The Holy and Sacred Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, meeting on Wednesday, July 22, 2026, under the chairmanship of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, accepted the resignation of Archbishop Sotirios, formerly of Canada, from active ecclesiastical service and unanimously elected Metropolitan Apostolos of New Jersey as the new Archbishop of Canada.
According to the official announcement of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the Holy and Sacred Synod expressed its profound appreciation to Archbishop Sotirios for his many years of faithful, fruitful, and conscientious ministry in the service of the Church.
Following the acceptance of his resignation, and upon the proposal of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, the Holy and Sacred Synod proceeded with the election of a new Archbishop for the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Canada.
From the three candidates presented to the Synod, Metropolitan Apostolos of New Jersey was elected unanimously to succeed Archbishop Sotirios as the new Archbishop of Canada.
