Elpidophoros spoke next to the president at the White House on Monday to commemorate Greek Independence Day, also known as the Celebration of the Greek Revolution. The event celebrates the beginning of the Greek Revolution in 1821, which ultimately led to Greece’s independence from the Ottoman Empire after nearly 400 years of occupation.
Standing next to Trump, Elpidophoros granted the president lofty praise and compared him with one of Orthodoxy’s most beloved leaders.
“Through your leadership, you embody the values of our Christian faith and a love for the Gospel. You remind me of the great Roman Emperor Constantine the Great, who founded and built the magnificent city of Constantinople — my birthplace, known today as Istanbul,” he said, drawing cheers at the mention of Constantine.
“It is my great honor to present you with this Holy Cross,” Elpidophoros continued, bringing out a golden Orthodox cross. “This cross is the very symbol that led this great Roman Emperor Constantine to victory. As Christ revealed to him in a vision, ‘Ἐν τούτῳ νίκα’ — ‘Go with this and be victorious!’ This cross is an everlasting symbol of peace and an invincible trophy, a sign of divine strength and guidance.”
Trump accepted the gift and held it up for the audience to see.
“With this cross, I pray you bring peace to the world and make America invincible! May God ever bless you, Mr. President,” Elpidophoros continued, blessing Trump’s family.
According to the account of the Roman historian Eusebius, the day before his decisive Battle of the Milvian Bridge against the pagan Maxentius in 312 A.D., Constantine saw a cross in the sky. That night, Christ appeared to him in a dream with a message, usually translated as “In this sign, conquer!” Constantine had his men paint their shields with the Chi-Rho symbol, the first two capital Greek letters of Christ, before going into battle.
After his victory, Constantine issued the Edict of Milan, which legalized the persecuted Christian religion. Christianity rapidly spread afterward, becoming the official religion of the empire in 380 A.D.
Constantine is especially significant to the Orthodox Church, which canonized him for his efforts, unlike the Roman Catholic Church. Elpidophoros’s comparison of Trump to Constantine is one of the highest compliments from the Greek Orthodox Church.
Trump likewise thanked and praised the Greek American community, especially those who supported him in November. He highlighted the efforts of the “Greeks for Trump” group.
Elpidophoros’s embrace of Trump came as a surprise to many, as he’s considered one of the most progressive Orthodox leaders. His progressive stances and public urging of the church officials to accept modernization have put him at odds with many in the historically conservative church.
In 2020, the archbishop marched with Black Lives Matter protesters. He prompted an international scandal in the summer of 2022 when he was pictured baptizing an infant belonging to an openly gay couple. He later decried Orthodox church leaders who criticized Greece’s legalization of gay marriage as “fascistic” and compared them to the Nazis.
Speaking at the January 2022 March for Life, Elpidophoros drew the ire of some when he said, “At the same time, we also affirm our respect for the autonomy of women,” adding the Virgin Mary “freely chose” to bring Christ into the world. His speech was criticized in a statement from the Antiochian, Bulgarian, Romanian, and Serbian American Orthodox hierarchs.
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In recent months, Elpidophoros has appeared to draw a more centrist line, culminating in his comparison of Trump to Constantine. He gave an opening prayer at the Republican and Democratic National Conventions last year and congratulated Trump on his victory in November. He met with Kimberly Guilfoyle, the new U.S. ambassador to Greece, in December.
With the Greeks being the largest Orthodox emigre community in the United States, Elpidophoros presides over one of the largest Orthodox parishes in the country. A 2017 Pew Research Center poll found 49% of American Orthodox were Greek, followed by Russian Orthodox at 16%, though a recent influx of Orthodox converts may have altered these shares.
