The Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate is expected to remove Archbishop Demetrios of America from his position in a meeting scheduled for next week, according to reports.
It is not clear if the decision to remove the head of the Orthodox Church in America will mean his promotion to a different post or it will happen via his deposition and his retaining the title of ‘Former Patriarch of America”.
The Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew had a private meeting with Demetrios at the beginning of last week in Geneva. It is not known who requested the meeting and whether it was the matter of discussion was, in fact, the prospect of Demetrios retiring or resigning of his position in America.
The Ecumenical Patriarchate is considering the possibility of placing an interim replacement in the American Archdiocese until a final decision is reached.
According to sources, Metropolitan Toronto Sotirios has been chosen for the interim role, a choice the Greek diaspora in America squarely disapprove given press publications that focus on financial mismanagement on Sotirios.
The news of the replacement of Demetrios has not been received well in the Greek community in the US, who are calling for the election to the position of a serious, dynamic, experienced, visionary leader who can rally the Greeks around the Church,
