Metropolitan Iakovos of Chicago is Unhappy with Archbishop

By Theodore Kalmoukos

The National Herald - March 19, 2006

BOSTON - In a letter addressed to His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America, Metropolitan Iakovos of Chicago, the senior hierarch of the Holy Eparchial Synod of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, accused the Archbishop for organizing a "dirty strategy" blocking the election Chicago Metropolis Chancellor Archimandrite Demetrios Kantzavelos to the episcopate.

Metropolitan Iakovos' letter, which was also sent to the other members of the Eparchial Synod, is the first written accusation against the Archbishop from a high-ranking member of the Synod.

In his letter, Metropolitan Iakovos alleges that Archdiocese Legal Advisor Emmanuel demos (without using Mr. Demos' name) acted on the Archbishop's behalf "in order that a very worthy candidate, who has excelled in his ministry, and in all of the liturgical and administrative aspects of the Church, be excluded as unworthy."

Metropolitan Iakovos directly accuses the Archbishop, writing that that "this action was done, of course, with your permission and blessings."

In its March 25 edition, the National Herald reported the following concerning the Synod's most recent meeting, held just last month:

"The election of Archimandrite Demetrios Kanztavelos as auxiliary bishop of the Metropolis of Chicago, where he is serving as Metropolitan Iakovos' Chancellor, was also discussed. Archdiocese General Counsel Emmanuel Demos was called into the meeting and presented the Synod with reservations which had been expressed in various letters by members of the Archdiocesan Council. There were also letters supporting Father Kantzavelos' promotion, but Archbishop Demetrios interrupted the process, though he promised to continue the investigation for two more months."

In his letter, Metropolitan Iakovos wrote that the "the Legal Counsel had been ordered by the Archbishop not to make any reference to the letters which were sent by the members of the Archdiocesan Council - he simply did a synopsis - but he mainly referred to a letter which was received a year ago, based on information from third persons about the aforementioned person (the Very Rev. Kantzavelos)."

Metropolitan Iakovos also alleged that the Legal Counsel "purposely avoided the context of positive letters."

The contentious letter about Father Kantzavelos was sent a year ago, about which Archbishop Demetrios never invited Fr. Kanztavelos to furnish any explanation. The Archbishop kept the negative letter against Father Kanztavelos in his office as weapon against him, according to Metropolitan Iakovos: "You (Demetrios) did so purposely in order to influence negatively the members of the Holy Synod." The Metropolitan of Chicago writes, adding that "it was another obstacle from you, Your Eminence, because despite your promises from time to time, at the same time you raised obstacles."

In his letter, Metropolitan Iakovos also alleges that "everything was programmed (orchestrated) with a satanic methodology," and demands to see the accusations which were written about his Chancellor for himself, and also says that, if necessary, he will hire an independent attorney to examine the case:

"I request, or rather demand, to see with my own eyes all that has been written, and if there is further need, I will assign an attorney from here because I do not trust the committee any longer."

Metropolitan Iakovos criticized the commission on the candidates for the high priesthood chaired by Mr. Demos: "They unjustly and irresponsibly muddy the ethos of someone by saying that they did not have enough time to examine the issue earlier, and that they found the time to do so on the day of the Synod."

Metropolitan Iakovos also applied the term, "sycophant," to the Archbishop, and called on him to reverse the course of the matter:

"You should wash the mud with a positive outcome. Imagine how serious a sin calumny is," he writes. Iakovos also writes in his letter that he had asked the Archbishop to include Father Kanztavelos among the three auxiliary bishops he elevated three years ago - Gerasimos of Krateia (now Metropolitan of San Francisco), Savas of Troas (Chancellor of the Archdiocese) and Andonios of Phasiane - but the Archbishop declined.

Demetrios did not employ the proper and canonical way to elevate them - that is, by voting on the triprosopon (three person ballot) - but only recommended them to the Patriarchate, pointed out.

"None of them had the parish experience and all its parameters as Father Demetrios Kantzavelos does. Two of them were simply deacons (Gerasimos and Andonios), and the third one (Savas), he did have, or barely had, completed five years of ministry in parish life. I mentioned the above not for comparative purposes, but just for the (sake of) history," Metropolitan Iakovos said.