FRATERNAL MEETING BETWEEN HIS EMINENCE ARCHBISHOP APOSTOLOS OF CANADA AND HIS EMINENCE CARDINAL FRANK LEO, ARCHBISHOP OF TORONTO

In an atmosphere of great cordiality and fraternal affection, His Eminence Archbishop Apostolos of Canada welcomed His Eminence Frank Cardinal Leo, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Toronto, to the headquarters of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Canada. Cardinal Leo was accompanied by the four Auxiliary Bishops of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Toronto.

Archbishop Apostolos extended a warm welcome to Cardinal Leo and his delegation and hosted a formal luncheon in their honour, as an expression of fraternal hospitality, mutual respect, and sincere dialogue between the two Churches.

Also in attendance were His Eminence Archbishop Sotirios, former Archbishop of Canada; His Grace Bishop Athenagoras of Patara, Director of the Patriarchal Orthodox Theological Academy; the Reverend Protopresbyter Panagiotis Avgeropoulos, Archdiocesan Vicar General and Head of Inter-Christian Relations for the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Canada; and the Very Reverend Archimandrite Evdokimos Mathioudakis, Director of the Archdiocese’s Office of Communications.

The meeting continued a longstanding tradition of fraternal dialogue and cooperation between the Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches in Canada, a relationship that Archbishop Sotirios fostered with dedication and pastoral care over many years. Archbishop Apostolos carries this tradition forward, further strengthening relations founded upon mutual esteem, trust, and fraternal cooperation.

The gathering held particular ecclesiastical and symbolic significance, taking place in November, the month in which the Holy Great Church of Christ in Constantinople solemnly celebrates, on November 30, the feast of its founder and patron, the Holy and Glorious Apostle Andrew the First-Called. Each year, this feast provides a special occasion for the Churches of Constantinople and Rome to renew their fraternal ties, rooted in the apostolic heritage of the two brothers, Saints Andrew and Peter.

During the luncheon, Archbishop Apostolos conveyed to Cardinal Leo the paternal affection, heartfelt good wishes, and patriarchal blessing of His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. He highlighted the particular care with which the Mother Church, the Holy Great Church of Christ, seeks to advance dialogue among Christians and foster fraternal relations, mutual understanding, and peaceful cooperation among the Churches.

His Eminence also emphasized the importance of preserving and strengthening relationships of trust and open dialogue among the Christian Churches, underscoring their responsibility to bear witness to the Gospel in the contemporary world. In particular, he spoke of the importance of defending human dignity, expressing love for one’s neighbour through concrete acts of service, caring for those who suffer, and promoting peace and social cohesion as tangible expressions of Christian faith and the teachings of the Gospel.

Cardinal Leo expressed his sincere gratitude to Archbishop Apostolos for the invitation, as well as for the warm welcome and gracious hospitality extended to him and his delegation. He also reciprocated the invitation, expressing his desire to welcome Archbishop Apostolos to a similar fraternal gathering. Archbishop Apostolos accepted the invitation with joy and appreciation.

The meeting concluded in a spirit of cordiality, mutual esteem, and fraternal affection, reaffirming the shared desire to preserve and deepen the longstanding ties between the Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches in Canada. Rooted in mutual respect, sincere dialogue, and Christian love, these relationships remain a valued inheritance and an important foundation for continued cooperation in service to Christian communities and Canadian society as a whole.

Press Office

Archim. Evdokimos Mathioudakis