Archbishop Sotirios of Canada has confirmed his intention to resign in early July, bringing a monumental 52-year episcopal tenure to a close.
While on a pastoral visit to Vancouver, the Archbishop confirmed the news originally reported by The National Herald, stating: “Your information is true. I am planning on going to the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople on the first Saturday of July, where I will discuss it with the Patriarch, and afterward I will make statements.”
The announcement follows his recent 90th birthday milestone, which was celebrated with major gala events hosted by the Greek diaspora across Canada.
Archbishop Sotirios: A legacy of growth for the Orthodox Church in Canada
When Archbishop Sotirios first assumed his episcopal duties in 1974, the Greek Orthodox presence in Canada consisted of just 22 parishes. Over the course of his 52-year administration, he completely transformed the footprint of the Church. Under his visionary leadership, that network expanded to more than 75 vibrant parishes stretching across the country.
Beyond merely adding local churches, he built a massive, self-sustaining institutional infrastructure. He spearheaded the creation of the Toronto Orthodox Theological Academy, established full-time day schools, founded two thriving monasteries, and constructed nine separate senior care homes to serve aging community members.
Born Sotirios Athanassoulas in 1936 in the village of Lepiana (Arta, Epirus, Greece), he was the eighth of ten children. He cultivated a deep religious devotion from childhood, eventually graduating from the prestigious School of Theology at the University of Athens. He moved to Canada to pursue graduate work, earning a Master’s Degree in Theology from the Université de Montréal.
Seamlessly bridging cultures, he became fluent in Greek, English, and French. Before taking holy orders, he served as the Dean of Students at the Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology in Brookline, Massachusetts.
Archbishop Sotirios has been honored with the Centennial Medal of Canada; the “125 Canada” Medal; the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal (2002); the medal of the city of Athens; and, the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal (2012). He has also been named Grand Commander of the Order of Phoenix of Greece.
Related: The Legendary Greek Priest Who Served Four Generations of Canadians
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