![Archbishop Gregorios of Thyateira and Great Britain](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/91/Archbishop_Gregorios_of_Thyateira_and_Great_Britain.jpg)
Gregorios Theocharous of
Thyateira and Great Britain
The Archdiocese of Thyateira and Great Britain is an archdiocese of the Eastern Orthodox Church, part of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. Its present head is Archbishop Nikitas Loulias. Its jurisdiction covers those Orthodox Chri ...
(
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 ...
: Γρηγόριος Θεοχάρους; 28 October 1928 – 20 November 2019) served as the
Greek Orthodox
The term Greek Orthodox Church (Greek language, Greek: Ἑλληνορθόδοξη Ἐκκλησία, ''Ellinorthódoxi Ekklisía'', ) has two meanings. The broader meaning designates "the Eastern Orthodox Church, entire body of Orthodox (Chalced ...
Archbishop of Thyateira and Great Britain under the
Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople
The Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople ( el, Οἰκουμενικὸν Πατριαρχεῖον Κωνσταντινουπόλεως, translit=Oikoumenikón Patriarkhíon Konstantinoupóleos, ; la, Patriarchatus Oecumenicus Constanti ...
. He was elected Archbishop by the Sacred and
Holy Synod
In several of the autocephalous Eastern Orthodox churches and Eastern Catholic Churches, the patriarch or head bishop is elected by a group of bishops called the Holy Synod. For instance, the Holy Synod is a ruling body of the Georgian Orthodox C ...
of the Ecumenical Patriarchate on 16 April 1988. He resigned on 12 June 2019 for health reasons and has been succeeded by
Nikitas Loulias
Archbishop Nikitas (Lulias) of Thyateira and Great Britain is the Greek Orthodox Archbishop of Great Britain under the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, elected by the Sacred and Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate on 12 June 2019.
...
. He died on 20 November 2019. His funeral took place on 5 December 2019 at
St Mary's Greek Orthodox Church, Wood Green
St Mary's Greek Orthodox Church is a Greek Orthodox church in Trinity Road, Wood Green
Wood Green is a suburban district in the borough of Haringey in London, England. Its postal district is N22, with parts in N8 or N15. The London Plan id ...
.
Early life
Gregorios was born in the Cypriot village of
Marathovounos
Marathovounos ( gr, Μαραθόβουνος, Turkish: Ulukışla) is a village in the Famagusta District of central Cyprus. It is under the ''de facto'' control of Northern Cyprus.
It is named after the fennel (Marathos) an aromatic and flav ...
in the
Famagusta District
Famagusta District ( gr, Επαρχία Αμμοχώστου, Eparchia Ammochostu; tr, Mağusa kazası) is one of the six districts of Cyprus. Its main town is the island's most important port, Famagusta.
History
Most of the district has b ...
on 28 October 1928. He was the ninth and last child of the builder Theocharis and his wife Maria Hadjitofi. At the age of three his father died and so he was brought up by his mother and eight older siblings. He recalled in an interview with Hellenic TV in the UK that his father wanted to call him Varanava (Barabbas) (
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 ...
; Βαράββα) however, later decided to call him Gregorios after his brother who died in
Asia-Minor
Anatolia, tr, Anadolu Yarımadası), and the Anatolian plateau, also known as Asia Minor, is a large peninsula in Western Asia and the westernmost protrusion of the Asian continent. It constitutes the major part of modern-day Turkey. The reg ...
. On his 13th birthday (October 28, 1941) he heard on the only radio of the village that
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 ...
had joined the war by refusing to allow Axis troops to enter its territory. His mother died in 1961, one year after
Cyprus gained independence from Britain.
In Famagusta & Education
He went to
Varosha, Famagusta
Varosha ( el, Βαρώσια, ; tr, Maraş or ''Kapalı Maraş'') is the southern quarter of the Famagusta, a ''de jure'' territory of Cyprus, currently under the control of Northern Cyprus. Varosha has a population of 226 in the 2011 Nor ...
aged 18 and he worked as a shoemaker in his brother-in-law's shop. At the age of 20 he decided to attend a secondary school; he enrolled in 1949 at the Higher Commercial School of the town of
Lefkoniko
Lefkoniko ( el, Λευκόνοικο; tr, Lefkonuk or ) is a town in the Mesaoria Plain under the ''de facto'' control of Northern Cyprus, claimed by Cyprus. Lefkoniko is the birthplace of Cypriot national poet Vasilis Michaelides and is known ...
which, at that time, had only five classes. He was accepted in the second-year class. In 1951, he transferred to the
Pancyprian Gymnasium
The Pancyprian Gymnasium (Greek: Παγκύπριον Γυμνάσιον) is the oldest still operational high school in Cyprus, founded in 1812.
History
In the same location as the current school there was an older school established in 1753 kn ...
in
Nicosia
Nicosia ( ; el, Λευκωσία, Lefkosía ; tr, Lefkoşa ; hy, Նիկոսիա, romanized: ''Nikosia''; Cypriot Arabic: Nikusiya) is the largest city, capital, and seat of government of Cyprus. It is located near the centre of the Mesaor ...
. He graduated from the
Pancyprian Gymnasium
The Pancyprian Gymnasium (Greek: Παγκύπριον Γυμνάσιον) is the oldest still operational high school in Cyprus, founded in 1812.
History
In the same location as the current school there was an older school established in 1753 kn ...
in 1954 and went to
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 ...
to study at the Theological School.
Clerical Career
![Chypre Monastere Stavrovouni Entree Cloitre - panoramio](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b5/Chypre_Monastere_Stavrovouni_Entree_Cloitre_-_panoramio.jpg)
In 1951, he became a monk at
Stavrovouni Monastery
Stavrovouni Monastery ( el, Ιερά Μονή Σταυροβουνίου) is a Greek Orthodox monastery which stands on the top of a hill called Stavrovouni (Greek: Σταυροβούνι) in Cyprus; it is sometimes simply known as Stavrovouni. T ...
whilst studying at the
Pancyprian Gymnasium
The Pancyprian Gymnasium (Greek: Παγκύπριον Γυμνάσιον) is the oldest still operational high school in Cyprus, founded in 1812.
History
In the same location as the current school there was an older school established in 1753 kn ...
in Nicosia. In 1953, he was
ordained
Ordination is the process by which individuals are consecrated, that is, set apart and elevated from the laity class to the clergy, who are thus then authorized (usually by the denominational hierarchy composed of other clergy) to perform va ...
a
deacon
A deacon is a member of the diaconate, an office in Christian churches that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions. Major Christian churches, such as the Catholic Churc ...
on Sunday of the
Pentecost
Pentecost (also called Whit Sunday, Whitsunday or Whitsun) is a Christianity, Christian holiday which takes place on the 50th day (the seventh Sunday) after Easter Sunday. It commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles in the Ne ...
at the Church of
Ayios Savvas, Nicosia
Ayios Savvas is a neighbourhood, quarter, mahalla or parish of Nicosia
Nicosia ( ; el, Λευκωσία, Lefkosía ; tr, Lefkoşa ; hy, Նիկոսիա, romanized: ''Nikosia''; Cypriot Arabic: Nikusiya) is the largest city, capital, and ...
(St. Savva) by the late
Archbishop Makarios III
Makarios III ( el, Μακάριος Γ΄; born Michael Christodoulou Mouskos) (Greek: Μιχαήλ Χριστοδούλου Μούσκος) (13 August 1913 – 3 August 1977) was a Cypriot politician, archbishop and primate who served as ...
.
In London
He arrived in London in April 1959 and was appointed to 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 ...
of
All Saints Cathedral, Camden Town. He was ordained
presbyter
Presbyter () is an honorific title for Christian clergy. The word derives from the Greek ''presbyteros,'' which means elder or senior, although many in the Christian antiquity would understand ''presbyteros'' to refer to the bishop functioning as ...
by the late
Archbishop of Thyateira, Athenagoras Kavada (Archbishop 1951–1963), on the April 26 of the same year. In 1964 he was appointed Chancellor of the
Archdiocese of Thyateira.
![All_Saints'_Greek_Orthodox_Cathedral,_Pratt_Street_-_geograph](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/06/All_Saints%27_Greek_Orthodox_Cathedral%2C_Pratt_Street_-_geograph.org.uk_-_654325.jpg)
He stated during his life that he never even thought that he would become a
bishop
A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution.
In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ca ...
, he said that one lady at church once said to him that the
Archbishop of Thyateira and Great Britain Athenagoras Kokkinakis (Archbishop 1963–1979), wanted to make him bishop which later became a reality in 1970. On 12 December 1970, he was elected by the Sacred and Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate as the titular Bishop of Tropaeon, Auxiliary Bishop of the
Archdiocese of Thyateira and Great Britain. He was ordained by Archbishop of Thyateira Athenagoras Kokkinakis on
Palm Sunday
Palm Sunday is a Christian moveable feast that falls on the Sunday before Easter. The feast commemorates Christ's triumphal entry into Jerusalem, an event mentioned in each of the four canonical Gospels. Palm Sunday marks the first day of Holy ...
(11 April 1971) at
All Saints Cathedral, Camden Town
Election and Enthronement as Archbishop
On 16 April 1988 he was unanimously elected by the Sacred and
Holy Synod
In several of the autocephalous Eastern Orthodox churches and Eastern Catholic Churches, the patriarch or head bishop is elected by a group of bishops called the Holy Synod. For instance, the Holy Synod is a ruling body of the Georgian Orthodox C ...
of the
Ecumenical Patriarchate
The Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople ( el, Οἰκουμενικὸν Πατριαρχεῖον Κωνσταντινουπόλεως, translit=Oikoumenikón Patriarkhíon Konstantinoupóleos, ; la, Patriarchatus Oecumenicus Constanti ...
as ''
Archbishop of Thyateira and Great Britain'' and his enthronement took place at
Saint Sophia Cathedral
Churches dedicated to Holy Wisdom (''Hagia Sophia'', also rendered ''Saint Sophia'') include:
See also
{{commons category, Holy Wisdom churches
*Sophia of Rome#Churches, for churches named after Saint Sophia of Rome
*Sofia Church (disambigua ...
in London. He served the Greek Orthodox community of Great Britain for 31 years.
References
{{authority control
1928 births
2019 deaths
Greek Eastern Orthodox priests
Members of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople
People from Famagusta District
People from Nicosia
Cypriot religious leaders
20th-century Cypriot people
21st-century Cypriot people
Eastern Orthodox deacons
Cypriot emigrants to England
People from Camden Town
Greek Orthodoxy in the United Kingdom
Burials in England