“This is a great opportunity for Turkey”—Abp. Elpidophoros on his role as head of Greek Archdiocese (2019)

Source: Hurriyet Daily News

June 14, 2019

newsit.gr newsit.gr     

In June 2019, the Turkish outlet Hurriyet Daily News published an article about Archbishop Elpidophoros, then newly elected as the head of the Patriarchate of Constantinople’s Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. In his comments to the outlet, Abp. Elpidophoros noted the benefits he can bring to Turkey in his new position, as well as the GOA’s ties to the U.S. government.—O.C.

“It is the first time in history that a Turkish citizen is chosen as the archbishop of the United States. This has a significant importance for Turkey because the archbishop of the U.S. is the religious leader of all the Greek foundations in the United States. It means he also has a political impact. Therefore this is a great opportunity for Turkey because someone who knows Turkey, who understands Turkey and who speaks Turkish is going to lead the Greek congregation in the U.S., the importance of this, is so obvious,” Lambriniadis told daily Hürriyet in a recent interview.

… “The archbishopric in the U.S. has an open line with the White House constantly. The U.S. government has many times expressed the problems of the Fener Greek Patriarchate in Istanbul in its human rights reports. Starting from the issue of the closed Halki Seminary in Heybeliada, it is not easy to find solutions to these problems in Ankara or Athens. However, there is a much higher possibility of finding a solution to these kind of problems by sitting around the same table in Washington. Especially re-opening the Halki Seminary in Heybeliada would have a very positive impact on U.S.-Turkey relations,” he added.

… Read the rest at Hurriyet Daily News.

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9/29/2021

See also
Archbishop Elpidophoros: “I sincerely regret the pain” caused by presence at event with Turkish occupiers of Cyprus Archbishop Elpidophoros: “I sincerely regret the pain” caused by presence at event with Turkish occupiers of Cyprus
In his statement in response, Abp. Elpidophoros emphasizes that his presence “could never be the recognition of a calamity … an occupation.” Greek Archbishop Elpidophoros prays for Biden’s presidency and social justice at Democratic convention (+VIDEO) Greek Archbishop Elpidophoros prays for Biden’s presidency and social justice at Democratic convention (+VIDEO) Greek Archbishop Elpidophoros prays for Biden’s presidency and social justice at Democratic convention (+VIDEO) Greek Archbishop Elpidophoros prays for Biden’s presidency and social justice at Democratic convention (+VIDEO)
In his prayer, the Archbishop prayed that God would shine His light upon Biden to serve well as president, and that we might be inspired to “fight against injustice, inequality, and hatred.” Abp. Elpidophoros on the BLM march: It was my duty as a Christian and Greek, inspired by Pat. Bartholomew Abp. Elpidophoros on the BLM march: It was my duty as a Christian and Greek, inspired by Pat. Bartholomew Abp. Elpidophoros on the BLM march: It was my duty as a Christian and Greek, inspired by Pat. Bartholomew Abp. Elpidophoros on the BLM march: It was my duty as a Christian and Greek, inspired by Pat. Bartholomew
The day before he marched, police officer Shay Mikalonis, a member of the St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church in Las Vegas, was shot in the head during a Black Lives Matter protest and is currently on life support. Abp. Elpidophoros has also come under heavy criticism for making no public statement about Mikalonis and for joining with BLM after this incident.
Comments
Panagiotis11/12/2021 12:35 am
His comments above are troubling to me... just how is this "a great opportunity for Turkey"... He says above "it means he also has a political impact". But I just read on another Orthodox website where it claims he said he is not a politician..... When he marched with BLM he lost all respect from me, and many other Orthodox in the USA... He was only in the United States for a short period of time before that, yet, in my opinion, in his arrogance, he stupidly marched with the BLM crowd... I wonder, was it a publicity stunt to please the liberals who are the dominant power in most of the news media and Hollywood in the USA???.... To date, he has not apologized for this, as far as I know, and therefore this tells me that he is a liberal extremist who is out of touch with the majority of Greek Orthodox Christians in the USA.. the majority of Greek People in the USA are conservative... In my humble opinion, it is time for the Greek People in the USA to elect their own Archbishop instead of receiving one from Turkey... Also, in my opinion, it is time for this one to go back to Turkey....
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