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Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Thyateira and Great Britain

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The '''Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Thyateira and Great Britain''' , a [[diocese]] of the [[Ecumenical Patriarchate]], is the body responsible for the Greek Orthodox Church in Great Britain, and is headquartered in London. The Archdiocese is currently headed by His Eminence [[Archbishop]] [[Gregorios (Theocharous) of Thyateira and Great Britain|Gregorios]] of Thyateira and Great Britain.
== History ==
The first recorded organised Greek Orthodox community in England was established in 1670 by a group of 100 Greek refugees from Mani. There were also theologians, students, coffee shop owners, traders and sailors. Their [[priest]] was Daniel Boulgaris, who also seems to have taken the initiative to gain permission from the [[Bishop]] of London to build a permanent church for his growing flock. His efforts were boosted in 1676 by the arrival of the Archbishop of Samos, Joseph Georgerines, who had originally travelled to London to publish his ''Anthologion'', "for the use of the Eastern Greek Church". Soon, the London authorities granted them permission to build a church. Georgerines then travelled around the country with his manservant, Dominikos Cratianas, to raise the necessary funds.
The first recorded organised Greek Orthodox community church was inaugurated in England was established 1677 in 1670, by a group of 100 Soho and dedicated to the [[Panagia]] on what soon became Greek refugees from ManiStreet. There were also theologiansHowever, students, coffee shop owners, traders and sailors. Their priest the situation turned precarious when Dominicos Cratiana was Daniel Boulgaris, who also seems to have taken the initiative to gain permission from court by his master over the Bishop alleged disappearance of London, to build a permanent church for his growing flockfunds. His efforts were boosted in 1676 Cratiana counteracted by the arrival accusing him of the Archbishop of Samos, Joseph Georgerines, who had originally travelled to London to publish his ''Anthologion'', being a "for the use of the Eastern Greek Church[[Pope|Popish]] plotter". Soon, the London authorities granted them permission to build a church. Georgerines then travelled around the country with his manservant, Dominikos Cratianas, to raise the necessary funds.
The church was inaugurated confiscated in 16771684 and handed over to Huguenot refugees from France, in Soho and dedicated much to the [[Panagia]]anger of the Greek Archbishop, on what soon becamewho wrote and circulated a furious pamphlet which criticised this move and detailed how the English authorities had expropriated the community. He wrote that the community "never sold the said Church, Greek Streetnor received any sum for the building thereof". However, The church no longer stands but the situation turned precarious when Dominicos Cratiana dedicatory plaque that was taken to court by his master embedded over the alleged disappearance main entrance is now housed in the [[narthex]] of funds. Cratiana counteracted by accusing him the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of being a "Popish plotter"St Sophia in Bayswater.
The church was confiscated in 1684 and handed over to Huguenot refugees from France — much to the anger of During the Greek Archbishopnext 150 years, who wrote and circulated a furious pamphlet which criticised this move and detailed how the English authorities community had expropriated to worship in the Imperial Russian Embassy. Finally, in 1837, an autonomous communitywas set up in Finsbury Park in London. He wrote that The first new church was built in 1850, on London Street in the communityCity. In 1877, "never sold the said Church, nor received any sum for the building thereof". The church no longer stands but of St Sophia (the dedicatory plaque that [[Holy Wisdom]]) was embedded over the main entrance is now housed constructed in London, in order to cope with the narthex growing influx of Orthodox immigrants to the United Kingdom. By the Greek Orthodox Cathedral outbreak of St Sophiathe First World War, there were large Orthodox communities in BayswaterLondon, Manchester, Cardiff and Liverpool, each focused on its own church.
During the next 150 years, the community had to worship in the Imperial Russian Embassy. Finally, in 1837, an autonomous community was set up in Finsbury Park in London. The first new church was built in 1850, on London Street in the City. In 1877, the Church of St Sophia (the Holy Wisdom) was constructed in London, in order to cope with the growing influx of Orthodox immigrants to the United Kingdom. By the outbreak of the First World War, there were large Orthodox communities in London, Manchester, Cardiff and Liverpool, each focused on its own church. The issue of how these significant communities were to be governed was not resolved until 1922, when the [[Ecumenical Patriarch]] [[Meletios IV (Metaxakis) of Constantinople|Meletios IV]] created the [[Diocese]] of Thyateira—named after the famous See of Thyateira in Asia Minor. Based in London, this diocese had [[jurisdiction ]] over all Western Europe.
The Second World War and its aftermath saw a large expansion amongst the Orthodox Communities of Europe, necessitating the establishment of new dioceses in Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Sweden and Switzerland.
== Current situation ==
Today, there are over 100 Orthodox communities in the United Kingdom. The Archdiocese comes under the authority of the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, who in turn has authority over four [[bishop]]s and hundreds of [[priest]]s and [[deacon]]s. As is traditional within the Orthodox Church, the bishops have a considerable degree of [[autonomy]] within the Archdiocese.
 
== List of archbishops of Thyateira and Great Britain ==
* [[Germanos (Strenopoulos)]] (1922-1951)
* [[Athenagoras I (Kavadas) of Thyateira and Great Britain|Athenagoras (Kavadas)]] (1951-1962)
* [[Athenagoras (Kokkinakis) of Thyateira and Great Britain|Athenagoras (Kokkinakis)]] (1963-1979)
* [[Methodios (Fouyias) of Pisidia|Methodios (Fouyias)]] (1979-1988)
* [[Gregorios (Theocharous) of Thyateira and Great Britain|Gregorios (Theocharous)]] (1988-present)
==See also==
*[[Kallistos (Ware) of Diokleia]]* [[Chrysostomos (Mavroyiannopoulos) of Kyanea]]*[[Theodoritos (Polyzogopoulos) of Nazianzos]]
==External links==
*[http://wwwthyateira.nostosorg.com/church uk Greek Orthodox Church in Archdiocese of Thyateira and Great Britain]
*[http://orthodoxresearchinstitute.org/resources/hierarchs/constantinople/great_britain/current.htm#gregorios_arch_thyateira His Eminence Gregorios, Archbishop of Thyateira and Great Britain] from the Orthodox Research Institute
[[Category:Dioceses|Thyateira and Great Britain]][[Category:Jurisdictions|Thyateira and Great Britain]][[Category:Ecumenical Patriarchate Dioceses|Thyateira and Great Britain]][[Category:Orthodoxy in the United Kingdom|Thyateira and Great Britain]] [[fr:Archevêché orthodoxe grec de Thyatire et de Grande-Bretagne]]
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