HISTORY OF CONSECRATIONS GREEK ORTHODOX MISSIONARY ARCHDIOCESE OF AMERICA G.O.C.

HISTORY OF CONSECRATIONS

GREEK ORTHODOX MISSIONARY     ARCHDIOCESE OF AMERICA G.O.C.

As it is written and shown from the minutes, the certificates and photos attesting to the truth of both the election and consecration to Bishop and enthronement of His Eminence Metropolitan / Archbishop Pankratios (Demetrios Vryonis, son of Gerasimos) on February 27, 1970 in New York, USA.

We cite herein the history of Canonical Succession of the Bishops who consecrated him, namely the first in rank, the late Archbishop of Dosifey Ivanchenko (Bishop Dositheus Ivanchenko) who descended from the ranks of marring clergy and after been widowed was elected and consecrated as Bishop by the Holy Synod of the Patriarchate of Moscow and All Russia during World War II. He was appointed and served in Western Europe, then emigrated to America where he was initially appointed Bishop of California and Western America and later as Patriarchal Exarch in N. York for the Patriarchate of Moscow and All Russia (1969 to 1970) when Archimandrite f. Pankratios was recommended to him, and having appraised the work of the Archimandrite in his local congregation of Russian speaking Greeks (Greek-Russians), and appreciating it, he accepted the recommendation of the also Orthodox Russian Protoiereus Alexander Tsougklevich to elect Archimandrite f. Pankratios as Bishop of the Greek-Russian Orthodox Christians.  

The second in rank Αrchpriest who elected and consecrated Archimandrite f. Pankratios to Archibishop of Tsargrad, was His Grace the Bishop of Paris and Western Europe Theophilus Ionescu, who was consecrated by the Holy Synod of the Russian Church Abroad, namely Saint John Maximovitch (Bishop of Shanghai, Berlin and San Francisco) along with other holy Hierarchs. Initially he served for many years in his monastery, in Detroit, Michigan, also pastoring many Romanian speaking Parishes of the Patristic Calender. By order of the H. Synod of the Russian Church Abroad, Bishop Theophilos Ionescu with Archpriests carried out the consecration of the first G.O.C. Archbishop Akakios Pappas. He then took Archimandrite Pankratios under his Scapular and recommended Him for the multinational Archdiocese of Tsargrad in which also belonged (and belong to this day) many Greek-Romanians of the region.  

The third in rank Archriest who participated in the consecration of Archimandrite Pankratios was the Greek-Albanian Archbishop Christophoros Rados, who was consecrated Bishop by the late Bishop Theophan Noli (Brooklyn, NY), who was consecrated as Bishop by the Archbishop of Albania Chrysostomos Kissis, the Metropolitan Christophoros then Patr. of Alexandria and the Metropolitan Ierotheos (Andon-Yaho), Bishop of Miletoupolis and Exarch of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Constantinople, at the Cathedral of St. George in Korcha, Albania. While secular, Bishop Theophan Noli was elected and served as President of Albania (prior to the Hoxha regime). He joined in the consecration of Christophoros Rados together with Archbishop Christophoros Kontogiorgos who took on the title of St. Nectarios when of Pentapolis by the Patriarchate of Alexandria and was Exarch for many years in America (adhering to the Patristic Calender). This was the Canonical Succession of Archbishop Christophoros Rados of the Greeks from Albanian in U.S.A., residing in Brooklyn, N.Y.  

The stance of the New Calendar Archbishop in America Athenagoras Spyrou (later Patriarch) is noted herein, for conducting a fierce war against Christophoros Kontogiorgos and creating arbitrarily a case-file, proceeded anti-canonical to his degradation, which he published in the media at the time. On the grounds of this unjust and completely anti-canonical act Archbishop Christophoros  Kontogiorgos

went before the courts and sued Ecumenical Patriarch Athenagoras and won the case. Among other things, Ecumenical Patriarch Athenagoras published a letter revoking the degradation by the Ecumencal Patriarchate since the day it was written, reinstating Christophoros  Kontogiorgos as Canonical Bishop of the Orthodox Church and his achievements as canonical. This letter is kept in our archives evidencing through Christophoros  Kontogiorgos and Christophoros Rados, the canonicity of the ordination of Metropolitan Pankratios and the clergy under him.

So, this is the Canonical Apostolic Succession of His Eminence Metropolitan and Archbishop of Tsargrad and America Pankratios on February 27, 1970.

Following this, Archbishop Pankratios proceeded to the election and consecration to Bishop of Archimandrite Sergios (Theodore) Irtel Elder Father of Optina (of old age, being the missionary of the poor, orphans indigenous Mexicans in the city of Jaurez, El Paso, Texas, Mexico), acting along with the Greek-Albanian Christophoros Rados and of the very aged Bishop of Plataea Evangelos Stefas (consecrated in Boston by Metropolitans: Vasileios of Sparta and Christophoros Kontogiorgos of Pentapolis and Bishop Arsenios Salta).

Then, after many years, the elected Bishop of Koronaia Stephanos (Di Giovanni) was recommended and was consecrated as Assistant Bishop (for the Italian-Greek Orthodox community P.C.) by Archbishop Pankratios along with Evangelos of Plataea and Archbishop Christophoros. They in turn consecrated Archimandrite Joseph Langdon (being of very old age) as Assistant Bishop of New Bethany, and Archimandrite Elias as Bishop of Apollonia and Archimandrite Theophilos  Saulniere as Bishop of Sylivria, then the Bishop of Palation Georgios end lastly the Metropolitan of Brazil Leontios.

All were consecrated a priori, on Archbishop Pankratios’ leadership.

On January 10, 2006, Metropolitan of Olympus Michael joined the GREEK ORTHODOX MISSIONARY ARCHDIOCESE OF AMERICA GOC, under His Beatitude Archbishop Pankratios.

Currently he is appointed Exarch in Greece for the purposes of the Mission.

On April 11, 2007 Metropolitan of Kampania Vasileios joined the GREEK ORTHODOX MISSIONARY ARCHDIOCESE OF AMERICA GOC, under His Beatitude Archbishop Pankratios.

On August 26, 2007 Archimandrite Aimilianos was consecrated as Bishop of Koronea and Adriatic by the Archbishop of America Pankratios, the Metropolitan of Sylivria and S. England Theophilos, the Bishop of Olympos Michael and the Bishop of Illyria Thomas.

On April 15, 2008, Archbishop Pankratios resigned for health reasons from the Archieratic Throne and the Holy and Sacred Synod unanimously elected the Metropolitan of Sylivria and S. England Theophilos as the 2^nd Archbishop of the Missionary Archdiocese of America.

The Holy and Sacred Synod convened on June 12, 2008 in an Extraordinary Session (Archbishop Theophilos resigned following a major accident), for the election of a new Archbishop. The Synod of the Church Hierarchy finally unanimously elected His Eminence Metropolitan and Exarch of Olympus in Greece Michael as the 3^rd Archbishop of the Greek Orthodox Missionary Archdiocese of America.

On June 15, 2008 Metropolitan of Kampania Vasileios took over the Exarchate of our Archdiocese in Greece.

On August 24, 2008 Archimandrite. Gerasimos was consecrated as Bishop of Palation and Exarch of Florida, by the  Archbishop of America Michael and the Bishop of Illyria Thomas, along with the Metropolitan of Brazil Leontios and the Metropolitan of Kampania and Exarch in Greece Vasileios.  

On 1 September 2008 the Holy and Sacred Synod been convened, discharged the former of America (Tsargrad) Pankratios for conduct unbecoming of a Bishop.  

The Holy and Sacred Synod on 08-01-2009 P.C./ 21-01-2009 of the N.C., deposed the former Metropolitan of Palation Gerasimos from the Archiepiscopal office, and three years of excommunication, demoting him to the rank of monks.

This decision was a necessary canonical act in handling the anti-canonical and anti-ecclesiastic acts of the former Metropolitan, because apparently he had joined the expelled by the Holy and Sacred Synod Metropolitan Pankratios of Vasiloupoleos, action which brought the Church to the brink of a schism.

On 30/01/2009 P.C. Metropolitan of Pentapoleos Germanos joined the GREEK ORTHODOX MISSIONARY ARCHDIOCESE OF AMERICA G.O.C., under His Beatitude Archbishop Michael.

On 01/02/2009 P.C. /14-02-2009 N.C., Reverend Archimandrite Serapheim was consecrated as Assistant Bishop of Platamonos by His Beatitude Archbishop of America Michael, His Eminence the Vice-President of the Holy Synod Metropolitan of Sylivria and S. England Theophilos and Metropolitan Germanos.

On the same day he assumed his duties as Exarch in Greece.

On 17/8/2009 P.C., 30/08/2009 N.C., the Reverend  Archimandrite Damaskinos was consecrated as Bishop of Smyrnis, by His Beatitude Archbishop of America Michael, His Eminence the Vice-President of the Holy Synod Metropolitan of Sylivria and S. England Theophilos, the Metropolitan of  Illyria and Exarch of Manhattan Thomas, and Bishop of Platamonos and Exarch in Greece Serapheim.

His Grace Bishop of Platamonos under decision number 6 by the holy Archpriests of our Holy Synod of the Missionary Archdiocese of America was promoted to Metropolitan of Kaisareias.

On 02/03/2013 P.C./ 15/03/2013 N.C., the Father Superior of the Holy Monastery of Saint Nektarios Vermont Archimandrite Lazaros, was consecrated as Metropolitan of Vermont, by His Beatitude the Archbishop of America Michael along with Metropolitans of Kaisareias Serapheim Vice-President of the Holy Synod, of Marathon and Mesogaia Isaiah, of Smyrnis Damaskinos and of Montreal & Canada Nektarios.   

The composition of our Holy and Sacred Synod today is as follows:

1.    Archbishop of America Michael.

2.    Metropolitan of Kaisareias and Exarch in Greece Serapheim, Vice President

3.    Metropolitan of Trapezountos and Exarch of Pontos Aimilianos

4.    Metropolitan of Smyrnis and Exarch of All Anatolia Damaskinos

5.    Metropolitan of Vermont Lazaros.

6 Metropolitan of Pentapoleos Meletiios