Christians but also our obligation and commitment to God and His people to complete and to open the doors of the st. Nicholas National Shrine and to do this as a witness we need to do this as a witness and vision of what is best and what is beautiful in all people of faith and in all people of religious conviction I assure you that my heart is ready and steadfast in this task as well dear friends sisters and brothers today we celebrate the leave-taking or the a pollicis of the Feast of Pentecost when the Orthodox Church invites all those who are baptized and clothed in Christ to become children led by and enlightened by the fire in the force of the Holy Spirit the spirit who calls all people to unity by shedding their divisions and doubts as we chant in the Kentuckian of the day let us together glorify the all Holy Spirit and as we declare in the communion hymn-of-the-day this spirit of goodness shall guide us on the right way and lead us on level ground top nerve muscle Targa thorn or the he see me and he f.viia tomorrow I shall look forward with great anticipation and expectation to celebrating and sharing with all of you the Eucharistic meal of the feast of All Saints Donaghey on and on we shall have the opportunity to remember all the saints very ancient Saints like Saint Nicholas the wounded worker and very recent Saints like Sonia Cobos sallykaus of Avia at the same time however we shall remember that we are all called to become members of the communion of saints fellow travelers on the Magnificent journey that God has so graciously and generously prepared for us in the Blessed Archdiocese Church land let our hearts therefore remain steady ready and steadfast Armin thank you [Applause] [Applause] [Music] [Music] the clergy who represent some 750 priests and deacons from all over America are in the section immediately behind the throne of the archbishop those celebrating the enthronement service include the president of the retired clergy association and the presidents of the clergy Brotherhood's [Music] the choir is singing a prayer of many years of health and ministry to the new archbishop who bless the congregation with France [Music] [Music] [Music] hiring the congregational chance being filled acclamation to the commendable patriarch our follow me [Music] but they're only born to a circus there with oars and I Csonka saw sunny Mars [Music] they all seem on the lasagna sauce so any more [Music] ladies and gentlemen please be seated if you would as His Eminence greets the members of the apocalypse in aught and all of the hierarchs that are here today I will ask that you remain in your seats and wait for the ushers to dismiss you in an orderly fashion there will be a one or two minute break now so please remain seated that concludes the ceremony for the case for many pericle uma was para minute as the statuses or so to serve as Miata - sorry hibiscus America shall be love for us here at ec2 service veritatis metropolis is eros sino que tu sabes campus metropolis can fulfill Estados episode wish you heard the emphasis of the archbishop reality and address medical and interfaith relations on greater unity among the Orthodox churches on theological education and the invigoration of the theological school in Boston and the shrine of the Nicholas at Ground Zero the completion of the church I think that all of the people have good reason to believe that the name of the new archbishop will in fact be realized that he is the bearer of hope that he is the beginning of a new positive and joyous chapter in the life of the church here in America after the fanfare subsides I think that we can hope that our new archbishop will focus on the spiritual development over the church when the celebrations have settled we can hope that he will foster inter Orthodox relations and when the pomp abates we can hope that he will further the ministries and the theological education of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese see you tonight our new partner love it [Music] may God bless your ministry [Music] these marriages [Music] thank you very much this is why I will give [Music] Roxy Oh sucks [Music] you [Music] I would like to thank you for following the service of the enthronement ceremony with us the archbishop will lead the recession and give out gifts to the people present in the congregation I think we can safely say that the ecumenical Patriarchate in very recent decisions and nominations has appointed some of his most proficient dynamic and gifted bishops to the positions of the most prominent posts in the anglo-saxon world at least in the United States in Australia and Great Britain we closed with the acclamation Axios may he truly be worthy of this ministry thank you [Music]

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Keywords: Greek, Orthodox, Christian, America, Eastern Orthodox Church, Greek Orthodox, Archbishop Elpidophoros

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Length: 104min 33sec (6273 seconds)

Published: Tue Jun 25 2019