ISTANBUL, Turkey | Archbishop Sotirios of Canada has decided at the age of 90 to withdraw from active service and submit his resignation to the Mother Church, ending a ministry in Canada that Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew said has lasted more than 50 years.
Bartholomew spoke about the decision at the Church of Saint Kyriaki in Kontoskali, where Archbishop Sotirios was present and joined in prayer during the Divine Liturgy.
The Ecumenical Patriarch described him as a distinguished and prominent hierarch of the Ecumenical Throne, referring to his long service in the “civilized and great country” of Canada.
For more than five decades, Bartholomew said, Sotirios worked there for the Church and its people. He also referred to the churches, communities and charitable institutions associated with the archbishop’s ministry.
Looking to the transition ahead, Bartholomew said the Archbishop of Canada leaves his successor “a precious legacy.” He also spoke of the respect, love, recognition and esteem that Sotirios had won from his large flock.
“We embrace you, we honor you, we love you and we will always pray for your health,” the Ecumenical Patriarch said, addressing the Archbishop of Canada.
Who is Archbishop Sotirios of Canada
Archbishop Sotirios of Canada, born Athanasoulas, was born in Lepiana, Arta, in 1936. He studied at the Theological School of the University of Athens and continued with postgraduate studies in theology at the University of Montreal.
He was ordained deacon and priest in July 1962, and from that time his ministry was linked to Canada. He was elected bishop in December 1973 and consecrated on January 27, 1974.
In 1996 he was elevated to Metropolitan of Toronto and Exarch of All Canada. In 2019, after the Metropolis was elevated to an Archdiocese, he became Archbishop of Canada.
During his pastoral tenure, the Church’s parishes in Canada increased from 22 to 75. His ministry was also linked to social, educational and ecclesiastical institutions in the Greek diaspora.
