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Address by His Eminence Metropolitan Cleopas of Sweden and All Scandinavia 

At the Enthronement of His Eminence Metropolitan Athenagoras of New Jersey 

St. John the Theologian Greek Orthodox Church 

Tenafly, New Jersey, USA | November 7, 2026 

Your Eminence Metropolitan Athenagoras of New Jersey, 

Your Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America, 

Your Eminences and Your Graces, Brother Hierarchs, 

Very Reverend & Reverend Fathers, 

Distinguished Representatives of the other Christian Churches and Denominations, 

Your Excellencies, Members of the Diplomatic Corps, 

Honorable Archons, 

Most Honored President and Members of the National Philoptochos Society, 

Dearly Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ, 

With profound emotion and sincere joy, I stand among you today, representing His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and the Sacred Center of Orthodoxy, our Ecumenical Patriarchate. 

First and foremost, I wish to express my filial gratitude to His All-Holiness for the honorable assignment of conveying His love and paternal wishes on this historic day, the enthronement of the new Metropolitan of New Jersey, His Eminence Athenagoras. 

My presence here is a particular honor and an expression of the unbreakable bond between the Holy Metropolis of New Jersey and the Mother Church of Constantinople. 

I also offer my deepest gratitude to His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America for his brotherly love and steadfast friendship throughout all the years we have known one another. 

Your Eminence, I thank you wholeheartedly for your brotherly love and support, and for the generous hospitality you have shown me during my stay here. 

Your Eminence Metropolitan Athenagoras, 

Your enthronement marks the beginning of a new and deeply responsible ministry; a path marked by the Cross, Eucharistic life, and self-sacrifice. The episcopacy is a ministry of love, responsibility, and service. A bishop is called to be a father to all; to strengthen the weak, seek out those who have grown distant, comfort those who mourn, and lead the flock into the unity of the faith and the communion of the Holy Spirit. 

St. Ignatius the God-bearer writes, “Wherever the bishop appears, there let the people be.” These words describe the profound bond between the bishop and the body of the Church. 

As St. Gregory the Theologian reminds us, pastoral care is “an art of arts and a science of sciences,” for it concerns the human soul, the healing of its wounds, and its journey toward salvation. 

Within this mission, Your Eminence, the preservation of unity holds a special place. Unity is not a slogan, nor is it simply agreement among human aims. It is the fruit of a common faith, a Eucharistic life, and mutual love. The bishop is a bond of peace; one who listens with discernment, heals wounds, and builds bridges. 

I pray that your episcopal ministry may be lived out each day as a ministry of unity, so that every person, regardless of background or circumstance, may feel welcomed within the embrace of the Church. 

The pastoral work of your Metropolis extends across many different areas, each revealing an aspect of Christ’s love. I pray that you will give special care to young people and youth programs, so that they may find in the Church a place for meaningful relationships, faith, and hope. 

Pastoral care for students will offer young people seeking meaning and direction a space for dialogue and spiritual growth. 

As artificial intelligence and new technologies rapidly change our daily lives, the Church is called to approach them with discernment and pastoral wisdom. Technology can be a useful means of communication and service; it must always serve the human person and the community, however, without replacing personal presence and genuine human encounter. 

I also pray that the missionary work of your Metropolis may be strengthened, in obedience to the Lord’s command: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations.” Supporting catechumens and the newly illumined is the responsibility of the whole Church. The witness of Orthodoxy is conveyed through the truth of its teaching, with simplicity and consistency. 

The cultivation of Greek learning and the Greek language is also important, as both are precious bearers of faith, historical memory, and culture. 

At the same time, along with inter-Christian and inter-faith dialogue, prison and hospital ministries brings the Church close to those experiencing confinement, illness, fear, or loneliness. There, the presence of a shepherd can become a source of comfort and a tangible witness to God’s love. 

One particular gift I see in you, Your Eminence, is your radiant smile. It is an eloquent expression of love, support, and encouragement. People today are often weary and troubled, and they need this warmth; a shepherd who will meet them with kindness, listen patiently, and stand beside them, whether they are suffering, poor, weak, or filled with anxiety. I pray that your smile will continue to be a sign of comfort and hope to all. 

Your longstanding brotherly friendship with the Archbishop of America brings to mind the story of the Road to Emmaus. The Evangelist Luke tells us how Cleopas and the other disciple walked together, discussing the events that had shaken their hearts. As the Risen Lord accompanied them, the Scriptures were opened to them and their hearts were warmed, until they recognized Him in the breaking of the bread. 

I pray that your own brotherly journey with His Eminence the Archbishop may continue with the same zeal and the same love that bears witness to Christ, for the benefit of the whole Church. May you walk together, support one another, and work side by side for the building up of God’s people. As on the Road to Emmaus, may the Risen Lord always accompany you and remain at the center of your ministry. 

Remain faithful to our Ecumenical Patriarchate, which for centuries has safeguarded unity and borne witness to the universal mission of Orthodoxy. Draw strength from the wisdom of the Ecumenical Patriarch, whose thirty-five-year patriarchal ministry is a precious example of ecclesiastical responsibility, witness, and self-sacrificing service. 

For me personally, this day is deeply moving. I had the honor of participating in your election, your ordination to the episcopacy, and now your enthronement. I thank God for this threefold blessing and pray that He will strengthen you at every step of your new ministry. 

 Your Eminence and beloved Brother, Metropolitan Athenagoras, 

From the heart, I congratulate you and wish you many years of fruitful and God-blessed ministry! May the Lord grant you health, strength, discernment, and patience, so that you may serve with love and fidelity the sacred clergy and faithful people of the Holy Metropolis of New Jersey. Axios! 

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