Speech of Metropolitan Elpidophoros at His Consecration

In his homily following his consecration to the episcopacy Metropolitan Elpidophoros () of Brusa laxed eloquent in his praise of Patriarch Bartholomew (Arhondonis) of Constantinople, even noting his "[love] of liturgy and of monasticism." This may strike members in the Church of Constantinople as somewhat ironic given the ongoing tensions between Patriarch Bartholomew and Mount Athos, tensions that very nearly prompted Elder Ephraim (Philotheotis) to establish his North American monasteries under the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad rather than the Ecumenical Patriarchate's dioceses on the continent.

Fortunately, Metropolitan Elpidophoros went on to matters more at the core of Patriarch Bartholomew's patriarchate, noting that, "Above and beyond all [in the Patriarch's labors] lies the good of the Phanar, the projection of the ecumenicity of the Throne." In thanking the various delegations of the Local Orthodox Churches, governments, and monasteries assembled for their presence the good metropolitan also overlooked the presence of representatives of the American Orthodox Church (OCA).

A full text of the new metropolitan's speech can be found here.