On April 25, 2025, Archbishop Elpidophoros of America welcomed the hierarchs of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the USA and the Standing Conference of Oriental Orthodox Churches to the Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine in New York City for a joint meeting held during Bright Week.
In his powerful address, Archbishop Elpidophoros underlined the urgent need for unity, dialogue, and mutual support among the Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox Churches, especially in times of global instability and conflict. He praised the blessing of religious freedom in the United States while reminding the participants of the suffering faced by many Christian communities around the world.
Emphasizing the lessons from Pope Francis’ leadership, he stressed the importance of conciliarity over centralized authority and warned that without genuine dialogue, even shared doctrines cannot hold the Church together. His overarching message was clear: “We are stronger together,” and through unity, advocacy, and solidarity, the Orthodox Churches can project strength, protect their faithful, and support their Mother Churches.
In his opening remarks, Archbishop Elpidophoros greeted the participants in multiple languages with the Paschal acclamation “Christ is Risen!” and said: “I consider our joint meeting today exceedingly important, especially in these days of global insecurity and conflicts that directly affect our communities around the globe.”
He noted the blessing of conducting their ministries in the United States where “religious liberty is enshrined in our Constitution,” but also highlighted the precarious situation of Christians in other parts of the world. Referring to the ongoing war in Ukraine, he condemned “this utterly unnecessary and heartless conflict… perpetrated in a fratricidal frenzy.”
Speaking about leadership within the Church, Archbishop Elpidophoros drew a distinction between the centralized authority in the Roman Church and the Orthodox model: “Whereas the Roman Church relies on its ‘unitary executive’ to hold all the disparate and even opposing views in check, we of the Orthodox and Ancient Patriarchates of the East depend on conciliarity and dialogue.”
He warned that when conciliarity breaks down, even shared faith formulations may not be enough to safeguard unity.
The Archbishop stressed the strength that comes from solidarity, using a vivid metaphor: “Like the stick of the parable that is easily snapped in two – it is not so easily broken when it is bound with many others, for in unity there is resilience and strength.”
Encouraging the hierarchs to deepen their bonds of “brotherly love and mutual support,” he reminded them: “We are stronger together, dear brothers. We are always stronger together and our flocks are stronger as well, when they behold their shepherds working in unison and harmony.”
Acknowledging the small size of the Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox communities in the vast population of the United States, Archbishop Elpidophoros affirmed:
“All of our communities combined do not add up to a significant number… but we all possess enormous talents and gifts that shared among us, make everyone healthier and more robust.”
He emphasized that by standing united, they can send a strong signal to their Mother Churches and to the world about their commitment to religious freedom and the defense of Christian rights in the face of wars, conflicts, and persecutions.
Closing his remarks, Archbishop Elpidophoros invoked the intercessions of the Theotokos, the Life-Giving Spring, and concluded joyfully: “Christ is Risen!”
