CONSTANTINOPLE – A suspicious quietness was prevalent at the Ecumenical Patriarchate during the period of the Synodic meetings as this edition went to press.

As The National Herald reported, sources in a position to know revealed that His All Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew was leaning toward replacing His Eminence Geron Demetrios as Archbishop of America.

Demetrios has been at the Phanar since January 8 because he is a member of the Holy Synod during this Synodic period.

The archbishop, upon his request, had a brief private meeting with Patriarch Bartholomew on January 10. It lasted less than 10 minutes. The details of the meeting are not yet known; they had not met privately beforehand during this visit by Demetrios because of Bartholomew’s busy schedule.

Sources at the Phanar asserted that it appeared the moment had arrived for Bartholomew to take serious action to salvage the Archdiocese of America. Nothing has been confirmed, but nothing can be ruled out either.

No mention about Demetrios’ fate was made during the Synod meetings. The Synod simply approved the List of candidates for elevation to Episcopacy; all the names on the List were read and the List was approved as it was sent by the archbishop.

Also a report was read that was submitted by Archimandrite Nathaniel Symeonidis head of the Inter-Christian Department of the Archdiocese, about an economic forum he had attended. And the issue of renovation of the School of Galata in Constantinople through Greek shipowner Athanasios Martinos’ donation was discussed. Archbishop Gregorios of Thyatira and Great Britain announced that His Archdiocese will assume the cost of the renovation of the Synodic Room in the Eugenidio Building at the Patriarchate.

Also some reports were read regarding the Metropolis of Spain.