By Theodore Kalmoukos March 4, 2020, the national herald
Archbishop Elpidophoros of America addressing the new Metropolitan Ioasif of Buenos Aires during the ceremony of his enthronement. (Photo by GOA)
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina – Archbishop Elpidophoros of America, representing His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, officiated at the enthronement of Metropolitan Iosif of Buenos Aires on Saturday February 29 at the Dormition of the Mother of God Greek Orthodox Cathedral of Buenos Aires.
Present at the service was the Minister of Public Works of Argentina Gabriel Katopodis, Secretary General of Hellenes Abroad Ioannis Chrysoulakis, Ambassador of Greece to Argentina Demetrios Zevelakis, members of the Hellenic Parliament Dionysios Hatzidakis and Maximos Harakopoulos, as well as diplomats of other countries in Argentina.
Metropolitan Iosif is the first hierarch of Argentinian origin to be elected Metropolitan of Buenos Aires. In his speech he thanked His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and the members of the Holy Synod for their love and the trust they have put in him. It is noted here that Metropolitan Iosif Bosch is one of the most highly educated hierarchs of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and he is the spiritual son of His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros. Prior to his election as Metropolitan of Buenos Aires he was auxiliary Bishop of Patara under the former Metropolitan Tarasios of Buenos Aires. Tarasios was elected Metropolitan of Rhodopolis and appointed Director of the Patriarch Athenagoras Institute of Orthodox Theology in California.
Archbishop Elpidophoros in his homily said among other things:
“Today is indeed an auspicious beginning to the archpastoral ministry of Your Eminence Metropolitan Iosif of Buenos Aires and South America. It is the birthday of the spiritual leader of us all, His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople – a cause for profound joy and gratitude.
Your Eminence, today, on such a rare day – which is as rare from an ecclesiastical point of view as is today’s calendar date – I have the extreme honor as the representative of His All-Holiness to enthrone you in the Holy Cathedral of your sacred eparchy as the new Metropolitan of Buenos Aires. On this occasion, I extend to you the best wishes, prayers and blessings of His All-Holiness for a bright pastorate, but also, the gratitude of the Holy and Sacred Synod for your diakonia which to this day has been exemplary and humble and has not distracted our Patriarch, nor the honorable members of the worldwide hierarchy. It is with the highest regard and praise that all refer to your person, your character, your qualifications, your excellence in studies, your ecclesiastical ethos, and your exemplary devotion to the sacred center of the Ecumenical Throne and to its venerable Primate by God’s grace.”
In another instance he said that “this day is not only a historic one for you personally, Your Eminence. It is historic also for the Ecumenical Patriarchate, for Argentina, and for Orthodoxy in general. It is a day when a child of Argentina, born into the Orthodox Faith and a genuine native Latin-American, is proclaimed as the Orthodox chief-shepherd of his own country and the surrounding countries, as well as a member of the honorable Hierarchy of the Ecumenical Throne.”
The Archbishop also said that “the Ecumenical Patriarchate has the care for all regions of the world where there is no particular Local Autocephalous Church. Even though many Autocephalous Churches have established presences throughout the world based on the migratory history of their people, it is still the responsibility of the Ecumenical Patriarchate to regulate and coordinate the ecclesial life of these lands of the Diaspora.”
The Archbishop concluded by saying that “on behalf of our Patriarch, I present you with this silver pastoral staff, wishing you every blessing in your pastorate. This is the same staff which was given to me by His All-Holiness on the day in which I was ordained as the Metropolitan of Bursa. As I present this to you with all my heart, allow me to address you with the title, “my beloved spiritual son.” It is my prayer that when the hour comes when one of your own spiritual sons is elevated to the high order of the episcopacy, you may in turn present it to him as a continuation of your luminescent pastoral diakonia.”