Bishop Athenagoras (Salmas)

Bishop Athenagoras (Salmas) (1974-____)

Early life of Alexandros Salmas

Alexandros Salmas was born in 1974 in Thessaloniki, Greece.

Alexandros was born into an Orthodox Christian family, and he was raised in the bosom of the Orthodox Church of Greece.

Higher education

Alexandros entered the Theological School of Thessaloniki (in the Aristotle University), from which he graduated with honours in 2004.

Aristotle University of Thessaloniki

Diaconal ordination, 1996

In 1996, Alexandros Salmas was ordained to the Holy Diaconate in the Diocese of Thessaloniki.

Diaconal service

Deacon Alexandros Salmas was assigned to serve within the Diocese of Thessaloniki.

Presbyteral ordination, 1999

In 1999, Deacon Alexandros Salmas was ordained to the Holy Priesthood.

Pastoral service

In 2006, Priest Alexandros Salmas was elevated to the dignity of archimandrite by Metropolitan Anthimos (Roussas) of Thessaloniki.

In 2006, Archimandrite Alexandros (Salmas) was assigned to serve as rector of the Holy Temple of the Venerable Deaconess Xenia in Charilaou, Thessaloniki, Greece.

Temple of Saint Xenia, Charilaou

Further education

In 2007, Archimandrite Alexandros received a postgraduate degree, also with honours, in the field of Church History and Dogmatic Theology with concentration in Dogmatic and Symbolic Theology.

The title of the master's degree thesis was "The Synod of the Church : based on the Minutes of the Ecumenical Councils".

During this time he received a scholarship from the State Scholarship Foundation for the Greek Orthodox Holy Cross School of Theology, Brookline, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.

There, he participated in the Boston Theological Institute (BTI) while he attended theological courses at Boston College.

At the Holy Cross School, he received a second financial scholarship as the best student to have been ordained a clergyman.

He became a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Social and Pastoral Theology of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in the field of Church History and Dogmatic Theology.

He was made the director of the periodical "Diakonia" ("Serving") while he was the general director of the Educational and Cultural Institution "Agios Grigorios O Palamas" ("Saint Gregory Palamas") of the Holy Metropolis of Thessaloniki, and the editor-in-chief of the official magazine of the Diocese of Thessaloniki.

Archimandrite Alexandros (Salmas)

Episcopal election, 2020

On 13 February, 2020, the Holy Synod of the Patriarchate of Constantinople in Istanbul (Constantinople) elected Archimandrite Alexandros (Salmas) to become a bishop.

This election came about in the context of a request from Archbishop Sotirios (Athanassoulas) of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Canada for 3 vicar-bishops.

Transfer to Canada, 2020

Archimandrite Alexandros (Salmas) was transferred from the Church of Greece to the Patriarchate of Constantinople, and he was assigned to the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Canada in association with the election. The central office of the archdiocese is in Toronto, Ontario.

The ordination was delayed because of the governmental restrictions on gatherings and services after the arrival of the Covid-19 virus in Canada. Even at the time of the ordination, attendance by the Faithful was greatly limited.

Episcopal ordination, 2020

On 26 July, 2020, Archimandrite Alexandros (Salmas) was ordained to the Holy Episcopate at the Holy Temple of Saint Nicholas in Toronto, Ontario. The ordination was led by Archbishop Sotirios (Athanassoulas) of Toronto and Canada. He was assisted by Bishop Mitrofan (Kodić) of the Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Canada ; by Bishop Andriy (Peshko) of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada ; and by Bishop Bartholomew (Mostratos), Vicar-Bishop of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Canada.

Episcopal service

Change of name

At the time of the episcopal ordination, the name of Bishop Alexandros (Salmas) was changed to Athenagoras (in honour of Patriarch Athenagoras (Spyrou).

Bishop Athenagoras (Salmas) was named Titular Bishop of Pataras (a former city of Lycia in Anatolia, now Turkey).

Bishop Athenagoras (Salmas) was assigned to serve as Vicar-Bishop in the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Canada, and to have particular care for the parishes in the Province of Ontario.

– Bishop of Pataras 2020-____.

– Vicar-Bishop of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Canada 2020-____.

Three Vicar-Bishops for the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Canada, 2020

Bishop Athenagoras ; Bishop Iakovos ; Archbishop Sotirios ; Bishop Bartholomew

Reflections

Bishop Athenagoras (Salmas) speaks English and French besides Greek.

Archbishop Sotirios commented :

 I am delighted that the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Canada has received three worthy Auxiliary Bishops. 
 We are determined to work as a family so that our Church in Canada can continue its spiritual and material
 progress.  I congratulate the three new Auxiliary Bishops.  I wholeheartedly wish them to live according 
 to God.  To work with all their souls.  To enjoy true happiness, which stems from accomplishing God’s will 
 and the satisfaction one receives from the fruits of one’s efforts.  I deeply regret that many faithful 
 could not attend the ordinations due to the measures taken as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.  
 
 I respectfully and gratefully thank His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and the Holy and 
 Sacred Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate for the tremendous love and support they have shown to our 
 Holy Archdiocese.  On bended knees do I bless, glorify and praise, and wholeheartedly thank the Thrice-Holy 
 God, who watches over the least of us and has gifted us three new Bishops.  I promise to work together and 
 in harmony with their Graces the new Bishops so that our Church in Canada can continue to progress in glory 
 to the Thrice-Holy, Trinitarian God.