 Guiding
Greek Orthodox Church
His Eminence Metropolitan
Archbishop Sotirios Athanassoulas was born to George and Anastasia in Lepiana
Arta, Greece, 1936. He graduated, University of Athens School of Theology,
1961, and obtained a Master’s Degree in Theology, University of Montreal,
1971. Speaking Greek, English, and French, he has served as a clergyman
in Canada since 1962. Elected Bishop of the Greek Orthodox Church in Canada,
December 18, 1973 and ordained, 1974, he was elevated to the rank of Metropolitan
Archbishop of Toronto, 1996. The Archbishop has served as Member of the
Governing Board of the University of Toronto, 1975-78. He visited China,
1981, with The Canadian Council of Churches, and Australia with the World
Council of Churches, 1982. When he assumed duties as Bishop in Canada,
there were 22 Parishes. Now there are 75. During his Archieratical service,
the Diocese, and now Metropolis, established the annual Youth Assemblies,
1980; the monthly newspaper, Orthodox Way, 1982; the Social Services of
the Diocese, 1984; Metahomes, 1984, providing transitional housing for
the homeless; The Greek Orthodox Order of Canada, 1987; the weekly television
program Orthodox Voice, 1990, which is broadcast across all of Canada;
the School of Byzantine Music, 1991; the Convents of St. Kosmas of Aitolos,
Ontario, and the Virgin Mary of Consolation, Quebec, 1993; the Greek Orthodox
Education of Ontario (Day Schools), 1996; and the Toronto Orthodox Theological
Academy (1998). He has composed and published Catechism of the Greek Orthodox
Faith in English, and in both Greek verse and prose. He was honoured with
the Centennial Medal of Canada, 1967, and the Queen’s Jubilee Medal, and
the “125 Canada” Medal, 1992. [Photo, courtesy Greek Orthodox Metropolis
of Toronto] |
Iconostasis
is Hidden Canadian Treasure
