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Biography of Archbishop Stephen |
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His Eminence, the Most Reverend Archbishop Stephen |
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Biography of Archbishop Stephen |
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Archbishop of Siracusa and All Sicily Metropolitan of the Americas and Canada of the Italo-Greeks Bishop of Utica Primate of the Italo-Greek Orthodox Church |
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Copyright 2010 Italo-Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of the Americas and Canada 1101 Howard Avenue, Utica, NY 13501 (315)-368-8753 Email: chancery@igoarch.org
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His Eminence, Archbishop Stephen, a native of Utica, NY, is the first Bishop of Utica, the seventh ruling Bishop of the Italo-Greek Orthodox Church in the Americas and Canada, and the 78th Archbishop and Primate (First Hierarch) of the Italo-Greek Orthodox Church.
Born and raised in Utica, New York, he was tonsured a monk and ordained a deacon on March 8, 1997. On the following day, March 9, 1997, he was ordained a priest for the Italo-Greek Orthodox Church, with the title of Archimandrite, by His Beatitude, Archbishop Timotheos (Athanassiou) of the Genuine Orthodox Church of Hellas and the Diaspora in the Church of St. John the Russian, Athens (Melissia), Greece. He was unanimously elected bishop of the Italo-Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of the Americas and Canada by an Extraordinary Diocesan Assembly convened in Philadelphia, PA on May 14-17, 2004.
On September 18, 2004, Archimandrite Stephen was canonically elected bishop for the Italo-Greek Orthodox Church by the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Genuine Orthodox Church of Hellas and the Diaspora and was consecrated on Sunday, September 19, 2004 in the Church of the Three Holy Hierarchs in Athens, Greece by His Beatitude, Archbishop Timotheos; His Eminence, Metropolitan Germanos; and Their Graces, Bishops Pavlos and Leonides. He was given the title of Bishop of Utica and Metropolitan of the Americas and Canada of the Italo-Greeks and was appointed locum tenens of the Archiepiscopal See of Siracusa and All Sicily, replacing Archbishop Timotheos, who held the position since March 1997.
On November 19, 2005, Metropolitan Stephen was elected Archbishop and Primate of the Italo-Greek Orthodox Church by an Extraordinary All-Church Council convened at the Cathedral of the Theotokos of Great Grace in Utica, New York. His Eminence’s election was confirmed by the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Genuine Orthodox Church of Hellas and the Diaspora by Protocol #012006-2 on February 7, 2006.
His Eminence shepherds a Church which has been widowed of a bishop since the death of its last bishop in 1982. He works vigorously in his efforts to rebuild approximately fourteen communities here in the United States as well as several in Sicily and Southern Italy. He is committed to making the Italo-Greek Church a truly servant Church, actively witnessing and living the Gospel of Jesus Christ in an ever-increasing secular world.
His Eminence is an outspoken advocate of administrative unity among the various Orthodox jurisdictions in the United States as well as in Sicily and Italy. His vision is for a single, unified Orthodox Church of America as well as a unified, strong and vibrant national Orthodox Church of Sicily and Italy. He is also dedicated to fostering a better understanding of the Eastern Church by Western Christians, especially among Roman Catholics within the framework and parameters of a faithful witness to Orthodox Christian Tradition and ecclesiology, primarily in the area of Orthodox-Catholic relations on the local grassroots level.
Early Life
Stephen J. Enea was born in Utica, NY on September 7, 1959, the oldest son of Philip and Gloria Enea. He has one brother, Kenneth, who lives with his family in Winnetka, CA. He was baptized in St. Mary of Mt. Carmel Roman Catholic Church, Utica, NY, where he received his First Holy Communion. He received the Sacrament of Confirmation in the Church of Our Lady of Lourdes, Utica, NY. He was received into the Orthodox Church by Confession, Chrismation, Profession of Faith and the reception of the Holy Mystery of the Eucharist on October 16, 1977, by His Beatitude, Archbishop Gennadios of the Italo-Greek Orthodox Church.
He attended Miller Street Grammar School and Our Lady of Lourdes School in Utica, NY. Later, he attended Notre Dame High School and Thomas R. Proctor High School, where he graduated in his Junior year. He attended St. Vladimir’s Seminary in Crestwood, NY for one year, after which he went to work for the late Archbishop Peter (L’Huillier) of the Diocese of NY/NJ of the Orthodox Church in America as his personal assistant and driver, a position he held from 1985 to 1989. He also served as the Archbishop’s subdeacon during the same period. He also worked part-time for the Very Rev. Protopresbyter Alexander Warnecke, then Chancellor of the OCA Diocese of NY/NJ.
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