His Eminence '''Theophylactos == Biography ==Papathanasopoulos was born on the feast of St Basil on 1 January 1891 and was baptised Vasileios (Basil). He was born and raised at Pyrgos, [[Greece]], son of Demetrios Papathanasopoulos)''' and his wife Kaliopi. He studied theology at the [[Theological School of Halki]] and began his novitiate at the monastery of Stavronikita, [[Mount Athos]], Greece. He made his vows as a monk on 2 December 1917 and took the name Theophylactos and then was ordained priest. After graduating from the Metropolitan theological faculty of [[University of Athens]], he taught at the Greek Orthodox Metropolis Rizareios Ecclesiastical School.<ref>[[:orthodoxwiki:Theophylactos (Papathanasopoulos) of Australia and New Zealand from 1947 to 1958.]]</ref>

Before his consecrationIn February 1928, following the dismissal of Metropolitan [[Christoforos Knitis]], Archimandrite Theophylactos Father Papathanasopoulos was sent to Sydney as administrator until a new bishop arrived. He served as a parish priest for five years in Sydney and for fourteen in Melbourneuntil he was appointed the third [[Metropolitan bishop|Metropolitan]] of Australia and New Zealand on 22 April 1947<ref>[http://orthodoxresearchinstitute.org/hierarchs/constantinople/bios/bio_theophylaktos_metr_australia.html Listing] at the Orthodox Research Institute</ref>. He was elected to consecrated in Greece on 24 August and spent some time at the rank monastery of Metropolitan on Stavronikita, Mount Athos. He proceeded to his new post, reaching [[April 22Perth, Western Australia|Perth]]on 19 April 1948. He was enthroned in Sydney on 13 June, 1947in the presence of a congregation that included Greek, Russian and Syrian clergy.

His reign was tragically cut shortwhen he died on 2 August 1958 in the Alfred Hospital, howeverMelbourne, by from injuries received in a car crash on accident two days earlier<ref>[[August 2]], 1958http://www.greekorthodox.org. To date, he is au/general/aboutus/history History of the only Greek Orthodox [[bishop]Church in Australia] to be buried in Australasia. Originally buried in Botany cemetary, he now rests in the Orthodox section of Rookwood cemetary in an area for clergy, just behind the sanctuary of Saint Athanasius Chapel</ref>.

His funeral service was presided over by Archbishop Athenagoras of Thyateira at the Cathedral of St Sophia, [[Darlinghurst, New South Wales|Darlinghurst]], Sydney. He was buried at [[Botany Cemetery]]. To date, he is the only Greek Orthodox bishop to be buried in Australasia. Now rests in the Orthodox section of [[Rookwood Cemetery]] in an area for clergy, just behind the sanctuary of Saint Athanasius Chapel.<ref> http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A150655b.htm?hilite=theophylactos </ref> In February 1959, [[Ezekiel Tsoukalas]] of Nazianzos was elected the fourth Metropolitan of Australia and New Zealand. ==References=={{AusEpisStubReflist}}