His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew designated Dr. Anthony J. Limberakis, National Commander of the Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, to represent him, as well as the Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate worldwide, at the celebration of the 30th Anniversary of the establishment of the Ecumenical Patriarchate’s Sacred Metropolis of Mexico.
The anniversary commemorations of this significant ecclesiastical milestone took place from Friday, January 30 through Tuesday, February 3, 2026, in Panama City, Panama. Among those present was His Beatitude Theodore II, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa, the spiritual leader of over 1.5 million Greek Orthodox faithful in Africa and the recipient of the 2022 Athenagoras Human Rights Award. His Eminence Metropolitan Iakovos of Mexico, Exarch of Central America and the Caribbean Islands, along with the bishops and many clergy of the Metropolis of Mexico, welcomed Hierarchs, clergy and faithful from around the world for the celebrations.
Dr. Limberakis delivered his remarks on Monday, February 2, in the presence of His Beatitude Patriarch Theodore and His Eminence Metropolitan Iakovos. As he had been requested to do, Dr. Limberakis transmitted to the Hierarchs and clergy of the Metropolis, as well as to the faithful who gathered for the celebration, the warm blessings and heartfelt felicitations of His All-Holiness, together with his prayers for the continued growth and witness of the Holy Orthodox Church in Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean Islands.
Dr. Limberakis stated that His Eminence Metropolitan Iakovos was “a bright star among our leadership clergy” who has “labored with remarkable energy to expand the Holy Orthodox Faith in Central and South America, bringing dozens of new churches under his omophorion.” He presented His Eminence with a donation of $10,000 to the Holy Metropolis of Mexico from the Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in America in his honor as the Metropolis of Mexico’s “most venerable, dynamic and sterling Metropolitan.” Dr. Limberakis invited Archon Soterios Ted Argeroplos of Elliott City, MD and his newly invested son Archon Nikephoros of Puerto Rico, to join him in the presentation of the donation to the metropolis. Dr. Limberakis stated, “I believe it is most appropriate and providential for two Archons of the same family from two different jurisdictions of the Ecumenical Patriarchate [Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America and Holy Metropolis of Mexico] to join in the offering of a humble donation on the 30th Anniversary of the Establishment of the Metropolis of Mexico.”
At a dinner of the Metropolis hierarchy and clergy, Dr. Limberakis offered an eloquent toast in honor of His All-Holiness Bartholomew, Archbishop of Constantinople New-Rome and Ecumenical Patriarch, His Beatitude Theodore II Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Egypt, His Eminence Metropolitan of Mexico, Exarch of Central America and the Caribbean Islands and His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America and Exarch of the Ecumenical Patriarch offering profound gratitude for their spiritual leadership, martyria and diakonia.
Dr. Limberakis also referred to the rapidly growing Metropolis of Mexico as “a beacon of hope for the Orthodox Church worldwide.” The Metropolis of Mexico spans 49 countries, in which there are 203 Greek Orthodox parishes; 253 church edifices (some parishes have more than one edifice); and roughly 600 Greek Orthodox communities, where religious services may take place in the homes of the faithful.
The commemorations featured a schedule of informative programs that were presented at a conference comprised of Hierarchs and clergy from the Metropolis of Mexico and elsewhere. Topics included “The Mission in and from the Indigenous Communities”; “Monasticism in Latin America and its Mission in the World”; “Orthodox and Social Works”; “The Divine Liturgy In and Outside of the Church”; “The Translation of the Divine Liturgy”; “The Role of the Priest”; “The Role of the Laity”: and more. The presentations were offered in Spanish, Greek and English with simultaneous translations via electronic earpiece.
Presenters included His Grace Bishop Athenagoras of Nazianzos, Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America; His Grace Bishop Osios of Sasimon (Prefect for Central America); His Grace Bishop Athenagoras of Myrinis (Prefect for The Caribbean and Belize); His Grace Bishop Hesiquio of Markianis (Prefect for Panama and Mexico); His Grace Bishop Timothy (Prefect for Colombia and Venezuela); Dr. Nathan Hoppe, Executive Director of the Orthodox Christian Mission Center (OCMC); as well as several priests and the chief chanter.
After listening to the presentations and interactions of His Eminence Metropolitan Iakovos, the hierarchs, clergy and faithful at the conference, Dr. Limberakis was emotionally very moved by their extraordinary diakonia, sacrifice and intense belief in our Holy Orthodox Faith. Where there is no church edifice, the faithful gather in private homes; where hierarchs and clergy have restricted resources, they minister to their flocks bountifully, extending themselves and their clergy families to preach The Word and convert countless indigenous to Orthodoxy.
Another highlight of the anniversary commemorations was the ordination of Archon Michael A. Karloutsos to Holy Diaconate by His Beatitude Patriarch Theodore and His Eminence Metropolitan Iakovos. The ordination took place in the presence of Archon Deacon Michael’s beloved parents, Fr. Alex Karloutsos, The Grand Protopresbyter of the Great Church of Christ, and Presbytera Xanthi, and on the following day Archon Deacon Michael was elevated to Archdeacon by His Eminence Metropolitan Iakovos. Still another highlight was the wedding of the daughter of the Consul General of Panama in Philadelphia, Hon. Georgia Athanasopoulos.
All those present took heart at the immense blessings Almighty God has bestowed upon the Metropolis of Mexico as it begins its fourth decade of sacred diakonia.
