Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew has appointed a new representative in Athens – this is the Metropolitan of Laodicea Theodoret, one of the most authoritative metropolitans of the Patriarchate. He will head the patriarchal service in the Greek capital, which until recently was led by Metropolitan Amphilochius of Adrianople. The latter abruptly resigned from the post a month ago, the reasons not being made public.
The Laodicean miter. Theodoret is considered one of the most educated bishops, he is moderate and has excellent relations with the Archbishopric of Athens and personally with Archbishop Jerome. He was a lecturer at the College of Athens, where his students were the current Prime Minister, as well as the Minister of Education and Religion. Prime Minister K. Mitsotakis has not hidden his preference for the Laodicean metropolitan to be the new patriarchal representative in Athens, Orthodoxia.info reports.
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew established his representation in Athens in 2016, appointing the newly elected Metropolitan of Adrianople to head this new service. This was met with dissatisfaction by the Archbishop of Athens Jerome, as traditionally the Greek Church does not accept this idea. Against was Archbishop Seraphim of Athens (reigned from 1974 to 1998), who said: “The representative of the patriarch in Athens is the archbishop himself.”
