December 13, 2006
The Very Reverend Archimandrite Demetri Kantzavelos,
Chancellor of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Chicago was Ordained Titular Bishop Demetrios of Mokissos
Saturday, December 9 at Assumption Greek Orthodox Church in Chicago
(Chicago) V. Rev. Archimandrite Demetri Kantzavelos was ordained to the episcopacy by the hand of His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America, Primate of the Greek Orthodox Church in America at the side of His Eminence Metropolitan Iakovos of Chicago, revered Hierarchs of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America and other Orthodox Hierarchs. His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios announced on behalf of the Holy Eparchial Synod, the October 30 unanimous election by the Holy and Sacred Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of the Very Reverend Archimandrite Demetrios Kantzavelos to the high title of the once-renowned See of Mokissos. Bishop-elect Demetri stated, after learning from Metropolitan Iakovos of the election, "Giving glory to God for all things, I am greatly humbled and appreciative of being entrusted with this awesome and sacred ministry, and I ask for the prayers of all."Metropolitan Iakovos added, “We joyfully welcome the news of the election; we congratulate the Bishop-elect and look forward to our continued work together for the strengthening of our Holy Church.”
The Mega Minima (formal election announcement) of Bishop-elect Demetrios took place on Thursday, December 7 at the Archdiocese Chapel of St. Paul in New York City.The ordination was held Saturday, December 9, 2006 at Assumption Greek Orthodox Church in Chicago with an assemblage of Orthodox hierarchs from the world over celebrating the Laying on of Hands and Descent of the Holy Spirit.The Orthros began at 8:30 a.m. and the ordination, followed by the Archierarchical Divine Liturgy began at 10:00 a.m. Presiding Hierarch Archbishop DEMETRIOS of America joined by con-celebrating hierarchs including: Metropolitans IAKOVOS of Chicago, MAXIMOS of Pittsburgh, ISAIAH of Denver, PAISIOS of Tyana, Archbishop Damascenos of Jaffa (Isreal) and Most Reverend Metropolitan Nicolae (Romanian Orthodox). Also celebrating were, Bishops Philotheos of Meloa, Savas of Troas (Chancellor of the Archdiocese), Andonios of Phasiane and Ilias of Philomelion (Albanian Orthodox). Celebrating clergy were: Very Reverend Archimandrites Sebastian Skordallos; Eugene Pappas of Brooklyn, NY; Timothy Bakakos, Pastor of Assumption Chicago; Cleopas Stronylis; Seraphim Dimitriou of Athens, Greece with the Reverends Demetrios Treantafeles, Peter Balkas, Nicholas Kouvaris and David Bissias. Over forty altar boys served as representatives from the many Metropolis parishes. The Bishop’s family members from the Chicago area and Greece joined in praying with over eighty Metropolis Clergy, representatives from area Ecumenical and Interfaith groups, as well as, elected officials.
The Ordination Rites are celebrated in conjunction the Matins and the Divine Liturgy. The ordination of a bishop, who must be ordained by at least three bishops, takes place before the Scriptural readings because his special role as preacher and teacher of the Gospel. The ordination began with Bishop-elect Demetrios standing at the Royal Doors, partially vested in priestly vestments, holding the gospel to read the Confession of Faith that was signed and then presented to the Archbishop. The Archbishop exclaimed several prayers while holding his hand on the Bishop-elect’s head. Bishop-elect Demetrios later addressed (see attached) the Archbishop and the hundreds of faithful who had assembled to witness this historic event. Archbishop Demetrios responded with his paternal exhortation.
The most sacred moment of the ordination, at which time the Holy Spirit descends upon the Bishop-elect, happens while he is kneeling with the Archbishop’s stole and the Gospel placed on his head along with all the ordaining hierarch’s right hands.His Grace Demetrios, as the newly ordained Bishop of Mokissos, was vested by his fellow Bishops with traditional articles particular to his new Episcopal rank. The final articles, the Mitre and Pastoral Staff were presented with prayers and the newly ordained Bishop was led for the first time to the Throne where he offered the Dismissal Prayer.
A reception to welcome Bishop Demetrios of Mokissos followed the ordination and was hosted by the parish. The many hierarchs, clergy and faithful paid their respects for the new Bishop with cheers of Axios (He is worthy!).
The evening of the ordination, Bishop Demetrios of Mokissos hosted a private dinner at the Fairmont Hotel in Chicago. Bishop Demetrios was honored with the reading of two personal letters; one from Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley and the other from Illinois Governor Rod R. Blagojevich. Fr. Apostolos Georgiafentis, Pastor of St. Demetrios Church in Chicago, acting as master of ceremonies for the evening, introduced several people close to His Grace who addressed the gathering. They included: The Honorable Aliki Hadji, Consul General of Greece; Lori Voutiritsas, President of the Metropolis Philoptochos; Harold A. Peponis, Midwest Commander, Order of St. Andrew; Harry Mark Patrakis, author and storyteller; His Eminence Metropolitan Iakovos, Bishop Demetrios of Mokissos and the evening ended with Paternal remarks by His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America.
The following morning, Sunday, December 10, Bishop Demetrios presided at his first Hierarchal Divine Liturgy at Annunciation Cathedral in Chicago. Fr. Nicholas Nikokavouras, the Parish Council, Ladies Philoptochos and Michael and Vicky Balourdas hosted a reception in honor of the ordination of Bishop Demetrios, Metropolitan Iakovos and the other Hierarchs present, including
Metropolitan ATHENAGORAS of Mexico. For His Grace’s first Vesper Service, he traveled to St. Spyridon Greek Orthodox Church in Palos Heights, IL to celebrate the Feast Day of their Patron Saint.
A native Chicagoan born to first-generation Greek Americans, Bishop Demetrios (Kantzavelos) of Mokissos, named as ‘one of the twelve people to watch’ by The Chicago Sun-Times (January 5th, 2003), grew up as an active participant in the life of the city's historic Assumption Greek Orthodox Community located at 601 S. Central Avenue. His early education was in rigorous private academic settings, including the Missouri Synod's Luther High School North. He went on to attend Hellenic College and Holy Cross School of Theology in Brookline, Massachusetts, where he obtained his graduate divinity degree 'with high distinction' in 1987. Following graduation he pursued post-graduate work in the doctoral philosophy program of Chicago's Loyola University, concentrating in the area of metaphysics.
Having received a monastic tonsure, Bishop Demetrios was ordained to the Diaconate October of 1989. In 1992, he was ordained to the priesthood, and in 1995 elevated to the rank of Archimandrite, all through the hands of the now Metropolitan Iakovos of Chicago. Since then, he has served as assistant and Deacon to the bishop, as associate pastor of Annunciation Cathedral of Chicago, and presently as Chancellor of the Metropolis of Chicago.
Bishop Demetrios has worked extensively to build bridges of understanding and improve relationships between Chicago’s Greek Orthodox Community and other Orthodox groups, other Christian and non-Christian groups. His ecumenical and interfaith commitments are numerous, coalescing around areas of social justice and advocacy. To this end, in February of 2003, he co-founded a local initiative to improve relations between the Turkish and Greek communities in Chicago.
In 1992, Bishop Demetrios established the Bishop's Task Force on AIDS, the first formal Orthodox Christian response to this pandemic in the western hemisphere. This ministry received widespread recognition, as its founder-coordinator Bishop Demetrios was named Outstanding Community Leader by the Cook County Board of Commissioners in 1995, and received the Jim Noone Award for Religious Leadership from the AIDS Pastoral Care Network in 1997. The Task Force has since become a resource for the entire Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. From 2001 until 2004, he served as board member of Chicago’s Alexian Brothers’ Bonaventure House, a premiere residential care facility for people living with HIV/AIDS. In August of 2005, Bishop Demetrios was honored with the Alexian Brothers AIDS Ministry 2005 Presidents Award.
Also, with an unyielding commitment to the sanctity of life, Bishop Demetrios works for justice and humanity in the prison system as a board member, and past two-term President (2003-2005) of the Illinois Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty. He has spoken and written extensively in support of abolition of the death penalty and has advocated extensively for individual death row inmates.
Bishop Demetrios is a regular contributor of editorials in local and national media outlets for issues concerning the Greek Orthodox Faith and Hellenic culture. He has also taken a leadership role in numerous Hellenic organizations and cultural events. In all of these, he has worked to instill a spirit of cooperation by all groups from the intertwined values of Christian Orthodoxy and 'ecumenical Hellenism'.
Bishop Demetrios has contributed to numerous publications including, but not limited to: Echoes From Calvary: Meditations on Franz Joseph Haydn's Seven Last Words of The Christ. (Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc, 2005) edited by Richard Young; and The Revolution: A Field Manual for Changing Your World (Relevant Books, 2006) edited by Heather Zydek.
His Grace Bishop Demetrios of Mokissos will remain Chancellor of the Metropolis of Chicago.
PHOTO CAPTIONS
His Grace Bishop Demetrios of Mokissos being crowned by His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America, Primate of the Greek Orthodox Church in America