EP Hopes US Visit Will Boost Abp. Elpidophoros' Declining Influence

Patriarch Bartholomew is set to make his first visit to the U.S. in four years this fall. The National Herald reports that sources in the Phanar claim the visit is, at least in part, pastoral.

“Beyond its pastoral nature, it will also have a political dimension, as new connections need to be established with Washington. Additionally, the visit aims to support Archbishop Elpidophoros, as the Patriarch faces a barrage of recommendations and proposals from all directions—including the Greek government, the overwhelming majority of the Phanar hierarchy, and Mount Athos—all calling for his removal from the Archdiocese of America.”

Since the 1990s, Patriarch Bartholomew has enjoyed Washington's ear, thanks largely to the efforts of Fr. Alex Karloutses. However, President Donald Trump’s return to the White House has led to major shake-ups in Washington, and it appears the DC-EP connection has been severed.

This shouldn’t come as too big of a shock; after all, political alliances come and go. Patriarch Athenagoras and President Truman built a strong alliance between Constantinople and Washington, but it did not outlast the men themselves.

Perhaps the most notable detail is the potential downfall of Archbishop Elpidophoros, once seen as Patriarch Bartholomew’s ordained successor.

Elpidophoros has become a near-constant source of scandal for Constantinople. Once a favored heir, he now appears to be on the way out.

One source told UOJ-America, "he's done. He has crossed the line one too many times and I'd be surprised if he wasn't removed by the end of the year."

Dissatisfaction with Elpidophoros has been simmering for some time within the Greek Archdiocese and the broader American Church. His participation in parades alongside violent political extremists, advocacy for abortion, consecration of defrocked clergy into the episcopacy, and attempts to strong-arm American hierarchs into supporting schismatics in Ukraine have not won him favor.

While these actions tarnished his reputation in America, it was his conduct in Greece that truly soured his standing in the Phanar.

In the summer of 2022, Archbishop Elpidophoros baptized the adopted child of two openly gay men in Greece. The event ignited a firestorm, particularly drawing the ire of Metropolitan Antonios of Glyfada, in whose church the scandalous baptism took place.

"The Archbishop of America acted of his own accord, arbitrarily, and uncanonically within my metropolis, inasmuch as, while he was well aware that the children do not belong to a family according to the institutions of the Church, he did not mention anything to me. If he had informed me, I would have referred to the Holy Synod for it to decide about the matter." - Metropolitan Antionios of Glyfada

The Greek Synod sent a letter of protest to Constantinople, where the next synod focused primarily on addressing the mounting scandals surrounding Archbishop Elpidophoros.

Worse still was his blatant disregard for the monks of Mount Athos.

The monasteries of the Holy Mountain barred the Greek Archbishop of America from entering the island until he repented for his actions. Elpidophoros' response? Certainly not reflection and contrition for having scandalized the Orthodox world. No, instead he brazenly forced his way onto the Holy Mountain, demanding to be able to serve in its sacred shrines.

Such a brazenness has not been taken lightly by the faithful of the Greek world.

For many years, Patriarch Bartholomew was a wise and calculated political operative, carefully crafting his image and legacy. But after a decade of missteps, he can ill afford another of Abp. Elpidophoros' great scandals.

If the Phanar hopes to maintain what little is left of its earlier prestige, it may have little choice but to cut loose Bartholomew’s once-favored son. It is likely that just as the details and dates of Patriarch Bartholomew’s visit remain unfinalized, so too is the trip's agenda. 

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