Bishop Chrysostomos Savvatos (Greek: Χρυσόστομος Σαββάτος), born in the
Athens
Athens ( ; el, Αθήνα, Athína ; grc, Ἀθῆναι, Athênai (pl.) ) is both the capital and largest city of Greece. With a population close to four million, it is also the seventh largest city in the European Union. Athens dominates ...
suburb of
Peristeri
Peristeri (Greek language, Greek: Περιστέρι, meaning "pigeon/dove" in Greek) is a suburban municipality in the western part of the Athens agglomeration, Greece. With 139,981 inhabitants (2011 census), it is the seventh-largest municipali ...
in 1961, is a theologian in the
Greek Orthodox Church
The term Greek Orthodox Church (Greek: Ἑλληνορθόδοξη Ἐκκλησία, ''Ellinorthódoxi Ekklisía'', ) has two meanings. The broader meaning designates "the entire body of Orthodox (Chalcedonian) Christianity, sometimes also call ...
and a professor in the Theology Faculty (and currently its moderator) of the
University of Athens
The National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA; el, Εθνικό και Καποδιστριακό Πανεπιστήμιο Αθηνών, ''Ethnikó ke Kapodistriakó Panepistímio Athinón''), usually referred to simply as the Univers ...
. He has earned degrees from
Rome
, established_title = Founded
, established_date = 753 BC
, founder = King Romulus (legendary)
, image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg
, map_caption ...
and
Strasbourg
Strasbourg (, , ; german: Straßburg ; gsw, label=Bas Rhin Alsatian, Strossburi , gsw, label=Haut Rhin Alsatian, Strossburig ) is the prefecture and largest city of the Grand Est region of eastern France and the official seat of the Eu ...
. In mid-2007 he was ordained as the
metropolitan bishop
In Christian churches with episcopal polity, the rank of metropolitan bishop, or simply metropolitan (alternative obsolete form: metropolite), pertains to the diocesan bishop or archbishop of a metropolis.
Originally, the term referred to the b ...
of
Messenia
Messenia or Messinia ( ; el, Μεσσηνία ) is a regional unit (''perifereiaki enotita'') in the southwestern part of the Peloponnese region, in Greece. Until the implementation of the Kallikratis plan on 1 January 2011, Messenia was a ...
but continues also to fulfil the obligations of his university chair.
Earlier in 2008 he took part in the
Ravenna
Ravenna ( , , also ; rgn, Ravèna) is the capital city of the Province of Ravenna, in the Emilia-Romagna region of Northern Italy. It was the capital city of the Western Roman Empire from 408 until its collapse in 476. It then served as the cap ...
conversation of the Orthodox-Roman Catholic Dialogue Commission, of which he has been for some time a member. In 2010 Metropolitan Chrysostomos criticised Metropolitan Seraphim of Peiraieus' hostility to Pope Benedict's visit to the Archbishop of Cyprus. On 8 October 2014 Metropolitan Chrysostomos, who is known for openness to dialogue, presented a document in Synod expressing the Church of Greece's reticence with regard to the forthcoming
Panorthodox Council, in which allusion was made to the non-reception of World Council of Churches documents by the Church of Greece, avoidance of engaging in prayer within the WCC context, and by name five instances of deterioration or suspension of dialogue with major Christian groups of churches (notably raising the issue of Uniatism).
[Oecuménisme-Informations-novembre 2014]
References
Academic staff of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
Bishops of the Church of Greece
Eastern Orthodox theologians
Living people
1961 births
Clergy from Athens
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