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[[Patriarch]] Athenagoras was born Aristokles Spyrou in Vasilikón, near Ioánnina, Epirus, Greece, on [[March 25]], 1886. The son of the village doctor, his mother died when he was only 13. He attended the [[Theological School of Halki|Patriarchical Theological School]], graduating in 1910. Upon graduating he was [[ordination|ordained]] to the [[diaconate]] taking the name Athenagoras. He served as [[archdeacon]] of the [[Diocese of Pelagonia]] before becoming the secretary to [[Archbishop]] [[Meletius IV (Metaxakis) of Constantinople|Meletius (Metaxakis)]] of Athens in 1919. He was raised to the episcopacy as the [[Metropolitan of Corfu]] in 1922.
In 1930 , [[Metropolitan Damaskinos]], after returning from a trip to the [[Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America]], recommened to Patriarch [[Photius II of Constantinople|Photios II]] that Athenagoras be appointed Archbishop of America. Damaskinos felt that Athenagoras was best suited to bring harmony to fix the many problems of the archdiocese, and Photios made the appointment on [[August 30]], 1930.
When Archbishop Athenagoras he assumed his new position on [[February 24]], 1931, he Athenagoras was faced with the task of bringing unity and harmony to a diocese that was racked with dissension between Royalists and Venizelists who had virtually divided the country into independent dioceses. To correct this he centralized the eccelesiastical administration in the Archdiocese Archdiocesean offices with all other bishops serving as auxiliaries, appointed to assist the archbishop, without dioceses and administrative rights of their own. He actively worked with his communities to establish harmonyfacilitate these reforms. He expanded the work of the clergy-laity congresses and founded the [[Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology (Brookline, Massachusetts)|Holy Cross School of Theology]]. Through his His capable leadership he withstood allowed him to withstand the early opposition he faced and gained eventually gain the love and devotion of his peopleflock.
On [[November 1]], 1948, Abp. Athenagoras was elected Patriarch of [[Constantinople]]. He , and was honored to be flown to Istanbul to assume his new position in the personal airplane of the American then-president Harry Truman. As patriarch, he was actively involved with the [[World Council of Churches]] and improving relations with the Bishop of Rome[[Pope]]. He His long reign ended with his died in Istanbul on July 7, 1972.
==Legacy==
