Georgios Xenopoulos, SJ ( el, Γεώργιος Ξενόπουλος; 23 August 1898 – 28 January 1980) was a
Greek
Greek may refer to:
Greece
Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe:
*Greeks, an ethnic group.
*Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family.
**Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...
prelate
A prelate () is a high-ranking member of the Christian clergy who is an ordinary or who ranks in precedence with ordinaries. The word derives from the Latin , the past participle of , which means 'carry before', 'be set above or over' or 'pref ...
of the
Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
. From 1947 until his retirement in 1974, he was the
Bishop of Santorini
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Santorini ( la, Dioecesis Sanctoriensis) is a diocese located in the city of Santorini in the Ecclesiastical province of Naxos, Andros, Tinos and Mykonos in Greece.Bishop of Syros. In addition, he was at various times the apostolic administrator of the Archdiocese of Athens, the Diocese of Crete, and the Apostolic Vicariate of Salonica. He died in 1980, aged 81.
Biography
Xenopoulos was born on 23 August 1898 in
Syros
Syros ( el, Σύρος ), also known as Siros or Syra, is a Greek island in the Cyclades, in the Aegean Sea. It is south-east of Athens. The area of the island is and it has 21,507 inhabitants (2011 census).
The largest towns are Ermoupoli, A ...
,
Greece
Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders with ...
. He joined the
Society of Jesus
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, image_size = 175px
, caption = ChristogramOfficial seal of the Jesuits
, abbreviation = SJ
, nickname = Jesuits
, formation =
, founders ...
and was ordained to the priesthood on 31 July 1926.
On 22 February 1947, Xenopulos was appointed Bishop of Syros and
Bishop of Santorini
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Santorini ( la, Dioecesis Sanctoriensis) is a diocese located in the city of Santorini in the Ecclesiastical province of Naxos, Andros, Tinos and Mykonos in Greece.Pope Pius XII
Pope Pius XII ( it, Pio XII), born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli (; 2 March 18769 October 1958), was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 2 March 1939 until his death in October 1958. Before his e ...
. His
episcopal consecration
A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of Episcopal polity, authority and oversight in a religious institution.
In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or offic ...
principal consecrator
A consecrator is a bishop who ordains someone to the episcopacy. A co-consecrator is someone who assists the consecrator bishop in the act of ordaining a new bishop.
The terms are used in the canon law of the Catholic Church, Lutheran Churches, ...
George Calavassy George Calavassy (February 2, 1881 in Greece – November 7, 1957 in Greece) was a Catholic prelate belonging to Apostolic Exarchate of Constantinople from 13 July 1920 to 11 June 1932, and Exarch of the Greek Byzantine Catholic Church from 11 ...
serving as co-consecrators. From 1950 to 1953, he was apostolic administrator of the Archdiocese of Athens and the Apostolic Vicariate of Salonica (now Thessaloniki). In 1952, he was additionally appointed apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Crete, a position he held until his death.
From 1963 to 1965, Xenopulos participated in all four sessions of the
Second Vatican Council
The Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican, commonly known as the , or , was the 21st Catholic ecumenical councils, ecumenical council of the Roman Catholic Church. The council met in St. Peter's Basilica in Rome for four periods (or sessions) ...
. He was noted for addressing the concept of opening
Communion under both kinds
Communion under both kinds in Christianity is the reception under both "species" (i.e., both the consecrated bread and wine) of the Eucharist. Denominations of Christianity that hold to a doctrine of Communion under both kinds may believe that ...
(e.g. bread ''and'' wine; the wine had previously been restricted to priests). Regarding the reception of wine through a common
chalice
A chalice (from Latin 'mug', borrowed from Ancient Greek () 'cup') or goblet is a footed cup intended to hold a drink. In religious practice, a chalice is often used for drinking during a ceremony or may carry a certain symbolic meaning.
Re ...
, he raised concerns about health and women's lipstick, saying:
"Today the faithful, especially men, can be seen not to come forward to kiss a sacred
relic
In religion, a relic is an object or article of religious significance from the past. It usually consists of the physical remains of a saint or the personal effects of the saint or venerated person preserved for purposes of veneration as a tangi ...
because, among other things, they fear their lips will be colored by the red marks left by women on the glass of the
reliquary
A reliquary (also referred to as a ''shrine'', by the French term ''châsse'', and historically including ''wikt:phylactery, phylacteries'') is a container for relics. A portable reliquary may be called a ''fereter'', and a chapel in which it i ...
. What will happen now when so many hundreds and thousands of dyed lips of women or perhaps hundreds of lips of men which are not proper and pure and sometimes are infected with base sicknesses are applied to the rims of the chalice? The result will be that many of the faithful will abstain from Communion."
Yves Congar
Yves Marie-Joseph Congar (; 13 April 1904 – 22 June 1995) was a French Dominican friar, priest, and theologian. He is perhaps best known for his influence at the Second Vatican Council and for reviving theological interest in the Holy Spiri ...
, the French Dominican theologian, took notice of Xenopulos at the Council, writing in his book ''My Journey of the Council'' about Xenopulos, "the name is Greek, but his pronunciation of
Latin
Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
was typically and entirely Italian."
During his tenure as bishop, Xenopulos consecrated a number of bishops. He was principal consecrator of
Archbishop of Athens
The Archbishopric of Athens ( el, Ιερά Αρχιεπισκοπή Αθηνών) is a Greek Orthodox archiepiscopal see based in the city of Athens, Greece. It is the senior see of Greece, and the seat of the autocephalous Church of Greece. Its ...
Marios Makrionitis
Marios Makrionitis, SJ (Greek: Μάριος Μακρυωνίτης; 8 October 1913 – 8 April 1959) was a Greek Jesuit prelate of the Catholic Church. He served as the Archbishop of Athens from 1953 until 1959, when he died from injuries caused ...
Santorini
Santorini ( el, Σαντορίνη, ), officially Thira (Greek: Θήρα ) and classical Greek Thera (English pronunciation ), is an island in the southern Aegean Sea, about 200 km (120 mi) southeast from the Greek mainland. It is the ...
Frangiskos Papamanolis
Frangkiskos Papamanolis ( el, Φραγκίσκος Παπαμανώλης; 5 December 1936 – 2 October 2023) was a Greek Roman Catholic prelate who was the Bishop of Syros and Milos, Bishop of Santorini and Apostolic Administrator of Crete.
...
,
OFM Cap
The Order of Friars Minor Capuchin (; postnominal abbr. O.F.M. Cap.) is a religious order of Franciscan friars within the Catholic Church, one of Three " First Orders" that reformed from the Franciscan Friars Minor Observant (OFM Obs., now OFM) ...
, in 1974. He was co-consecrator of Archbishop Marcus Sigala in 1947, Bishop
Hyakinthos Gad Hyakinthos Gad (2 February 1912 – 30 January 1975) was Apostolic exarch of the Greek Byzantine Catholic Church from 17 February 1958 to 1975.
Biography
Gad was born on 2 February 1912 in Greece. After receiving theological education, he was ...
in 1958, Archbishop
Venediktos Printesis
Venediktos Printesis (Greek: Βενέδικτος Πρίντεζης; February 10, 1917 – October 21, 2008) was a Greek Bishop of the Roman Catholic Church.
Biography
Printesis was born in Manna, Syros in February 1917, and was ordained a prie ...
in 1959, Archbishop
Antonios Varthalitis
Antonios Varthalitis, AA ( el, Αντώνιος Βαρθαλίτης; 1 January 1924 in – 27 October 2007) was from 1962 to 2003 Catholic Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Corfu, Zakynthos and Cephalonia.
Life
Antonios V ...
Nikolaos Foskolos
Nikolaos Foskolos ( el, Νικόλαος Φώσκολος, born 11 December 1936 in Komi, Tinos, Greece) was the Archbishop of Athens and Apostolic Administrator of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Rhodes.
Biography
Foscolos was ordained pries ...
in 1973.
Xenopulos died on 28 January 1980, aged 81.
Episcopal lineage
* Cardinal
Scipione Rebiba
Scipione Rebiba (3 February 1504 – 23 July 1577) was an Italian prelate of the Catholic Church, a protégé of Gian Pietro Carafa, who became Pope Paul IV. He held a variety of positions in the Church hierarchy, including some of the most sen ...
* Cardinal
Giulio Antonio Santorio
Giulio Antonio Santorio (6 June 1532 – 9 May 1602) was an Italian Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church.
Biography
Santorio was born in Caserta. He served as Archbishop of Santa Severina from 1566 until his death.
(1566)
* Cardinal
Girolamo Bernerio
Girolamo Cardinal Bernerio, O.P. (1540 – 5 August 1611) was an Italian Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church.
Biography
Bernerio was born in Corregio. He served as Bishop of Ascoli Piceno from 1586 until his resignation in 1605. He was ...
Galeazzo Sanvitale
Galeazzo Sanvitale (died 8 September 1622) was a Roman Catholic prelate who served as Archbishop of Bari-Canosa (1604–1606). ''(in Latin)''Ludovico Ludovisi
Ludovico Ludovisi (22 or 27 October 1595 – 18 November 1632) was an Italian Cardinal (Catholic Church), cardinal and statesman of the Roman Catholic Church. He was an art connoisseur who formed a famous collection of antiquities, housed at the ...
(1621)
* Cardinal
Luigi Caetani
Luigi Caetani (July 1595 – 15 April 1642) was an Italian Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church.
Biography
Caetani was born in Piedimonte. Son of Filippo I Caetani, duke of Sermoneta, and Camilla Gaetani dell'Aquila d'Aragona, of the duke ...
(1622)
* Cardinal
Ulderico Carpegna
Ulderico Carpegna (24 June 1595 – 24 January 1679) was an Italian jurist and Cardinal.
Biography
Born at Scavolino, he was from a family of the Roman nobility, connected with the Montefeltro family.
He became bishop of Gubbio
(1630)
* Cardinal
Paluzzo Paluzzi Altieri degli Albertoni
Paluzzo Paluzzi Altieri degli Albertoni (8 June 1623 – 29 June 1698) was an Italian Catholic Cardinal and Cardinal-Nephew to Pope Clement X.
Biography
Altieri was born Paluzzo Paluzzi degli Albertoni in Rome, the eldest of two sons to Antoni ...
(1666)
*
Pope Benedict XIII
Pope Benedict XIII ( la, Benedictus XIII; it, Benedetto XIII; 2 February 1649 – 21 February 1730), born Pietro Francesco Orsini and later called Vincenzo Maria Orsini, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 29 May ...
(1675)
*
Pope Benedict XIV
Pope Benedict XIV ( la, Benedictus XIV; it, Benedetto XIV; 31 March 1675 – 3 May 1758), born Prospero Lorenzo Lambertini, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 17 August 1740 to his death in May 1758.Antipope ...
(1724)
*
Pope Clement XIII
Pope Clement XIII ( la, Clemens XIII; it, Clemente XIII; 7 March 1693 – 2 February 1769), born Carlo della Torre di Rezzonico, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 6 July 1758 to his death in February 1769. ...
(1743)
* Cardinal
Marco Antonio Colonna
Marco Antonio Colonna (1523–1597) was an Italians, Italian Catholic Church, Roman Catholic Bishop (Catholic Church), bishop and Cardinal (Catholicism), cardinal.
Biography
A member of the Colonna family, Marco Antonio Colonna was born in R ...
(1762)
* Cardinal
Hyacinthe Sigismond Gerdil
Hyacinthe Sigismond Gerdil, CRSP (23 June 1718 – 12 August 1802) was an Italian theologian, bishop and cardinal, who was a significant figure in the response of the papacy to the assault on the Catholic Church by the upheavals caused by the F ...
Giulio Maria della Somaglia
Giulio Maria della Somaglia (29 July 1744 – 2 April 1830) was an Italian cardinal. He was, in his later life — a staunch '' zelante'' cardinal who, as Secretary of State under Pope Leo XII, helped enforce an authoritarian regime in the ...
(1788)
* Cardinal
Carlo Odescalchi
Carlo Odescalchi, (5 March 1785 – 17 August 1841) was an Italian prince and priest, Archbishop of Ferrara, cardinal of the Catholic Church and Vicar General of the Diocese of Rome. For years a close collaborator of popes Pius VII and Gregory XV ...
Eugène de Mazenod
Eugène de Mazenod (born Charles-Joseph-Eugène de Mazenod; 1 August 1782 – 21 May 1861) was a French aristocrat and Catholic priest. When he was eight years old, Mazenod's family fled the French Revolution, leaving their considerable wea ...
Joseph-Hippolyte Guibert
Joseph-Hippolyte Guibert (1802, Aix-en-Provence, Bouches-du-Rhône – 1886, Paris) was a French Catholic Archbishop of Paris and Cardinal.
He was consecrated by Eugène de Mazenod and was appointed by Pope Gregory XVI as bishop of Viviers in 18 ...
François-Marie-Benjamin Richard
François-Marie-Benjamin Richard de la Vergne (; 1 March 1819 – 27 January 1908) was a French cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church and served as the Archbishop of Paris.
His cause of canonization has commenced and he has the title of Servant o ...
(1872)
* Cardinal
Pietro Gasparri
Pietro Gasparri, GCTE (5 May 1852 – 18 November 1934) was a Roman Catholic cardinal, diplomat and politician in the Roman Curia and the signatory of the Lateran Pacts. He served also as Cardinal Secretary of State under Popes Benedict XV an ...
(1898)
* Archbishop
Angelo Rotta
Angelo Rotta (9 August 1872 – 1 February 1965) was an Italian prelate of the Catholic Church. As the Apostolic Nuncio in Budapest at the end of World War II, he was involved in the rescue of the Jews of Budapest from the Nazi Holocaust. He is ...