Metropolitan Gregory (Tatsis)

Metropolitan Gregory (Tatsis) of Nyssa (1958-____)

George may be spelt Georgios, Georges, Girgis, Giorgio, Yuri.

Gregory may be spelt Gregorios, Grigoriy, Gregor, Hrehory, Hrihory, Hrehor.

Early life of George P Tatsis

On 7 December, 1958, George P Tatsis was born in Charlotte, North Carolina. George was the first of 2 children of Peter and Antonia Tatsis.

George was formed in his family in the Orthodox Christian Faith, and he and his family worshipped at Holy Trinity Cathedral in Charlotte. He grew up within the bosom of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of North and South America.

George received his primary and secondary education in Charlotte.

In his home parish, Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Charlotte, from his early youth, George served in various capacities including acolyte, Sunday school teacher for 13 years, and in several leadership positions including parish council president.

Higher education

After completing these studies, George entered the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (in the Raleigh-Durham region, known as the “Research Triangle”).

He graduated from there with a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree in Biology (1981).

After this, he entered the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, where he pursued further studies in this field.

He graduated from there with a Master of Science (M.S.) degree in Biology (1989).

Work experience

After receiving the master's degree, George worked for more than 20 years in the field of cardiovascular research at the Carolinas Medical Centre in Charlotte. During those years, he was the author and co-author of more than 100 articles, abstracts, and book-chapters.

In 1998, George was a founding member of Saint Nektarios Greek Orthodox Church in Charlotte, North Carolina. In this second parish in Charlotte, he served on the parish organising committee, as Sunday School teacher for 4 years, as a member of the choir, and as its first parish council president.

After taking part in a mission trip to Alaska sponsored by the Orthodox Christian Mission Centre, he felt clearly the calling to pursue the necessary studies towards the Holy Priesthood. This sense of being called to serve the Lord as a priest had, in fact, been in his heart all his life.

Further education, 2003

In 2003 (at age 35), he left his secular employment, and he entered Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology in Brookline, Massachusetts.

In May, 2006, he graduated with the Master of Divinity degree.

Diaconal ordination, 2006

On 4 November, 2006, soon after his graduation, George P Tatsis was ordained as a celibate to the Holy Diaconate by Metropolitan Alexios (Panagiotopoulos) of Atlanta, Georgia, at Saint Nektarios Greek Orthodox Church in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Monastic tonsure, 2007

On 17 January, 2007, Deacon George Tatsis was tonsured to be a monk at Agia Lavra Monastery in Kalavryta, Greece. He received the name Gregorios, in honour of Saint Gregory Palamas.

Presbyteral ordination, 2007

On 28 January, 2007, at Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Atlanta, Georgia, Hierodeacon Gregorios (Tatsis) was ordained to the Holy Priesthood by Metropolitan Alexios (Panagiotopoulos) of Atlanta.

Hieromonk Gregory (Tatsis) was immediately elevated to the dignity of archimandrite.

Pastoral service

On 1 February, 2007, Archimandrite Gregorios (Tatsis) was assigned to be the “Ierokyrix” (itinerant ordained preacher) of the Metropolis of Atlanta.

On 14 September, 2007, at the Archangel Michael Greek Orthodox Chapel in Atlanta, Georgia, Archimandrite Gregorios (Tatsis) received the “offikion” (responsibility) of Confessor (one who has the blessing to hear confessions).

While he fulfilled his responsibilities as itinerant preacher and confessor, Archimandrite Gregorios (Tatsis) travelled extensively throughout the Metropolis of Atlanta. During these visits, he led parish retreats, heard confessions, and provided spiritual direction to very many of the clergy and Faithful. Because of his affinity for youth ministry and because of his administrative skills, Archimandrite Gregory was also given the responsibility of overseeing all the youth programmes in the Metropolis of Atlanta.

On 20 December, 2010, Archimandrite Gregorios (Tatsis) was assigned also to serve as the parish priest of Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Raleigh, North Carolina.

On 31 May, 2011, he was released from this responsibility.

In October, 2011, Archimandrite Gregorios (Tatsis) was assigned to serve as the Dean of the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral in New Orleans, Louisiana, and to serve as the Vicar of the Western Conference (deanery) of the Metropolis of Atlanta.

Nomination by the Special Assembly of the American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese to become the next bishop, 2012

On 13 March, 2011, Metropolitan Nicholas (Smisko) of the American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese had reposed in Christ, and the Carpatho-Russian Diocese had become widowed.

This diocese, which belongs to the Patriarchate of Constantinople (through the Greek Orthodox Archbishop of America as exarch), received the blessing from the patriarchate to proceed with the steps required to nominate a successor. In the Carpatho-Russian Diocese itself, there were not many candidates.

On 14 July, 2012, at a Special Assembly of the American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese of the USA, Archimandrite Gregorios (Tatsis) was nominated by the clergy to be the successor to Metropolitan Nicholas (Smisko) of Amissos as bishop of that diocese.

On 30 August, 2012, Archimandrite Gregorios (Tatsis) was canonically elected by the Sacred and Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople to become the Titular Bishop of Nyssa and Diocesan Bishop of the American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese of the USA (ACROD). Bishop-elect Gregorios was canonically transferred from the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America to the American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese of the USA.

Episcopal ordination, 2012

On 27 November, 2012, with the blessing of the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew (Archontonis), Archbishop Demetrios (Trakatellis) of America, Exarch of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, ordained Archimandrite Gregorios (Tatsis) to the Holy Episcopate at Christ the Saviour Cathedral in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. He was assisted by : Metropolitan Alexios (Panagiotopoulos) of Atlanta, Metropolitan Savas (Zembillas) of Pittsburgh, Metropolitan Anthony (Scharba) of Hierapolis, of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA, and Bishop Daniel (Zelinsky) of Pamphilon, of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA.

There were present at the service some non-Orthodox bishops, including : Bishop Joseph Bartchak of the Altoona-Johnstown Roman Catholic Diocese ; Bishop-Emeritus Joseph Adamec of the Altoona-Johnstown Roman Catholic Diocese ; Bishop Gregory Pile of the Lutheran Church, Allegheny Synod ; Metropolitan Archbishop William Skurla of the Byzantine Catholic Archeparchy of Pittsburgh ; and Bishop-Emeritus Basil Losten of the Ukrainian Byzantine Catholic Diocese of Stamford.

Christ the Saviour American Carpatho-Russian Diocese Cathedral, Johnstown, Pennsylvania

Episcopal service

Bishop Gregory (Tatsis) was given the title "Titular Bishop of Nyssa", and he was assigned to serve as the Diocesan Bishop of the American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese (ACROD) of the USA.

Bishop Gregory (Tatsis) of Nyssa, began to serve as the fourth Diocesan Hierarch in the history of the diocese. His predecessors include Metropolitan Orestes (Chornock), Bishop John (Martin) and Metropolitan Nicholas (Smisko).

A member of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of North and Central America, Bishop Gregory (Tatsis) serves as the Episcopal Liaison to the Orthodox Christian Fellowship (OCF) Campus Ministry.

Bishop Gregory (Tatsis) has several communities in Ontario, Canada, under his omophor : Christ the Saviour Orthodox Church in Ottawa, Ontario ; Saint John the Compassionate Mission, Toronto, Ontario ; Saint Silouan the Athonite Mission, Toronto, Ontario.

Amongst his other responsibilities, Bishop Gregory took up the direction of the work of Christ the Saviour Seminary, the diocesan seminary of the Carpatho-Russian Diocese, in Johnstown, Pennsylvania.

Christ the Saviour Carpatho-Russian Seminary, Johnstown, Pennsylvania

On 29 August, 2018, Bishop Gregory (Tatsis) was elevated to the dignity of titular metropolitan of Nyssa by Patriarch Bartholomew I (Archontonis).

Metropolitan Gregory continued to visit the parishes of the Carpatho-Russian Diocese on a systematic basis, as well as to fulfil his other responsibilities within the Assembly of Bishops and within the Patriarchate of Constantinople in North America.

— Titular Bishop of Nyssa 2012-2018. Preceded by : Bishop Eleutherios (Katsaitis).

— Bishop of the American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese 2012-2018.

— Metropolitan of the American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese 2018-____. Preceded by : Metropolitan Nicholas (Smisko). Succeeded by : ___.

Reflections

References

Wyrwoll, Nikolaus ed., “Orthodoxia 2014-2015" (Regensburg : Ostkirchliches Institut, 2015). ISBN 978-7245-1959-1.

Orthodoxwiki biography

ACROD biography

Russian Wikipedia biography

Additional information :

Barriger, Lawrence, “Good Victory : Metropolitan Orestes Chornock and the American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Greek Catholic Diocese” (Brookline, Massachusetts : Holy Cross Orthodox Press, 1985).

Dyrud, Keith, The Quest for the Rusyn Soul : The Politics of Religion and Culture in Eastern Europe and America, 1890-World War I” (Philadelphia, London, and Toronto : Associated University Presses for the Balch Institute Press, 1992).

Magocsi, Paul Robert, “The Carpatho-Rusyn Americans” (New York and Philadelphia : Chelsea House Publishers, 1989).

….., “Our People : Carpatho-Rusyns and their Descendants in North America” 3rd edition (Toronto : Multicultural History Society of Ontario, 1994).

Pekar, Athanasius B “Our Past and Present: Historical Outlines of the Byzantine Ruthenian Metropolitan Province” (Pittsburgh, PA : Byzantine Seminary Press, 1974).

Tarasar, Constance J, ed., "Orthodox America 1794-1976 : Development of The Orthodox Church in America" (Syosset, NY : The Orthodox Church in America Department of History and Archives, 1975). ASIN : B000ZLZAUE.

Election announcements

Church of Constantinople news about the election

Episcopal Ordination announcement (diocese)

Video of the Nomination of Archimandrite Grigorios (Tatsis) as Successor to Metropolitan Nicholas

Post-Gazette article : New Bishop ordained to lead the Carpatho-Russian Orthodox (November, 2012)

Outline of the Episcopal Ordination service

Video highlights of the consecration of Bishop Gregory

Banquet address of new Bishop Gregory (video)

Homily of Bishop Gregory of 19 June, 2012 (video)

Homily of Bishop Gregory of 16 March, 2014 (video)

Patriarch Bartholomew (Archontonis)

Archbishop Demetrios (Trakatellis)