Archbishop Demetrios of America has given his resignation in writing to Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew.
The official announcement of the Ecumenical Patriarchate has as follows:
“Ecumenical Patriarchate
Communique
Herein it is announced that today, Saturday May 4, 2019, His All-Holiness received in audience His Eminence Geron Archbishop Demetrios of America, who informed Him of various matters involving his God-saved Eparchy.
Furthermore, His Eminence the Archbishop submitted his written resignation from the throne of the Holy Archdiocese of America, which he shepherded with godly love for twenty years. The Patriarch will bring the resignation before the Holy and Sacred Synod in it upcoming meeting on May 9th.
From the Chief Secretariat of the Holy and Sacred Synod.”
Archbishop Demetrios of America who is visiting Constantinople has handed his resignation to Ecumenical Patriarch on Saturday.
Bartholomew has twice called on the 90-year-old Demetrios to resign but the latter has resisted.
Demetrios was born in Thessaloniki, Greece on February 1, 1928 to Georgia and Christos Trakatellis.
He attended the School of Theology at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, graduating with distinction in 1950. He became a deacon in 1960 and was ordained as a priest in 1964. He moved to the United States in 1965, attending the Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and obtaining his PhD in 1972.
On September 18, 1999, Elder Archbishop Demetrios was enthroned at the Archdiocesan Cathedral of the Holy Trinity as Primate of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America.
Photo: Nikos Manginas / Ecumenical Patriarchate