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However, in 1919, Fr Amphilochios was [[ordination|ordained]] to the [[diaconate]] and, soon after, to the [[priest]]hood. He was assigned to the monastery's dependency on the island of Kos, also serving as confessor throughout the Dodecanese. In 1926, he was sent to the [[Cave of the Apocalypse]], Patmos. He spent much time with students of the Ecclesiastical Academy, which produced numerous elders and abbots.
In 1935, the occupying powers of the Dodecanese were the Italians, who influenced the Church by forcing a system of governance that made it easy to manipulate the Church. However, the Patriarch of Constantinople demanded that this situation be rectified for the new abbot. In response, the brotherhood elected Elder Amphilochios as abbot. Soon after, the seeds of the future female Monastery of the Annunciation began to be planted: the first building housed a training workshop for knitting and weaving, a guise under which to teach children Greek. In response, in 1937, the Italians exiled Elder Amphilochios to mainland Greece, where the Elder received hospitality from the [[Brotherhood of Theologians "Zoe"|Zoe brotherhood]] in Athens, from whence he traveled throughout Greece; after which he traveled to Crete, where he became spiritual father of the island.
His exile ended in 1939, and Elder Amphilochios returned to Patmos, being received with great joy. He did not, however, reassume his abbacy, but rather, focused on dependencies and the female Monastery of the Annunciation. The changeover of power in 1942, from the Italians to the Germans, did not greatly impact on the Elder's life. In 1947, Elder Amphilochios organised a small group of [[nun]]s to assist the orphans of Rhodes (at that time, extremely poor) by establishing an orphanage, along with a unit for pregnant women.
==Bibliography==
*Middleton, Herman A., 2004,"Elder Amphilochios of Patmos: Life", in ''Precious Vessels of the Holy Spirit: The Lives & Counsels of Contemporary Elders of Greece'', 2nd edn., [[osource:Protecting Veil Press|Protecting Veil Press]], Thessalonica, Greece. [http://www.protectingveil.com/available]
[[Category:Athonite Fathers]]
[[Category:Monastics]]
[[Category:Elders]]
