BOSTON – Bishop Demetrios of Mokissos has resigned and was relegated to the group of retired hierarchs of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. The news of his resignation announced in a News Release of the Archdiocese issued late in the evening of Tuesday, March 14, 2023 after the meeting of the Eparchial Synod, in which it was stated that it : “Unanimously accepted the resignation from active service of His Grace Bishop Demetrios of Mokissos, who, going forward, will be relegated to the group of retired hierarchs of the Archdiocese.”

No mention was made in the announcement about the reasons that forced Bishop Demetrios to resign from his active ministry. It is reminded here that TNH had reported in the past that Archbishop Elpidophoros personally and his assistant Bishop Athenagoras of Nazianzos were conducting an investigation about Bishop Demetrios for an issue related to him.

The resigned hierarch was actually auxiliary Bishop to Archbishop Elpidophoros, whom he had appointed Hierarchal Proistamenos at Saint Photios National Shrine in St. Augustine Florida. He served for a number of years as chancellor of the Metropolis of Chicago under the late Metropolitan Iakovos.

The Eparchial Synod, which convened in person in the Archdiocese headquarters in New York dealt also with the Charter of the Archdiocese. The News Release stated: “The Archbishop updated the synodal hierarchs on the second meeting of the Mixed Commission on the new Charter for the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, which took place at the Phanar on March 8, 2023.” It is emphasized here that Elpidophoros “updated” the Synod after the fact since he alone made the recommendations without any prior consultation or discussion with the Eparchial Synod and the Archdiocesan Council as is provided in Article 25 of the existing charter.

The text of the official Communique of the Holy Eparchial Synod follows:

“A regular meeting of the Holy Eparchial Synod was convened today by His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America for the purpose of deliberating on current matters concerning the life of the Church.

The Archbishop updated the synodal hierarchs on the second meeting of the Mixed Commission on the new Charter for the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, which took place at the Phanar on March 8, 2023.

In continuation, the Holy Eparchial Synod:

1) discussed the official communique of the Ecumenical Patriarchate on the Mixed Commission and in response to an invitation from His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew for the members of the Holy Eparchial Synod to travel to the Phanar for a meeting on April 5, the Synod gratefully accepted the invitation and will travel in its entirety to Constantinople for this purpose;

2) unanimously accepted the resignation from active service of His Grace Bishop Demetrios of Mokissos, who, going forward, will be relegated to the group of retired hierarchs of the Archdiocese;

3) were provided an update by the Archdiocesan Presbyters Council concerning the Clergy Sabbatical Program;

4) decided to kindly instruct our choirs not to chant the dismissal hymns (apolytikia) in western-style music during Church worship services. This practice perplexes the faithful, who are accustomed to the classical Byzantine versions of these hymns and are unable to follow along with the polyphonic western-style of music;

5) discussed current correspondence according to the order of the agenda.

Finally, in a spirit of fraternal love and affection, the Archbishop and the synodal hierarchs expressed to each other best wishes for the remainder of Great Lent.
From the Chief Secretariat.”