Archbishop Sotirios of Canada, along with Parish Priest Fr. Theodore Paraskevopoulos and Fr. Triantafillos Porfiris, presided over the Divine Liturgy on March 9, 2025, for the Sunday of Orthodoxy at the Church of Prophet Elias in Mississauga, Ontario. Rev. Fr. Stavros Maniatis was also in attendance, offering prayers in the altar.
The Church of Prophet Elias in Mississauga, Ontario, hosted a full congregation of devout Orthodox faithful, including many families and youth, who gathered to commemorate the Triumph of Orthodoxy. A procession inside the church, led by Sunday School students and altar boys, took place with parishioners holding up sacred icons.
During his sermon, Archbishop Sotirios emphasized the importance of repentance, humility, and obedience during Holy and Great Lent, reflecting on the current state of the world and the Orthodox Church.
The community also honored Saint Theodora, Queen of Arta, on her feast day, as one of the chapels at Prophet Elias is dedicated to her memory and houses her holy relics.
Following the Divine Liturgy, Archbishop Sotirios blessed a presentation on “Orthodoxy and the Ecumenical Patriarchate” in the parish hall.
Fr. Paraskevopoulos introduced President Evagelos Sotiropoulos, the President of the Ecumenical Patriarchate Archons in Canada, who delivered the presentation on the administrative structure of the Orthodox Church, highlighting the history and primacy of the Mother Church of Constantinople and the ministry of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew.
A question-and-answer session followed, allowing attendees to engage with Fr. Paraskevopoulos and Archon Sotiropoulos, providing valuable insights into the Patriarchate and the role of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew as our spiritual father in Christ.