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His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America, in his Archiepiscopal Encyclical for Archon Sunday (November 23, 2025), praised the Order of Saint Andrew the First-Called Disciple, Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, and urged the faithful in all 540 parishes of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America to participate in and support their work.
“In every place where the Ecumenical Patriarchate is loved, revered, and supported,” the Archbishop wrote, “we all – Archon or no – have a responsibility to Her and Her spiritual mission, to share the Gospel of the Messiah with all our brothers and sisters throughout the world.”
Archon Sunday and the 1700th Anniversary of Nicaea
The Holy Eparchial Synod inaugurated “Archon Sunday” in 2024 as an annual day of prayer, gratitude, and awareness for the Archons and for the Feast of their heavenly patron, Saint Andrew the First-Called.
This year’s observance is closely linked to an historic ecumenical moment. In the days leading up to the Feast of Saint Andrew on November 30, His Holiness Pope Leo XIV will join His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and the Primates of the ancient Patriarchates in Nicaea (modern İznik) to commemorate the 1700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council and the proclamation of the Nicene Creed, which the faithful recite at every Divine Service.
Following the commemoration at Nicaea, the Pope will also be present for the Divine Liturgy of the Feast of Saint Andrew at the Patriarchal Cathedral of the Holy Great-Martyr George the Trophy-Bearer at the Phanar. The Archbishop notes that a special Archon pilgrimage will accompany these events, bearing witness to “the enduring ecumenical progress that has been made over the last fifty years” and embodying the brotherly love of Saint Andrew, who first brought his brother Simon (Peter) to Christ.
In the Encyclical, Archbishop Elpidophoros calls on every parish to set aside time on Archon Sunday, November 23, to recognize the Archons present in their communities and to highlight the many ministries and initiatives of the Order of Saint Andrew, which are widely accessible through their official channels.
Who Are the Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate?
The Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, organized as the Order of Saint Andrew the Apostle, are distinguished lay leaders of the Church who have been formally honored by His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew for their outstanding service to the Church and for their leadership in the Orthodox Christian community.
They are a “devoted group of passionate leaders” focused on protecting religious freedom for everyone and ensuring the future of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the historic spiritual center of over 300 million Orthodox Christians worldwide. The primary mission of the Order is to promote and defend the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, with spiritual, educational, and philanthropic initiatives that support both the Mother Church and related institutions in the United States.
Today there are approximately 700 Archons in the United States, drawn from all walks of professional and civic life, but united in their commitment to the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the witness of the Orthodox faith.
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