On Saturday, April 13, 2024, Archbishop Elpidophoros of America ordained Archdiocese Chancellor Bishop Nektarios of Diokleia.
The elevation took place at the Greek Orthodox Archdiocesan Cathedral of The Holy Trinity in New York City with the presence of his family, hierarchs, clergy, and Greek Orthodox faithful who proudly shouted “Axios!” for the Bishop. Among the hierarchs in attendance were Archbishop Demetrios former of America, Metropolitan Apostolos of New Jersey, Bishop Athenagoras of Nazianzos, Bishop Sevastianos of Zela, Bishop Joachim of Amissos, Bishop Theophan of the Philomelion, Bishop Christophoros of Amfipolis, and dozens of clergy. Also participating in the elevation was Fr. Panagioti Papazafiropoulos, the Bishop’s brother.
“You have been called to take up the omophorion and place it over your shoulders. As you well know, it represents the ‘one sheep that has gone astray,’ for which the good shepherd leaves the ninety-nine, and goes to find among the mountainous places This is our calling as bishops. Never to give up on a brother or sister, or on a priest or a deacon. We are to pursue such missing sheep through the rugged spiritual, emotional, and psychological domains where our faithful can get lost, and bring them back to the one fold of the Great Shepherd of the rational sheep, our Lord Jesus Christ. You have exercised this ministry with great skill as Chancellor, and you shall continue to do so even more so, with the grace of the Episcopacy upon your shoulders” Archbishop Elpidophoros remarked.
Bishop Nektarios thanked Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, Archbishop Elpidophoros, his fellow hierarchs, clergy, and his family. In the Bishop’s remarks he stated, “I ask ‘that the power of Christ may overshadow me’, through the embassies of my patron Saint Nektarios of Pentapolis, so that I may become ‘a type of the faithful in speech, in repentance, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity’, so that my humble ministry is called ‘precious’, ‘worthy’, ‘blessed’, ‘holy’ (Ignatius Theophoros). Before God, I stand before you, Most Reverend Father and Master, and in the midst of the people I unworthily but sincerely repeat the words of His Prophet: Here am I, Lord; send me! (ἰδοὺ εἰμὶ ἐγώ, ἀπόστειλόν με. Ιsaiah 6:8)”
Bishop Nektarios of Diokleia was born in Jersey City, New Jersey and grew up in Astoria, New York, raised by devout Christian immigrant parents who emphasized his Orthodox faith and Greek heritage. Upon completing Long Island City High School, he enrolled at Polytechnic University to study Electrical Engineering, completed his Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering in 1985, and subsequently his Master’s Degree in the same field. He spent the next ten years in the industry.
Having received the calling to serve the Church, he enrolled in the Master of Divinity program at St. Vladimir’s Seminary in Crestwood, New York. Upon completing those studies in 1999, he went to Greece to prepare for ordination in 2001.
In June of 2002 he was tonsured a monk and given the name Nektarios and immediately after was ordained to the deaconate by Metropolitan Daniel of Kaissariani, Byronos and Ymittou, in Athens. He was made Archdeacon and served in the position for a year. On January 18, 2004, he was ordained to the Priesthood, bestowed the offikion of Archimandrite, and was assigned to the Church of the Holy Trinity in Byrona. Upon the election of Metropolitan Pavlos of the Metropolis of Kozani in 2004 (the Metropolitan was a former Proïstamenos of his parish in Astoria), he asked permission to go and serve with him. He was assigned as Proïstamenos to the Church of Saints Constantine and Helen in Kozani. In 2005, he was assigned the position of Vicar General of the Metropolis and served in Kozani up to 2008.
At the direction of Archbishop of America, Demetrios, he was invited to return to the United States in 2008 and served at Saint Nicholas Church Greek Orthodox in West Babylon, New York until 2012. He was then assigned as the Proïstamenos of Saint Demetrios Cathedral in Astoria. In 2019, the Bishop was appointed by Archbishop Elpidophoros of America as one of the five Vicars in the Archdiocesan District, and he also served as the spiritual advisor to the Archdiocesan District Philoptochos. The Bishop will continue to serve in his current position as National Archdiocese Chancellor.
