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Ecumenical Patriarch: Authentic theology and closed-mindedness are contradictory concepts

July 12, 2026 · 1 min read

The ordination of Bishop-elect Isidoros of Andida was celebrated on Saturday, July 11, 2026, by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew at the Patriarchal Church of St. George in the Phanar.

The ordination took place during the Divine Liturgy for the feast of the Holy Glorious Great Martyr Euphemia, whose sacred relic is preserved in the Patriarchal Church.

Concelebrating with the Ecumenical Patriarch were Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Messinia, along with hierarchs of the Ecumenical Patriarchate: Metropolitan Theodoritos of Laodicea, Metropolitan Meliton of Philadelphia, Metropolitan Kyrillos of Krini, and Metropolitan Nathanael of Chicago, as well as Metropolitan Bartholomaios of Polyani and Kilkis.

The new Bishop of Andida was elected unanimously by the Holy and Sacred Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, following the nomination and recommendation of the Ecumenical Patriarch.

The Ecumenical Patriarch on the New Bishop In his address of exhortation, the Ecumenical Patriarch referred to the new hierarch’s sixteen years of ministry as a deacon and priest, his theological and academic formation, and his understanding of the challenges facing the contemporary world.

The…

Source: Orthodox Times · Read the full story →

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Степан Лисенко

I am glad for father Isidor that after sixteen years of service he was so unanimously elected. And the patriarch's words about the fact that true theology and the closedness of the mind are incompatible are definitely apt - in our world this is especially important. We pray that the new Bishop Andidsky will carry out his ministry well.

Дмитрий Семёнов

I am glad for Father Isidore that after sixteen years of diaconate and priesthood he was so unanimously installed. And the patriarch was right about “closedness of mind and real theology” - especially in our time. Let us pray that the new Bishop of Andida will not get lost in these challenges of the modern world.

Raluca Gheorghiu

I am also happy for father Isidoros, after sixteen years of service as a deacon and priest, to be so unanimously elected. The words of the Patriarch about true theology that does not go with a closed mind seemed simple and right to me, especially now when the world is full of arguments. May God help him to hold the Liturgy with the same patience with which he served until now.

Валентина Соловьёва

Yes, unanimous election is always a good sign, Dmitry. Sixteen years of service is a serious period; it is clear that a person has been tested. Let us pray that Bishop Isidore will have both openness and firmness in these very challenges. Do you know him personally?

Максим Савченко

I am happy for Father Isidor, sixteen years of honest service is no joke, it is clear that the man has been tested. And the patriarch's words about the fact that true theology and closed mind are incompatible are really apt, especially when there are so many disputes around. Let's pray that he will have both openness and firmness.

Павел Михайлов

No, I don’t know you personally, Valentina. But sixteen years as a deacon and priest is a really good filter; you can immediately see that he is not a random person. But what do you think about his “openness to modern challenges” - is it about what exactly, about theology or something else?

Ольга Смирнова

Yes, Valentina, sixteen years is not a joke, you can immediately see that you are not a yesterday’s graduate. And about openness, I would say that for me it is, first of all, the ability to hear people without losing the foundations of faith, which is exactly what priests like this do best in our parish. What do you think is more important here—theological depth or practical flexibility?

Ирина Орлова

Sixteen years of ministry is really solid, Pavel, you can immediately feel that the person has gone through parish life, and not just in the offices. And about “openness to modern challenges,” it seems to me that he meant theology: so that it was alive, and not walled up in old formulas. Do you think this could also be about the attitude towards today’s problems of family or youth?

Ilie Popa

Yes, Raluca, I am also happy for Father Isidoros – sixteen years of service is not easily forgotten. The words of the Patriarch about theology and the closed mind are good, but I wonder how we put them into practice in our parish when small quarrels arise in the council. God help him to remain as patient.

Petru Constantinescu

Yes Ilia, you are right about the sixteen years of service – I saw Father Isidoros at a service in Istanbul a few years ago and he was just like that, calm and attentive. In our parish, when arguments arise at the council, it is best to remember the advice of St. John the Golden Mouth: to speak gently, not proudly. God help the new bishop to remember this daily.