Abp. Demetrios tenders resignation

This has been in the works for quite a while. Speculation about the "why" of this EP-requested resignation has been rampant; ranging from wanting a fresh start following the financial chaos in the Greek Archdiocese (missing millions, ground zero church missed payments, HCHC faltering), to replacing him with someone younger and more stridently acquiescent to patriarchal fiat, to conspiracy theories not worth repeating. All that to say, it wasn't if Abp. Demetrios was going to be asked to resign, but when he was going to do it. You may ask who is going replace him. Abp. Demetrios is his own man with a wealth of knowledge and strong pastoral experience from his decades in the episcopate. It's hard to imagine the next hierarch having this robust foundational education and experience or that he will be as much of an independent voice for the American Church. None of the names I have heard are going to make opponents of Constantinopolitan hegemony happy. If Ukraine was the scary rollercoaster you had to sign a release to ride, there is going to be some nervous handholding for this attraction as well.

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NEW YORK (GOARCH) – The Holy Archdiocese of America cites the following announcement of the Ecumenical Patriarchate:

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ECUMENICAL PATRIARCHATE

It is hereby announced that today Saturday, May 4, 2019, His All-Holiness the Ecumenical Patriarch received His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios, Geron of America, who apprised Him on various affairs of his God-saved Eparchy.

Thereafter, His Eminence, the Archbishop submitted his written resignation from the throne of the Holy Archdiocese of America, which he shepherded with God-loving care for twenty years, and which the Patriarch will bring for consideration before the Holy and Sacred Synod in its upcoming meeting of next Thursday, May 9.