Bishop Timotheos (Haloftis)

Bishop Timotheos (Haloftis) (1917-1981)

Alcibiades may be spelt Alkiviadis.

Timotheos may be spelt Timothy, Timotheus, Timothée.

Early life of Alcibiades Haloftis

Alcibiades Haloftis was born in 1917 in the City of Megara (Attica), Greece.

Alcibiades was raised an Orthodox Christian within the bosom of the Church of Greece.

He received his elementary and secondary education in Megara, including the "gymnasium".

Higher education

In 1934, Alcibiades enrolled in the Theological School of the University of Athens, Greece, where he received the Degree in Theology in 1939.

He later (1949-1951) pursued graduate studies at the Institut Catholique de Paris in France, with a scholarship from the French government.

Ordinations, 1936

In 1936, Alcibiades was ordained to the Holy Diaconate by Metropolitan Panteleimon (Fostinis) of Karystia, Euboia (who later became Metropolitan of Chios), and he was given the name Timotheos.

Later in 1936, Deacon Timotheos (Haloftis) was ordained to the Holy Priesthood by Metropolitan Panteleimon (Fostinis) of Karystia.

Pastoral service

Priest Timotheos (Haloftis) was immediately elevated to the dignity of archimandrite.

During the next 15 years, Archimandrite Timotheos was appointed to several important posts in Greece.

He served as Abbot of the Monastery of the Transfiguration of the Saviour in Karystia ; as "Preacher of Karystia" ; Chancellor of the Metropolis of Argolis ; military chaplain during the Italian invasion of Greece in 1940, when he was assigned to the front lines ; military chaplain of the Evelpis Academy in Athens ; Director of the High Military Administration of Attica and the Islands ; Presbyter (priest) of the Church of Saint George of Kypseli in Athens ; Director of the Apostolic Mission of the Church of Greece ; Director of Advance Seminars for Priests of the Archdiocese of Athens ; and Professor of Advanced Seminars at the Rizareios Ecclesiastical School (seminary).

Rizareios Ecclesiastical School

He was awarded by the Church of Greece for his service during the time of war.

From 1949 to 1956, Archimandrite Timotheos was attached to the Temple of Saint George in Kifeli, Athens, where he served when he was in the city.

Transfer to North America, 1956

In 1956, Archimandrite Timotheos (Haloftis) travelled to North America : to Canada, where his first appointment was to be the Rector of the Saint Demetrios Church Community in Winnipeg, Manitoba, under the Greek Archdiocese of North and South America. (Later, when a new Temple was constructed, the first Temple was sold to a Romanian Orthodox parish.)

Saint Demetrios Greek Orthodox Temple, Winnipeg

In 1957, Archimandrite Timotheos was transferred to New York City, to the Church of Saint Eleftherios. While serving there, he was elected to be President of the Council of Priests of the First Archdiocesan District, as well as President of the Saint Michael's Institute for the Aged of the Greek Archdiocese in Yonkers, New York.

Temple of Saint Elefterios, New York

In 1960, he was assigned by Archbishop Iakovos of New York to be the chancellor (protosyngellos) of the Greek Archdiocese. At this time, he also joined the Faculty of the Holy Cross Orthodox Theological School in Brookline, Massachusetts.

In June, 1961, Archimandrite Timotheos (with the blessing of Archbishop Iakovos) led the services of blessing the cornerstone of the newly-constructed Saint Nicholas Temple in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

Blessing the Cornerstone of Saint Nicholas Temple, Bethlehem

In April, 1962, Archimandrite Timotheos (Haloftis) was elected to be a bishop by the Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople (Istanbul), which has ecclesiastical jurisdiction over the archdiocese.

Episcopal ordination, 1962

In 1962, Archimandrite Timotheos (Haloftis) was ordained to the Holy Episcopate.

Episcopal service

Bishop Timotheos (Haloftis) was named Titular Bishop of Rodostolon (a former diocese in East Thrace, now in Turkey).

In 1962, Bishop Timotheos (Haloftis) was appointed by Archbishop Iakovos (Coucouzis) to be the Bishop of the Tenth (South American) Diocese (Region) of the Greek Archdiocese with headquarters in Buenos Aires, Argentina. His pastoral responsibility included the whole continent of South America.

On 11 December, 1963, Bishop Timotheos (Haloftis) was assigned to the Ninth (Canadian) Diocese (Region) with offices in Toronto, Ontario, and having jurisdiction over the Greek Orthodox parishes in Canada. It is known that he concelebrated with Metropolitan Ireney (Bekish) during a major anniversary service at Christ the Saviour Sobor in Toronto, Ontario.

It was in 1963 that Annunciation Greek Orthodox Parish in Toronto purchased a building which would later become the diocesan cathedral for the Greek Orthodox Diocese of Canada.

Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, Toronto, Ontario

In 1967, Bishop Timotheos (Haloftis) was transferred from Toronto, and he was assigned to be the Bishop-in-charge of the Second Diocesan Region of the Orthodox Archdiocese of North and South America, with headquarters in Chicago, Illinois, and its dependent region. He was also given the title "Bishop of Ancona" (a titular see, Ancona is a formerly Orthodox city in Italy). This diocesan region covers much of the Great Central Plains area of the USA, and it is one of the significant areas of Greek Orthodoxy in North America.

Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral, Chicago

Eventually, Bishop Timotheos began to suffer from cancer.

Repose, 1977

On Wednesday, 21 December, 1977, Bishop Timotheos (Haloftis) reposed in Christ in Chicago, Illinois, USA.

From 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, 22 December, through Friday, 23 December, 1977, the body of Bishop Timotheos (Haloftis) rested in Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Chicago. Meanwhile, Trisagion services (memorial services) were offered several times for the newly-departed bishop. (These days were within the Fore-feast of the Nativity of Christ.)

On Saturday, 24 December, 1977, at 8:30 a.m., the Memorial Divine Liturgy was served in the cathedral. This was followed by the Funeral Service for the Burial of a Hierarch.

After the completion of the funeral services, the body of Bishop Timotheos (Haloftis) was transported to Greece for interment.

Bishop Timotheos (Haloftis) was survived by his mother, Konstantina Haloftis of Megara, Greece ; his brothers Panagiotis Haloftis and John Haloftis ; his sisters Alexandra Katsareas and Sotiria Gelis, and others.

Funeral arrangements were entrusted to John George Adinamis Funeral Director, Ltd. (c/o Lein-Hursen Funeral Home).

— Bishop of the Tenth District (Buenos Aires and South America) 1962-1963.

— Titular Bishop of Rodostolon 1962-1967.

— Bishop of the Ninth District (Toronto) 1963-1967. Preceded by : Metropolitan Athenagoras (Spyrou). Succeeded by : Bishop Theodosios (Sideris).

— Bishop of the Second District (in charge of the Chicago diocesan region) 1967-1977 (GOA-EP). Preceded by : Bishop Meletios (Tripodakis). Succeeded by : ___.

— Titular Bishop of Ancona 1967-1977.

Reflections

Awards

Bishop Timotheos received several awards and military medals.

For his services and activities during the German occupation in Greece, he was decorated by the Holy Synod of the Church of Greece.

He was awarded the Cross of the Holy Sepulchre by the Patriarch of Jerusalem.

He was awarded the Gold Medal of Byzas (the founder of ancient Byzantium) by the City of Megara in Greece.

Writings

Bishop Timotheos wrote several theological, ecclesiastical and religious works, as well as numerous articles in periodicals and newspapers. For many years, he recorded addresses which were heard regularly over Radio Athens.

References

Orthodoxwiki article on the diocese

Ecumenical Patriarchate biography

Russian Wikipedia biography

Additional information :

Pappaioannou, George, ‘The Historical Development of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of North and South America’ in “A Companion to the Greek Orthodox Church” (New York, NY : Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of North and South America, 1984), pp. 178–206.

Tarasar, Constance J, ed., "Orthodox America 1794-1976 : Development of The Orthodox Church in America" (Syosset, NY : The Orthodox Church in America Department of History and Archives, 1975). ASIN : B000ZLZAUE.

Ware, Metropolitan Kallistos, “The Orthodox Church : An Introduction to Eastern Christianity” (Penguin Books, 2nd edition, 1993). ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0140146563 ; ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0140146561.

The obituary of Bishop Timotheos (Haloftis) was published in the “Chicago Tribune” on 23 December, 1977, p. 37.

Orthodox Church of Greece web-site

Wikipedia article about the Church of Greece

Orthodoxwiki article about the Church of Greece

Brief History of the Church of Greece

Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople

Wikipedia article about the Ecumenical Patriarchate

Orthodoxwiki article about the Ecumenical Patriarchate

Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of North and South America web-site

Orthodoxwiki article about the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America

Wikipedia article about the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America

Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Toronto (Canada) web-site