Metropolitan Cleopas of Sweden Visits Boston as a Guest Speaker
STOCKHOLM -- To commemorate the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, the Holy Cross School of Theology in Boston held a two-day conference on site at its facilities entitled “The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America at 100 Years.”
At the invitation of His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America and the aforementioned academic institution, His Eminence Metropolitan Cleopas of Sweden and All Scandinavia participated in the conference as a guest speaker, delivering his presentation entitled “The Making of Archbishop Iakovos: How His Diakonia as a Priest Shaped His Archiepiscopacy,” on Friday, October 7, 2022.
The presentation was based on a study Metropolitan Cleopas wrote in November 2012 during his ministry as Dean of the Annunciation Cathedral of Boston entitled Dean James A. Coucouzes as a Model of Priesthood: Archbishop Iakovos' Ministry at the Annunciation Cathedral of New England (1942-1954).
At the end of his speech, the Metropolitan congratulated the conference organizers V. Rev. Archimandrite Dr. Anton Vrame and Dr. James Skedros,
while offering copies of his study on Archbishop Iakovos to Archbishop Elpidophoros, Holy Cross President Mr. George M. Cantonis, Dr. James Skedros, and Prof. Alexander Kitroeff of Haverford College.
On Sunday, October 9th Metropolitan Cleopas celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Boston Cathedral. During his address, he thanked His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros for inviting him to participate in the conference as a guest speaker, as well as His Eminence Metropolitan Methodios of Boston with whose canonical permission he celebrated the Divine Liturgy together with the Dean of the Cathedral Rev. Protopresbyter Fr. Athanasios Tsininis and Fr. Vasilios, a clergyman visiting from Greece. The hymns of the day were chanted by three Holy Cross students.
After first speaking to the Sunday School students, Metropolitan Cleopas expressed his gratitude to the members of the Annunciation Cathedral for the love they showed him from the start of his ministry there until today, offered them copies of his chronicle of the Patriarchal Visit to Stockholm, congratulated the new Dean of the Cathedral Fr. Athanasios on his recent appointment, wished the former Dean Rev. Protopresbyter Fr. Demetrios Tonias a speedy recovery, and delivered a sermon on the day’s Gospel reading.
A reception followed on site at the Cathedral, which was graciously offered by the Ladies Philoptochos Society and the parish council.
Metropolitan Cleopas left Boston that afternoon to return to his see in Stockholm.
Read Speech here
Read Sermon here
Photo credit: Mr. Alex Mavradis
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