Metropolitan Emmanuel Promoted

On 20 March 2021 was enthroned Elder Metropolitan of Chalcedon His Eminence Emmanuel (Adamakis),63,at the Church of the Holy Trinity in Istanbul,Turkey.So he is now the second most senior leader in the Ecumenical Patriarchate.For 17 years prior to his election to his new position by the Holy and Sacred Synod of the Patriarchate, he was Metropolitan of France.In that role,he was instrumental in effecting the granting of autocephaly to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, among other achievements. Metropolitan Emmanuel thus becomes a prime candidate to succeed His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew,80,who was himself Metropolitan of Chalcedon.* Born in Crete, Metropolitan Emmanuel studied at the Sorbonne in Paris; the Catholic Institute Faculty of Philosophy; and the St.Sergius Orthodox Theological Institute.He went on to earn a Master's degree at the Holy Cross Institute of Theology in Brookline, Massachusetts.* In 1995, Metropolitan Emmanuel became director of the Office of the Orthodox Church at the European Union in Brussels.On 11 November 1996,he was consecrated auxiliary bishop of the Metropolis of Belgium.Well known in theological circles,he has represented the Orthodox Church in its dialogue with Oriental Orthodoxy,Judaism and Islam.At present,he is co-moderator for Religions for Peace International.* His Eminence asks for the prayers of us all,so that he may be shown to be worthy of the expectations of Patriarch Bartholomew, and well-pleasing to both God and man.May the Lord bless and keep him always.Amen.* The Church of the Holy Trinity is near Taksim Square and is the largest Greek Orthodox church in the city.It still has about 150 Greek parishioners.The domed single-naved basilica was completed in 1880 in Neo-Baroque and Neo-Byzantine style.The church also has a Greek school, still functioning on its property, and a courtyard with social services buildings and a sacred spring.*