At the beginning of the Triodion period, on Sunday, February 1, 2026, the ordination to the episcopacy of the elected Bishop Bartholomew of Elaia was celebrated at the Cathedral of Saint George, Stockholm, with the blessing and encouragement of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew.
The sacred service was conducted in an atmosphere of reverence and prayer, marked by simplicity and ecclesiastical dignity. The ordination took place during the Divine Liturgy, which was presided over by Metropolitan Cleopas of Sweden. Concelebrating were Metropolitan Athenagoras of Kydonies and Metropolitan Maximos of Switzerland.
The liturgical hymns were chanted in both Greek and Swedish by volunteer cantors of the Cathedral, including Dr. Andreas Selamsis, Dr. Georgios Sidiras, Iliana Antoniou, Ilias Gergis, Isak Isaksson, and Nikolaos Theodoridis, reflecting the bilingual character of the local Orthodox community.
At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, the newly ordained Bishop distributed the antidoron and greeted the faithful. An official luncheon followed in the reception hall of the Cathedral, offered in honor of the visiting hierarchs and guests from abroad through the generous contribution of the family of Christos and Katerina Meletis.
Later that evening, the Holy Metropolis of Sweden and its shepherd, Metropolitan Cleopas, hosted a dinner at a local restaurant in honor of Bishop Bartholomew and the guests who had traveled from outside Sweden to attend the ordination.
On the following day, February 2, 2026, Bishop Bartholomew concelebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Cathedral of Stockholm together with the visiting clergy. In the evening, the family of Georgios Vavoulidis offered a dinner at the Cathedral facilities, concluding the celebrations surrounding the ordination.
