Metropolitan Nathanael ( Greek Μητροπολίτης Ναθαναήλ , Alb. Mitropoliti Nathanail , in the world Konstantinos Stergiu , Greek Κωνσταντίνος Στεεγγοο , later changed the family name 195 ори иск иск ior ior православ ори ори православ православ ори ори ори ори ори , православ , vicar of the Diocese of Gjirokastria. Senior Secretary of the Holy Synod of the Albanian Orthodox Church .
| Metropolitan Nathanael | ||
|---|---|---|
| Μητροπολίτης Ναθαναήλ | ||
| ||
| since January 21, 2012 | ||
| Birth name | Konstantinos Stergiu | |
| Original name at birth | Κωνσταντίνος Στεργίου | |
| Birth | ||
Biography
At the age of 17 he entered the monastery of Great Lavra on Mount Athos [1] . In 1978 he graduated from the Athos. In 1979, the Great Lavra monastery adopted monasticism with the name Nathanael [2] in honor of the apostle Bartholomew , also called Nathanael [1] .
He entered the theological faculty of the University of Aristotle in Thessaloniki , which he graduated in 1982 [2] .
In the same year he was ordained to the rank of hierodeacon , and in 1987 - to the rank of hieromonk, Bishop Rhodostol Chrysostom (Anagnostopoulos) [2] .
He lived on Athos until 1991, when, after the fall of the godless regime in Albania, he went there to help revive church life [3] . From 1991 to 2011 he was a shepherd and preacher in the Gjirokastrinska Metropolia, and also a teacher of the Gjirokastra Church School of the Holy Cross. He mastered the Albanian language [2] .
On January 19, 2012, by the decision of the Holy Synod of the Albanian Orthodox Church , he was unanimously elected Vicar of the Girokastrin diocese with the title "Amantian" with the functions of the person responsible for the monastery property of the Albanian Orthodox Church [3] .
On January 21 of that year, in the Annunciation Cathedral of the city of Tirana, his episcopal consecration, Archbishop of Tirana and All Albania Anastasius took place, with all the other bishops of the Albanian Orthodox Church. In accordance with the charter of the Albanian Orthodox Church, he became a full member of the Synod [3] .
On April 7, 2016, by the decision of the Holy Synod, the Albanian Orthodox Church was elevated to the rank of Metropolitan [4] .
Notes
- ↑ 1 2 Albanian Orthodox bishop visits the Conception Convent in Moscow / OrthoChristian.Com
- ↑ 1 2 3 4 The Biographies of the New Metropolitans
- ↑ 1 2 3 Two New Bishops in the Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania. (January 2012)
- ↑ Two new Metropolises are established: The Metropolis of Apollonia and Fieri and the Metropolis of Elbasan, which are complemented by new Metropolitans