Unto the Most Reverend and Right Reverend Hierarchs, Pious Priests and Deacons, the Monks and Nuns, Presidents and Members of Parish Councils, Honorable Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, Members of Leadership 100, the Day and Afternoon Schools, Philoptochos Societies, the Youth, Greek Orthodox Organizations, and the entirety of the Christ-named Plenitude of the Sacred Archdiocese of America:

Their sound has gone forth unto all the earth, and the words unto the ends of the oikoumene.

(Psalm 18:4, LXX)

Beloved brothers and sisters in the Lord,

By unanimous decision of the Holy Eparchial Synod of the Sacred Archdiocese of America, the honorable and most esteemed Order of Saint Andrew, Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, is to be recognized yearly for the Feast of their Celestial Patron, Saint Andrew the Apostle and First-Called Disciple of the Lord. This year, the commendation of our beloved Order of Archons will occur on Sunday, December 1, with the reading of this first-ever Encyclical.

The Order of Saint Andrew is a venerable organization dedicated to the defense and protection of our Venerable Ecumenical Patriarchate; but it is also so much more. The Archons represent the interests of the Mother Church and our Archdiocese in all manner of public and private forums. A visit to their website (https://archons.org) would reveal an incredible number of initiatives that impact the Church in America in positive, Christ-affirming ways. The Archons exercise a worldwide reach that extends to Greece and the Eparchies of the Ecumenical Throne to promote religious freedom around the globe, and recognize virtuous, humanitarian leadership through the annual Athenagoras Human Rights Award. Indeed, their voices are heard throughout the oikoumene!

Many of our parishes have members who are Archons, an office (offikion) that is personally approved and bestowed by His All-Holiness himself. On this Sunday, when we take time to show our respect and esteem for the Archons of our Church who are the Members of the Order of Saint Andrew, let us resolve to stand with them in their spiritual phalanx in defense of the Holy Great Church of Christ. We are all sons and daughters of the Mother Church of Constantinople, and we express our gratitude and appreciation to Her brave and devoted Archons for all that they accomplish on Her behalf. May they enjoy many years of health and spiritual prosperity!

With paternal love in Christ,