Akakios (Papas) of Talantion

Archbishop Akakios (Papas) of the T.O.C. of Athens and All Greece The blessed Archbishop and primate of the T.O.C., Akakios (Papas)—in the world, Athanasios—was born in Desfina Parnassis in 1888. He left the secular life in 1904 and went to Mount Athos where he become a monk at the skete of Iviron. In 1914, he was ordained to the diaconate by Bishop Timotheos of Gaggron; in 1914 also he was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Paisios of Nissis; and in 1920 he became Protos (an archpriest). After the change of the calendar, he was invited by the community of the T.O.C. to serve the faithful. In 1936, he was elevated to archimandrite by Bishop Christophoros of Megara. He was exiled two times for his persistence in the patristic calendar, in 1932 and in 1951. In 1939, he founded the Holy Monastery of Saint Nikolaos, Peanias, Attica. After the death of Metropolitan Chrysostomos (Kavouridis), formerly of Florina, he took over the presidency of the Directorial Committee of the G.O.C. In December 1960, he was consecrated Bishop of Talantion in the United States by bishops of the Russian Church Abroad; and in June 1962, together with the Russian Archbishop Leonty Filippovich of Chile, he consecrated bishops, thus creating the Holy Synod of the T.O.C. of Greece. His main interest was in writing books and serving the Divine Liturgies. He died in December, 1963.