2004 -- S 2984

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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2004

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S E N A T E R E S O L U T I O N

CELEBRATING THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF METROPOLITAN METHODIOS' TENURE

AS THE BISHOP OF THE GREEK ORTHODOX DIOCESE OF BOSTON

     Introduced By: Senators Raptakis, J Montalbano, Paiva-Weed, F Caprio, and Ruggerio

     Date Introduced: March 25, 2004

     Referred To: Recommended for Immediate Consideration

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     WHEREAS, Metropolitan Methodios, whose baptismal name was George, was born on

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November 19, 1946 in New York City and was the third child of Stavroula and Vasilios Tournas;

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and

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     WHEREAS, Methodios was educated at the Orthodox Cathedral Parochial School in

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New York City and the Burney School in Manhattan. He received his Bachelor of Arts Degree

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from Hellenic College in Brookline, Massachusetts, in 1968; The Master of Sacred Theology

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from Boston University in Boston, Massachusetts in 1972; and Theological Accreditation from

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the University of Thessaloniki, Greece, in 1975. Additionally, Boston University awarded him the

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honorary Doctor of Divinity Degree on May 19, 1985; and

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     WHEREAS, Metropolitan Methodios was enthroned as the Bishop of Boston in 1984

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following his election to that post by the Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate meeting at

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the Patriarchal Church of the Phanar in Istanbul, Turkey. Since July 18, 1982, when he was

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consecrated Bishop of the Greek Orthodox Church in the Americas, Bishop Methodios served as

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an auxiliary Bishop to Archbishop Lakovos, the former Primate of the Greek Orthodox Church of

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North and South America. Metropolitan Methodios was the youngest clergyman ever elected to

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the Episcopate in the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of the Americas. In December of 1997, the

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was elevated to the rank of Metropolitan; and

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     WHEREAS, Metropolitan Methodios is the spiritual leader of the Greek Orthodox

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Diocese of Boston, which includes all of Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island,

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Vermont, and the Connecticut towns of Danielson, Enfield, New London and Norwich. The

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Diocese, whose offices are located in Brookline, Massachusetts, consists of 63 parishes which

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minister to the needs of 150,000 Greek Orthodox faithful; and

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     WHEREAS, Metropolitan Methodios has served for several years as a member of the

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National Orthodox-Roman Catholic Consultations. As a member of the Appeal of Conscience

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Foundation, an organization devoted to the cause of worldwide religious freedom for all religions,

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Metropolitan Methodios traveled to Hungary in 1981 and, in the fall of 1982, was a member of a

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three-man religious delegation that visited the former Soviet Union. He made a second visit to the

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former Soviet Union in 1984 and has fought fervently throughout his professional life in support

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of religious freedom for all people and all faiths; and

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     WHEREAS, Under the leadership, vision and direction of Metropolitan Methodios, the

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Diocese of Boston has prospered and flourished. His first undertaking was the construction of the

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Boston Diocese Center in Brookline, Massachusetts. He also lead the establishment and

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expansion of the Philoxenia House, a hospitality house for families of hospital patients. Under his

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direction the Boston Diocese became the first Greek Orthodox Diocese in America to implement

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Marriage Preparation Seminars. Most recently, the Diocese purchased a Diocese Camp and

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Retreat Center; now, therefore be it

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     RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations

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hereby congratulates Metropolitan Methodios for his 20 years of devoted service to the Greek

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Orthodox Diocese of Boston and its faithful followers, and furthermore thanks Metropolitan

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Methodios for all of his hard work on behalf of religious freedom for all people and all faiths;

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and be it further

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     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and he hereby is authorized and directed to

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transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to Metropolitan Methodios.

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