The Archdiocese of the Phanar in the U.S. hosted an ecumenical prayer service with an LGBT bishopess and gender theory advocate at the Archdiocese's temple

In New York City, an ecumenical prayer service was held at the Holy Trinity Cathedral, under the jurisdiction of the Greek Archdiocese of the Patriarchate of Constantinople in the United States (Phanar), which generated considerable publicity. The event was attended by representatives of various Christian denominations, including Katrina Foster, the first open lesbian to hold the position of «bishop» in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA), and «priestess» Kirsten Guidero, known for promoting gender theory.

According to the Orthodox Observer, the prayer service was held on January 30, 2026, as part of the 58th annual Week of Prayer for Christian Unity organized by the World Council of Churches. Among the participants of the ecumenical gathering, in addition to those mentioned, were Roman Catholic Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Bishop Peter Eaton of the Episcopal Church, Archbishop Daniel Pamphilonsky of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Constantinople Patriarchate in the United States, and representatives of the Armenian Apostolic Church: Bishop Mesrop Parsamian, Archbishop Anushavan Tanielian, and Archbishop Viken Haykazian.

The figure of «Bishopess» Katrina Foster attracts special attention. She is the first woman and the first openly LGBT person to serve as bishop of the Metropolitan New York Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Ordained in 1994, Foster publicly announced her orientation in 2007 and married a woman, which at the time jeopardized her ministry because the ELCA still prohibited open gays and lesbians from holding clergy positions. She was elected bishop in May 2025 and formally inducted on November 22 of that year at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist.

Another significant participant was «priestess» Kirsten Guidero of the Episcopal Church USA, who was previously fired from conservative Christian Indiana Wesley University for promoting gender ideology. The university administration said at the time that her activities were «inconsistent with the university’s mission» because they diverged from the institution’s religious principles. At the same time, as an anonymous alumnus testified, Guidero created a «safe space» for LGBT students and was «the first adult who did not try to change or return the student to the fold of the church.»

Recall that we previously reported that there has been a marked increase in interest in Eastern Orthodoxy in the United States , especially among young people. However, against the backdrop of this trend, the ecumenical initiatives of Archbishop Elpidophoros, head of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, are causing mixed reactions and concerns about the erosion of the unique identity of the Orthodox Church.