The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, headquartered in New York City, is an eparchy of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. Its current primate is Archbishop Elpidophoros of America. Archbishop On May 11, 2019, the church's Holy and Sacred Synod unanimously elected Metropolitan Elpidophoros of Bursa as the new archbishop of America following the voluntary resignation of Archbishop Demetrios. In addition to serving as Metropolitan of Bursa, Elpidophoros has also served as Abbot of the Holy Monastery of the Holy Trinity in Halki and Professor of the Theological School of the Aristoteleian University of Thessaloniki. Metropolitan Methodios of Boston served as the locum tenens until Elpidophoros was enthroned on June 22, 2019. Archbishop Elpidophros serves the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. He serves as: Primate of the Greek Orthodox Church in America Exarch of the Ecumenical Patriarchate President of the Holy Eparchial Synod Chairman of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of America Episcopal details include: Consecrated as Metropolitan of Bursa March 20, 2011 Elected as Archbishop of America May 11, 2019 Enthroned as Archbishop of America on June 22, 2019 Mission The mission of the archdiocese is to proclaim the Gospel of Christ, to teach and spread the Orthodox Christian faith, to energize, cultivate, and guide the life of the Church in the United States of America according to the Orthodox Christian faith and tradition. The Greek Orthodox Church in America considers that it sanctifies the faithful through divine worship, especially the Holy Eucharist and other sacraments, building the spiritual and ethical life of the faithful in accordance with the Holy Scriptures, Sacred Tradition, the doctrines and canons of the Ecumenical and local Councils, the canons of the Holy Apostles and the Fathers of the Church and of all other Councils recognized by the Orthodox Church. The archdiocese states that it serves as a beacon, carrier, and witness of the message of Christ to all persons who live in the United States of America, through divine worship, preaching, teaching, and living of the Orthodox Christian faith. History Before the establishment of a Greek Archdiocese in the Western Hemisphere there were numerous communities of Greek Orthodox Christians. On June 26, 1768, the first Greek colonists landed at St. Augustine, Florida, the oldest city in America. The first Greek Orthodox community in the Americas was founded in 1864, in New Orleans, Louisiana, by a small colony of Greek