SVOTS dean, professor attend episcopal consecration at Ecumenical Patriarchate
On March 20, 2011, the Dean of Saint Vladimir’s Seminary here, Archpriest John Behr, and the seminary’s Assistant Professor of Canon Law, Priest Alexander Rentel, attended the consecration of Archmandrite Elpidophoros [Lambriniadis] to the episcopate as Metropolitan of Proussa (now known as “Bursa”), in Istanbul, Turkey.
His Eminence’s consecration to the episcopacy was held at the Patriarchal Cathedral of Saint George.
In June 2010, Metropolitan Elpidophoros, who at that time was Secretary of the Holy Synod of the Great Church of Constantinople, visited the seminary and presented a paper—“Greek Orthodoxy, the Ecumenical Patriarchate, and the Church in the USA”—published in St. Vladimir’s Seminary Quarterly, 54.3-4—at the international “Hellenism and Orthodoxy” symposium.
During their visit, Fathers John and Alexander met with and received the blessing of His All-Holiness, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, who received the degree of Doctor of Divinity honoris causa from Saint Vladimir’s in 1997, and they presented him with an icon of the Holy and Great Prince Vladimir. They were also able to greet His Eminence, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations, who attended the consecration, together with a number of representatives from other local Churches.
At the request of His Beatitude, Metropolitan Jonah and on behalf of the Orthodox Church in America, Father John presented Metropolitan Elpidophoros with a panagia.
Additional info and photos may be found at http://www.svots.edu/headlines/dean-and-professor-attend-episcopal-ordination-ecumenical-patriarchate.