Archbishop Andrei ( Greek Αρχιεπίσκοπος Ἀνδρέας , in the world Dimitrios Anestis Greek Δημήτριος Ανέστης ; September 24, 1915 , Matthias - September 21 (October 4) , Athens Greece , Athens Greece; ); Archbishop of Athens and all of Hellas, Chairman of the "Matthew" Synod of the CPI of Greece (1967-2005).
| Archbishop Andrew | ||
|---|---|---|
| Αρχιεπίσκοπος Ἀνδρέας | ||
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| 1967 - October 4, 2005 | ||
| Church | CPI of Greece "Matthew" | |
| Predecessor | Agafangel (Eleutheriou) | |
| Successor | Nikolay (Mesiakaris) | |
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| September 13, 1948 - 1967 | ||
| Successor | Eustathius (Turlis) | |
| Birth name | Dimitri Anestis | |
| Original name at birth | Δημήτριος Ανέστης | |
| Birth | September 24, 1915 Colac , Fthiotida | |
| Death | September 21 ( October 4 ) 2005 (90 years) Athens , Greece | |
| Buried | Panagia Pevkovunoyatrissa | |
| Holy Order | July 5, 1941 | |
| Monasticism | July 11, 1940 | |
| Episcopal consecration | September 13, 1948 | |
Biography
Born on September 24, 1915 in the city of Kolaka Atalantis in the family of pious parents George and Asimina Anestis. He received primary education and was engaged in agriculture with his parents.
After serving in the army, in 1938 he entered into the brotherhood of the Transfiguration Monastery in Kuvara , where he was under the spiritual direction of Bishop Matthew Matthew (Karpafakis) of Vresfen . On January 1, 1940, he was tonsured to Riasophore with the name of Basil and was ordained to the rank of hierodeacon on the same day. On July 11, 1940, he was tonsured a great schema .
At the beginning of World War II , on October 15 (28), 1940, together with 60 other inhabitants of the monastery, he was drafted into the ranks of the army.
“Because he was a deacon, he refused to take the gun, and they put me under arrest for about one month, before the trial before the military court in Ioannina, for refusing to carry weapons. The military judge, Colonel, who was extremely angry with me, considered me a chiliast (Jehovah's Witness). On my defense, I myself explained that I did not want to take guns, because I was a clergyman, but that I would voluntarily go to the front line, with my only Cross. "My explanation satisfied the court and I was found not guilty."
On July 5, 1941, in the chapel of the Holy Trinity, in the Theotokos Monastery in Keratei, Bishop Matthew was ordained a hieromonk with the name of Athanasius . May 1, 1942 he was appointed confessor of the monastery. As a priest, he served parishes in the cities of Thebes, Agia Anargiros, Larisa, mainly Peloponnese, Argos, Parthenio, Tripoli and Sparta.
On September 13, 1948, in the Church of St. Elijah the Prophet, in the Transfiguration Monastery, Metropolitan Matthew and Bishop of Trimifun, Spiridon was ordained bishop of Patras with the name of Andrew .
From November 1, 1950 to September 18, 1951 he was imprisoned in the Hajikost prison. After his release, he returned to the monastery in Keratea, continuing to fulfill the spiritual duties of male and female monasteries [1] .
In 1967, the Holy Synod of the True Orthodox Church of Greece was elected Archbishop of Athens. A week before his death, he signed documents on the transfer of all the property of two monasteries recorded in his name to Metropolitan Andrey of Thebes (Syros).
He died at 4 a.m. on September 21 (October 4), 2005, in a hospital and was buried at the hierarchal cemetery in the Holy Vvedensky Convent of Panagia Pefkovunoyatrissa .