Bishop Bartholomew (Mostratos)

Bishop Bartholomew (Mostratos) (1954-____)

Bonifatios may be spelt Bonfatius, Boniface.

Nektarios may be spelt Nektarius, Nectarius, Nectaire.

Early life of Bonifatios Mostratos

On 1 November, 1954, Bonifatios Mostratos was born in Athens, Greece.

Bonifatios was born into an Orthodox Christian family, and he was raised within the Orthodox Church of Greece.

The family moved to the city of Parikia on the Island of Paros, Greece (one of the Cyclades Islands), where he grew up.

Bonifatios received his primary education on the Island of Paros, and his "gymnasium"-level education was received at the Patmiada High School on the Island of Patmos.

Patmiada High School

Higher education

Bonifatios Mostratios studied Theology first at the Theological Academy of the Island of Patmos, from which he graduated.

Patmos Theological Academy

Later, he continued his studies at the Theological School at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, from which he graduated.

Aristotle University, Thessaloniki

Monastic tonsure

Bonifatios Mostratos was tonsured to be a monk, and he was given the name Nektarios.

Diaconal ordination, 1975

On the Feast-day of the Dormition of the Theotokos, 15 August, 1975, Monk Nektarios (Mostratos) was ordained to the Holy Diaconate by Metropolitan Timotheos (Mattheakis) of Nea Ionia and Philadelphia in Attica (of which Athens is the capital).

Diaconal service

After the diaconal ordination, Hierodeacon Nektarios (Mostratos) was assigned to serve as the personal deacon and then archdeacon of Metropolitan Timotheos (Mattheakis). He was also assigned to serve as Secretary of the Metropolis of Nea Ionia.

Presbyteral ordination, 1979

On 13 March, 1979, Hierodeacon Nektarios (Mostratatos) was ordained to the Holy Priesthood by Metropolitan Timotheos of Nea Ionia and Philadelphia.

Pastoral service

On the same day, Hieromonk Nektarios (Mostratos) was elevated by Metropolitan Timotheos to the dignity of archimandrite.

Archimandrite Nektarios (Mostratos) served in the diocese in accordance with the blessing of Metropolitan Timotheos and of his successor.

He served as a pastor, preacher, teacher, and confessor in the Holy Temple of Saints Constantine and Helen, and then in the Metropolitan Temple of the Holy Unmercenaries in the Metropolis of Nea Ionia.

Temple of Saints Constantine and Helen

Metropolitan Temple of the Holy Unmercenary Saints

Throughout his years of service, he was regarded as having dedicated himself to the important role of serving the people and the youth.

In 1987, Metropolitan Sotirios (Athanassoulas) of Toronto, Canada, requested the transfer of Archimandrite Nektarios to Canada. The request was blessed.

Archimandrite Nektarios (Mostratos) was transferred from the Church of Greece to the Patriarchate of Constantinople, and he was assigned to the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Toronto (Canada) at Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Transfer to Canada, 1987

After he was received into the Metropolis of Toronto, Canada, Archimandrite Nektarios (Mostratos) was assigned to serve as rector of the Holy Temple of Saints Constantine and Helen, West Island, Montréal, Québec.

In August, 2004, Archimandrite Nektarios (Mostratos) was transferred, and he was assigned by Metropolitan Sotirios (Athanassoulas) (of Toronto, Ontario) to serve as Rector in the Temple of the Holy Cross in Laval (Montréal), Québec.

Archimandrite Nektarios (Mostratos)

On 15 August, 2015, at Holy Cross Church, after the Divine Liturgy, there was a celebration of the 40th anniversary of the ordination of Father Nektarios to the Holy Diaconate.

Episcopal election, 2020

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

The ordination was delayed because of the governmental restrictions on gatherings and services after the arrival of the Covid-19 virus in Canada. However, at the time of the ordination, a relaxation of the regulations in Québec allowed for a large attendance by the Faithful at the service.

Episcopal ordination, 2020

On 25 July, 2020, in the Holy Temple of Holy Cross in Laval, Greater Montreal, Quebec, Archbishop Sotirios (Athanassoulas) of Toronto and the Greek Orthodox Diocese of Canada ordained Archimandrite Nektarios (Mostratos) to the Holy Episcopate. He was assisted by Archbishop Irénée (Rochon) of Ottawa and the Archdiocese of Canada (The Orthodox Church in America) ; Bishop Alexander (Mufarrij) of Ottawa and the Diocese of Eastern Canada and Upstate New York (Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese) ; Bishop Ioan-Casian (Tunaru) of the Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Canada (Romanian Orthodox Metropolis of North America), and by many clergy.

Episcopal service

Change of name

At the time of the episcopal ordination, the name of Bishop Nektarios (Mostratos) was changed to Bartholomew (in honour of Patriarch Bartholomew (Archontonis)).

Bishop Bartholomew (Mostratos) was named Titular Bishop of Keramos (a former city in Caria, Anatolia, now Turkey).

Bishop Bartholomew was assigned to serve as Vicar-Bishop in the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Canada, and to have particular care for the parishes in Western Canada.

– Bishop of Keramos 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

Archbishop Sotirios said :

 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.