Difference between revisions of "Seraphim (Tikas) of Athens"

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His Beatitude '''Seraphim (Tikas)''', Archbishop of Athens and All Greece, was the head of the [[Church of Greece]] from 1974-1998. While he was conservative and anti-intellectual, he was extremely popular due to his down-to-earth nature. His tenure was during the transition between Greece's military dictatorship and democratic government.
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Archbishop Seraphim (Tikas) of Athens(b. Aug. 15, 1913, Artesianon, Greece--d. April 10, 1998, Athens, Greece), served as the head of the Orthodox Church in Greece from 1974. Conservative and anti-intellectual, he had a common touch that brought him great popularity. After receiving a degree in theology from the University of Athens in 1941, Seraphim was ordained a priest in 1942 and became active in the Greek resistance to the Nazi occupation. He established soup kitchens and orphanages and later fought with the Greek Democratic National Army resistance group. Seraphim became bishop of Arta in 1949 and of Ioannina in 1958. In the latter post he took up the cause of the ethnic Greek minority in southern Albania, whose religious practices were being suppressed by the government. He also supported guerrillas fighting for the union of Cyprus with Greece in the 1950s. Even though Seraphim was chosen archbishop in a controversial election during the final months of the military dictatorship in Greece, he was able to keep his post when democracy was restored. In the years that followed, he clashed with government leaders in his attempt to resist changes in society brought about by a lessening of the church's influence. Though his efforts were generally futile, he achieved a notable victory in the mid-1980s when he helped prevent the government from expropriating church landholdings. Seraphim's last years were marked by his opposition to Roman Catholic missionary activities in Eastern Europe and to other Orthodox leaders and by his resistance to his bishops' requests for his resignation.
 
  
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==Early Life==
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Archbishop Seraphim was born in Artesianon, Greece, on the [[August 15|15th of August]], 1913.  He was to go on to the University of Athens, graduating with a degree in theology in 1941.
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==Priesthood==
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After his 1942 [[ordination]] to the [[priest]]hood, Fr Seraphim was active in the Greek resistance to Nazi occupation, fighting with the Greek Democratic National Army resistance group.  He also established soup kitchens and orphanages.
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==Episcopacy==
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Fr Seraphim, in 1949, was consecrated a [[bishop]] with the see of Arta; later, in 1958, he was moved to the see of Ioannina.  As Bishop of Ioannina, he was to respond to the governmental suppression of the Greek minority's religious practices in southern Albania, taking up their cause.  Aside from this, he supported guerrilla warfare for the union of Cyprus with Greece in the 1950s.
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==Archepiscopacy==
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Bishop Seraphim, in the final months of the military dictatorship in Greece, 1974, was elected and elevated to Archbishop of Athens and all Greece.  He was able to keep his post when the dictatorship ended and democratic government was restored.
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Archbishop Seraphim would go on to clash with government leaders in resisting societal changes due to a lessening of the church's influence.  While these protests were generally unsuccessful, in the mid-1980s he was victorious in preventing the government from expropriating church landholdings.
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In the last years of his archepiscopacy, Abp Seraphim's service was notable for his opposition to Roman Catholic missionary activities in Eastern Europe and even to other Orthodox leaders, and also by resisting his bishops' requests for resignation.
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Abp Seraphim reposed in Athens, Greece, on the [[April 10|10th of April]], 1998.
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==Source==
 
Encyclopædia Britannica Article
 
Encyclopædia Britannica Article
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{{start box}}
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{{succession|
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before=''unknown''|
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title=Bishop of Arta|
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years=1949-1958|
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after=''unknown''}}
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{{succession|
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before=''unknown''|
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title=Bishop of Ioannina|
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years=1958-1974|
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after=''unknown''}}
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{{succession|
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before=''unknown''|
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title=Archbishop of Athens and All Greece|
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years=1975-present|
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after=[[Christodoulos (Paraskeviadis) of Athens|Christodoulos (Paraskeviadis)]]}}
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{{end box}}

Revision as of 03:34, February 28, 2006

His Beatitude Seraphim (Tikas), Archbishop of Athens and All Greece, was the head of the Church of Greece from 1974-1998. While he was conservative and anti-intellectual, he was extremely popular due to his down-to-earth nature. His tenure was during the transition between Greece's military dictatorship and democratic government.

Early Life

Archbishop Seraphim was born in Artesianon, Greece, on the 15th of August, 1913. He was to go on to the University of Athens, graduating with a degree in theology in 1941.

Priesthood

After his 1942 ordination to the priesthood, Fr Seraphim was active in the Greek resistance to Nazi occupation, fighting with the Greek Democratic National Army resistance group. He also established soup kitchens and orphanages.

Episcopacy

Fr Seraphim, in 1949, was consecrated a bishop with the see of Arta; later, in 1958, he was moved to the see of Ioannina. As Bishop of Ioannina, he was to respond to the governmental suppression of the Greek minority's religious practices in southern Albania, taking up their cause. Aside from this, he supported guerrilla warfare for the union of Cyprus with Greece in the 1950s.

Archepiscopacy

Bishop Seraphim, in the final months of the military dictatorship in Greece, 1974, was elected and elevated to Archbishop of Athens and all Greece. He was able to keep his post when the dictatorship ended and democratic government was restored.

Archbishop Seraphim would go on to clash with government leaders in resisting societal changes due to a lessening of the church's influence. While these protests were generally unsuccessful, in the mid-1980s he was victorious in preventing the government from expropriating church landholdings.

In the last years of his archepiscopacy, Abp Seraphim's service was notable for his opposition to Roman Catholic missionary activities in Eastern Europe and even to other Orthodox leaders, and also by resisting his bishops' requests for resignation.

Abp Seraphim reposed in Athens, Greece, on the 10th of April, 1998.

Source

Encyclopædia Britannica Article

Succession box:
Seraphim (Tikas) of Athens
Preceded by:
unknown 		Bishop of Arta
1949-1958 		Succeeded by:
unknown
Preceded by:
unknown 		Bishop of Ioannina
1958-1974 		Succeeded by:
unknown
Preceded by:
unknown 		Archbishop of Athens and All Greece
1975-present 		Succeeded by:
Christodoulos (Paraskeviadis)
Help with box


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