Istanbul, July 23, 2026
Photo: Greek Orthodox Metropolis of New Jersey
Metropolitan Apostolos of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America’s Metropolis of New Jersey has been elected the new Archbishop of Canada.
The unanimous decision was made by the Holy Synod of the Patriarchate of Constantinople yesterday.
After formally accepting the resignation of Archbishop Sotirios of Canada, the Synod unanimously selected Metropolitan Apostolos of New Jersey as his successor.
Metropolitan Apostolos has served as a hierarch for 12 years, including the last three as Metropolitan of New Jersey.
Archbishop Sotirios, who announced his retirement last month, served in Canada for 52 years. When he assumed his episcopal duties in 1974, the Greek Orthodox presence in Canada consisted of 22 parishes. Over the course of his administration, that network expanded to more than 75 parishes across the country.
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Abp. Apostolos of Canada was born on the island of Rhodes, Greece. In 1990, he was accepted at the historical Ecclesiastical School of Patmos, where he was first introduced to, and later mastered, Orthodox Byzantine Music and Hymnology.
On April 29, 1993, he was tonsured a monk at the Holy and Sacred Monastery of Panagia Paramethea, at which time he received the name Apostolos. On June 20, 1993, he was ordained to the diaconate. He served the Metropolis of Rhodes as the deacon to the Metropolitan and after one year received the Offikion of Archdeacon.
In October of 1995, Fr. Apostolos was accepted at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, to study Pastoral and Social Theology. During his theological education, he was ordained to the holy priesthood on July 28, 1996, and received the Offikion of Archimandrite by Metropolitan Apostolos of Rhodes. In March of 2000, Fr. Apostolos graduated with the degree of Master of Divinity from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.
Fr. Apostolos later earned the degree of Master of Sacred Theology from Boston University School of Theology in May of 2004.
During his graduate studies, her served in several Massachusetts parishes.
In March of 2004, His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America appointed Archimandrite Apostolos Koufallakis as the Dean of the historic Cathedral of St. Demetrios in Astoria.
In November 2011, Archimandrite Apostolos was appointed as the Chancellor of the Metropolis of San Francisco.
On November 28, 2014, he was unanimously elected to the rank of Auxiliary Bishop and was given the title Bishop of Medeia. He was consecrated on December 20, 2014, at the Holy Trinity Cathedral in New York.
On February 3, 2021, Bishop Apostolos assumed the liturgical and pastoral responsibilities and needs of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of New Jersey. On July 24, 2023, he was unanimously elected as the Metropolitan of the Metropolis of New Jersey.
And on July 22, 2026, he was unanimously elected as Archbishop of Canada.
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