wfn.org | [GOAA] Ecumenical Patriarchate on Archbishop Iakovos Death

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GREEK ORTHODOX ARCHDIOCESE OF AMERICA
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Tel: (212) 570-3530 Fax: (212) 774-0215
Web: http://www.goarch.org
Email: communications@goarch.org

  ECUMENICAL PATRIARCHATE

  ANNOUNCEMENT

  Replete with sentiments of sincere grief, our Holy Great Mother Church of
  Christ  announces  that  yesterday, April 10, His Eminence, the venerable
  former  Archbishop Iakovos of America passed away in the Lord.  He was 94
  years old.

  This man, who like an oak tree that offered its shade to the devout flock
  of  the  Greek  Orthodox  community	in  America, was born on Imvros, the
  island  of the Aegean Sea from where many great men have come.  He gained
  international   recognition	and  became  a	vehicle  through  which  the
  centuries-long  tradition of the Orthodox spirit was expressed in the New
  World.   It	was  in the New World where he sincerely and very fruitfully
  ministered  to Orthodoxy and to the Nation in many capacities, a diakonia
  for	which  the  Mother  Church  will  remember him with great gratitude,
  praying that his memory be eternal.

  This hierarch of blessed memory, Archbishop Iakovos, was a genuine bearer
  of the spirit of martyrdom of the Ecumenical Throne.  He duly honored the
  Mother  Church, which honored him.  He devoted himself to the ministry of
  the Mother Church through his final days.

  Archbishop  Iakovos	was  the  spiritual  leader  of  the  Greek Orthodox
  Archdiocese	of  America  for thirty-seven consecutive years, and through
  the authority of his personality by words and deeds he advanced the faith
  and	culture  of the Nation. He made sure that Orthodoxy was accorded her
  due	respect every time he represented the Mother Church in meetings with
  religious and political persons, and he enjoyed the esteem and respect of
  all.

  As  a  ship	at dock, he retired in 1996, but he incessantly continued to
  occupy  himself  with honorable concerns and was always making efforts to
  promote  the  general welfare of matters pertaining to the Church and the
  Nation.

  The	blessed  soul  of  our revered Elder and most precious member of our
  Ecumenical  Patriarchate  is  already  in  the  hands  of  the  Lord.  We
  fervently  pray  for  the  repose  of  his soul and for his worthiness to
  behold  the	face  of  the Great High Priest, our Lord Jesus Christ.  We,
  also,  express  our	condolences  to  the  most  devout flock of the Holy
  Archdiocese of America, which sincerely and deeply loved this Hierarch of
  blessed memory.

  May	the  memory  of our departed brother, Archbishop Iakovos, be eternal
  and blessed.
  At the Patriarchate, April 11, 2005

  Chief Secretariat of the Holy and Sacred Synod

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