Patriarch Athenagoras (Spyrou)
-of-North-and-South-America-(1886-1972).jpg)
Patriarch Athenagoras (Spyrou) (1886-1972)
Early life of Aristoklēs Dimitrios Spyrou
On 25 March, 1886, Aristoklēs Dimitriou Spyrou was born to Dimitrios Spyrou and his wife in Tsaraplana (later Vasilikón), near Ioánnina, Epirus, Greece. Dimitrios Spyrou was a physician. They raised their son in the Orthodox Christian Faith within the Greek Orthodox Church. His wife reposed (because of typhus) when his son Aristoklēs was only 13 years of age.
Aristoclēs received his primary and secondary education in the region where he was raised : in Kontisa and in Ioannina.
Higher education
In 1903, Aristoklēs entered the gymnasium section of the Patriarchal Theological School of Halki. This school is situated on Halki Island (also called Heybeliada), one of the Princes' Islands in the Sea of Marmora, near Constantinople/Istanbul, Turkey.
He graduated from the gymnasium section in 1907.
In 1908, Aristoklēs entered the main part of the the Holy Trinity Patriarchal Theological School of Halki. There, he studied theology and other subjects, including the Church Slavonic and Russian languages.
In 1910, Aristoklēs graduated from the seminary after having defended his thesis : “On the Election of the Patriarchs of Constantinople from the Era of Constantine the Great to the Fall of Constantinople”.
Halki Holy Trinity Monastery and Theological School
Bereavement, 1908
In 1908, Dimitrios Spyrou, the father of Aristoklēs, fell asleep in the Lord.
It was following this that Aristoklēs decided to embrace the monastic path in his life.
Monastic tonsure, 1910
In March, 1910, upon his graduation, Aristoklēs Spyrou was tonsured to be a monk, and he was given the name Athenagoras (in honour of Saint Athenagoras of Athens).
Diaconal ordination, 1910
Monk Athenagoras (Spyrou) was ordained to the Holy Diaconate soon after the monastic tonsure, also in 1910.
Diaconal service
In July, 1910, Hierodeacon Athenagoras (Spyrou) was assigned first to serve as deacon to Metropolitan Stefan of the Diocese of Pelagonia (North Macedonia). He lived and served in the city of Monastir (modern Bitola, North Macedonia).
Soon therafter, Hierodeacon Athenagoras (Spyrou) was elevated to the dignity of archdeacon.
In 1912, Metropolitan Chrysostom (Kavouridis) was assigned to the diocese. Archdeacon Athenagoras was assigned to serve as head of the diocesan secretariat.
After the transfer of the diocese to the jurisdiction of the Serbian Orthodox Church (Autumn, 1918, following the fall of the Ottoman Empire), Archdeacon Athenagoras accompanied the retired Metropolitan Chrysostom as he went to live on Mount Athos, at the Monastery of Kellion (Mylopotamos).
Hierodeacon Athenagoras 1918
In March, 1919, Archdeacon Athenagoras was assigned to serve as the First Secretary to the Holy Synod of the Church of Greece, which was at that time led by Archbishop Meletios (Metaxakis) of Athens (the future Ecumenical Patriarch).
In 1919, the Greco-Turkish War began, and it lasted for 3 years.
In the beginning of the 1920s, Archdeacon Athenagoras participated in the process of creating the ecumenical "Faith and Order Commission". The First World Conference on Faith and Order met in Lausanne, Switzerland, 3-12 August, 1927.
In 1922, after the conclusion of the Greco-Turkish war, came the Revolution of September, 1922, led by General Nikolaos Plastiras and others. King Constantine was deposed in favour of his son George. Eleftherios Venizlos (who served briefly at that time as the Prime Minister) signed the 1923 Treaty of Lausanne. This was followed by the Great Population Exchange of 1923 and the forced move of about 2,000,000 people from Turkey to Greece and from Greece to Turkey.
During this time, Archdeacon Athenagoras (Spyrou) had become the secretary of the "Panhellenic Union" (a movement of clergymen adjacent to the Venizelist line, together with Colonel Plastiras).
Following this, Archdeacon Athenagoras (Spyrou) was chosen to become a bishop.
Presbyteral ordination, 1922
In late 1922, Archdeacon Athenagoras (Spyrou) was quickly ordained to the Holy Priesthood.
Episcopal ordination, 1922
In December, 1922, Archimandrite Athenagoras (Spyrou) was ordained to the Holy Episcopate in Athens, Greece. He was ordained by bishops of the Church of Greece.
Episcopal service
Bishop Athenagoras (Spyrou) was elected and assigned immediately to be the Metropolitan of Corfu (Kerkyra) and Paxia.
Metropolitan Athenagoras of Kerkyra
In 1923, upon having become Metropolitan of Corfu, Metropolitan Athenagoras (Spyrou) established himself as a champion of the interests of the common people. In the metropolitan residence, a medical centre and an employment office for the Greek refugees from Asia Minor and the East were opened.
He arrived there at a time when border negotiations were in progress regarding placement of the border between Albania and Greece. The Italian general who was leading the negotiations was murdered, and many civilians were killed. This produced a crisis known as "The Corfu Incident". It included a period of bombardment and occupation of Corfu. Metropolitan Athenagoras arrived in Italy on a fishing boat, in order to convey a protest to Admiral Ernesto Solari.
In 1926, Metropolitan Athenagoras took an active part in the world assembly of the YMCA Christian Youth Association in Helsinki, Finland.
In July, 1930, he was present as an observer at the 7th Lambeth Conference in England.
In 1930, Metropolitan Damaskinos (Papandreou), after returning from a trip to the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, recommended to Patriarch Photios II (Maniatis) of Constantinople that Metropolitan Athenagoras be assigned to serve as the Archbishop of North and South America. Metropolitan Damaskinos considered that Metropolitan Athenagoras was best suited to address the situation there, and perhaps to repair the many difficulties then being experienced in the archdiocese. Patriarch Photios made the assignment soon afterwards.
Assignment to North America, 1930
In late 1930, the Holy Synod of the Constantinopolitan Patriarchate and Patriarch Photios II (Maniatis), with the consent of the Church of Greece, elected Metropolitan Athenagoras (Spyrou) to be Archbishop and Exarch of North and South America.
In 1931, when he assumed his new responsibilities, Archbishop 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. The divisions of opinion came about as a consequence of World War I, the Balkan Wars, the Great Population Exchange of 1923, and the overthrow of the monarchy. In order to correct this, Archbishop Athenagoras centralised the ecclesiastical administration into the archdiocesan offices in New York City. All other bishops then served in the Archdiocese of North and South America as Vicar-Bishops, who were assigned to assist the archbishop, without having dioceses and administrative rights of their own.
During his 18-year period of service, Archbishop Athenagoras worked actively with the various parishes and communities in order to facilitate these reforms, in part by expanding the work of the clergy-laity congresses. He established the women’s Philoptochos Society (the philanthropic arm of the Church), and, in 1944, he established an orphanage, Saint Basil’s Academy. It was he that, in 1937, founded the first Greek Orthodox seminary in America, the Holy Cross School of Theology (first in Pomfret, Connecticut, and moved to Brookline, Massachusetts in 1947). His capable leadership allowed him to withstand the early opposition he faced, and eventually to gain the love and respect of the archdiocesan flock of rational sheep. The number of communities increased from 119 to 350 ; catechism schools were opened ; from 1934, he began to publish the newspaper "Observer" (̓"Ορθόδοξος Παρατηρητής"). As in Corfu, Archbishop Athenagoras introduced polyphonic Church singing at the service (in addition to, and sometimes instead of the traditional Constantinopolitan chant).
During this period of his archpastorate, Archbishop Athenagoras cultivated close relationships with high-ranking personalities such as President Franklin Roosevelt and his wife Eleanor, and more particularly President Harry Truman (to whom he gave a fragment of the True Cross, an act that produced some controversy).
Election to the Constantinopolitan Patriarchate, 1948
On 18 October, 1948, Patriarch Maximus V (Vaportzis) of Constantinople resigned as patriarch (officially because of poor health ; unofficially because the western powers did not approve his ties with the Soviet-oppressed Patriarch Alexei I (Simansky) of Moscow). In particular, after pressure by the USA government on the Turkish government, Archbishop Athenagoras (Spyrou) was elected by the Holy Synod of the Church of Constantinople to become the next patriarch, on 1 November, 1948.
He was the first patriarch to have been elected without being already of Turkish nationality after the application of the Turkish law (Decree no. 1092 of 1923). It was then that he was then recognised as being a Turkish citizen, and he was given a Turkish passport by the Prefect of Constantinople at the airport upon his arrival. This was done on the grounds that he had been born on the territory of the former Ottoman Empire, since his native town (Ioánnina) was liberated in 1912 (that is, after his birth).
With regard to his election, on 1 November, 1948, the "Endemous" (Full) Synod of the Patriarchate of Constantinople (consisting of 17 hierarchs) was convened. The tripartite ballot was drawn up with the names of 3 hierarchs outside the Turkish boundaries : Archbishop Athenagoras (Spyrou) of America, Metropolitan Dionysios (Trikkis) of Metamis (Mythymna), and Metropolitan Emmanuel (Karpathios) of Kos and Kalymnos. All 3 received 11 votes, and there were 6 blank ballots. Archbishop Athenagoras was elected at the second balloting. During this round, he had received support from the bishop with the next highest number of votes, the Metropolitan Bishop of Jerusalem, who had been excluded previously by the Turkish government from the election process (but later his candidacy had been permitted). Indeed, the Turkish press anticipated from the outset the election of Archbishop Athenagoras, and it was even mentioned the number of votes he would receive. This would reflect the aforementioned pressure from the West on the Turkish government.
Before leaving for Constantinople, the Patriarch-elect made a major tour of almost all the Greek Orthodox communities of North America, and he gave various speeches in which he gave signs of the policy he would follow. He invited everyone to a new crusade against Communism.
At the end of November, 1948, speaking at a great intercessory gathering in Boston, which was broadcast by all American media, he noted :
Storms of adversity break out around us and the disastrous spirit of destruction threatens to choke our freedom of conscience, our human ideals, and the foundations of the sanctuaries of the Christian civilisation. [...] Greece, on the one hand, already conducts a hard struggle with Turkey ; but on the other hand, it is in a constant cautious situation of facing the same threat. The Truman Doctrine has proved to be one of the most effective actors in the struggle to defeat the USSR. I call upon all Americans to reinforce the efforts of President Truman. [...] To forgo this sacred debt during the critical hours will be equivalent to desertion, leaving one's place in the feudal battle for defending the ideals of Christianity.
What was yet more revealing about the rôle of the new Patriarch during the time of the Cold War was his farewell meeting in the White House with President Harry Truman of the USA. The following dialogue was recorded by Kostis Bastias, the correspondent in Washington :
President Truman has explained to the Patriarch that his departure from America fills the heart with mixed feelings : joy and sadness. It is joyful because the Eastern Church receives a helper with such a strong hand in a crucial period of the world. It is sad because America's hierarch is moving away from this kind of service to the hypothesis of Christianity and more generally of peace. He said that as long as he must leave, the American president was sure that he would be carrying America in his heart. He assured the patriarch that he would watch with great interest the things being done for the steadfastness of Christianity and peace. The Ecumenical Patriarch, in tears, then addressed the President : 'You have correctly learned, Your Excellency, that I am going away from here with America in my soul. Together with overcoming the separation, I came to thank you for what you do to relieve the peoples from the defeats of the war and for the help that you provide to Christians as they heal their plagues. In particular, I would like to thank you for the help you offer to Greece and to Turkey, and I want to emphasise the need for the continuation of this help until full integration'. At this moment, the President of the USA stood up and, with obvious emotion, shook the Patriarch's hand and said : 'You need have no doubt that this help will continue until the end, that is, until we finish the work that we have undertaken. Today, I am particularly pleased that because of the detailed report, which just a few minutes ago I gave to Mr. Greyny, I found that any optimism about the future of Greece was justified and that, within a period of less than a year, we would have permanent and pleasant results, both in the field of rehabilitation and in the field of economic reconstruction'. Then the American President led the Patriarch before the big map of the 2 hemispheres, which has always been in this office since the time of President Roosevelt ; and pointing one at a time to the key points of the world where there is instability and anomaly, he said : 'I believe that all these injuries will heal soon, and that the desire of the peoples for a peaceful life will become a reality, so that no iron curtains are needed. I believe that wisdom and goodwill will prevail and that it will ensure peace'. 'Amen', the Patriarch added, and he drew near to the president.
Patriarch Athenagoras and President Truman
Transfer to Turkey ; Patriarch of Constantinople, 1948
Archbishop Athenagoras (Spyrou) travelled soon thereafter to his new city, Constantinople (Istanbul). On 26 January, 1949, at about midday, President Harry Truman's personal aeroplane flew towards the Istanbul Atatürk Airport as it transferred the newly-elected Ecumenical Patriarch Athenagoras to Istanbul. He was accompanied by President Truman's special lieutenant, Colonel Charles Mara. Passing above Greek air-space, the patriarch-elect exchanged greetings with King Paul. It was reserved for the Governor of Istanbul (Constantinople) to receive the patriarch-elect at the aeroport in Istanbul. There was then a magnificent greeting by a great crowd of Christians who had come to visit, as well as by many Muslims also. As the patriarch-elect descended from the plane, he impressed everyone by speaking in Turkish, and by expressing his appreciation to President İsmet İnönü.
Immediately afterwards, with a huge motorcade, he moved towards the central square of the city, where he deposited at the Mustafa Kemal Atatürk monument a wreath of flowers that had been cut from the gardens of the White House. K M Atatürk was the first President of the Republic of Turkey (1923-1938).
On Sunday, 30 January, 1949, Patriarch Athenagoras (Spyrou) was enthroned by the Holy Synod of Bishops and other bishops in the Patriarchal Cathedral of Saint George in Constantinople, during a Primatial Divine Liturgy.
Saint George Cathedral, Patriarchal Compound, the Phanar, Istanbul
Patriarchal service
When Patriarch Agathenagoras came to the primatial responsibility, it was a very difficult time for the Church of Constantinople. In his speech at the time of the enthronement, he put forward a programme of strengthening ties between the Orthodox Churches and an active attitude to the topical problems of public life, so that "the difficult circumstances experienced today and the present completely disappointing state of all mankind" would not lead "to a cooling of faith itself among the weak and simple, and not diminish the works of the Church".
Under these conditions, the Church of Constantinople faced the problem of overcoming what seemed to be the narrow national character of Greek Orthodoxy. Patriarch Athenagoras concentrated his efforts on international activities : he held a series of meetings with the first hierarchs of the Local Churches ; on his initiative, Pan-Orthodox meetings were held (1961, 1963, 1964, 1968, 1970), which largely contributed to the rapprochement of the Orthodox Churches. At the insistence of the Russian Orthodox Church, the Patriarchate of Constantinople in August, 1961, recognised the canonical dignity of the restored Bulgarian Patriarchate.
In 1959, Patriarch Athenagoras visited the Patriarchates of Alexandria, Antioch and Jerusalem.
In 1967, he visited the Serbian, Romanian, and Bulgarian Orthodox Churches, as well as the Vatican, England, and the World Council of Churches (WCC) in Geneva, Switzerland (where, since 1955, there was a permanent representative of the Patriarchate of Constantinople).
The activities of the Church of Constantinople in the international arena, from the time of the Patriarchate of Meletios IV (Metaxakis), were carried out from the positions of the so-called "exclusive right" of the Church of Constantinople in the extension of its jurisdiction to include the regions of diaspora outside the boundaries of the existing autocephalous Churches. To some extent, these activities were caused by the significant reduction to the territory of the Church of Constantinople after the Greek-Turkish War and the 1923 exchange of populations. The decisions of the patriarchate were justified by the "special position of the Ecumenical Throne". This position (which the Russian Orthodox Church has not considered to be canonically and historically justified) has led to discord in relations more than once between Orthodox Christians. These decisions were regarded as having violated the peace and harmony of the Local Churches. In the message of Patriarch Alexei I (Simansky) of Moscow and All Russia (7 March, 1953) on the preparations for the convening of the Pre-Council Conference, attention was drawn to the problems that darkened relations between the Russian and Constantinopolitan Churches : the situation of the Russian parishes in the Western Europe ; the intervention of the Constantinopolitan Church in the area of jurisdiction of the Russian Orthodox Church in Finland ; the position of the Constantinopolitan Throne on the matter of autocephaly of the Orthodox Churches in Poland and Czechoslovakia ; the canonical settlement of Orthodox Church life in North America ; the position of Russian monasticism on Mount Athos.
1955 Cyprus Crisis ; attack against Greeks in Istanbul
Severe trials befell the Church of Constantinople during the "Cyprus crisis" of 1955. An explosion in the Turkish Consulate in Thessaloniki, which destroyed the house where Kemal Ataturk was born, caused an anti-Greek riot and attack in Istanbul on 6 September, during which 56 Orthodox Temples were burned. Violence was committed against priests (one was killed), 2,500 Greek businesses and homes were looted and destroyed. Extremists held provocative demonstrations at the Patriarch's residence. The authorities did not give permission for the construction of a new building of the Patriarchate to replace the one that burned down in 1941 (permission was received only 50 years after 1941). In 1964, the Patriarchal Printing House was closed ; the publication of Church periodicals, including "Orthodoxy" (̓"Ορθοδοξία") (founded by Patriarch Athenagoras in 1951) was stopped ; the weekly "Apostle Andrew" (̓"Απόστολος ̓Ανδρέας") was stopped ; and in 1971, the Halki Holy Trinity Theological School (which had existed since 1844), was closed.
Patriarch Athenagoras on Mount Athos, 1963
1964 meeting in Jerusalem with Pope Paul VI
Patriarch Athenagoras (Spyrou) was involved actively with the World Council of Churches and with improving relations with the Roman Catholic Church and the Pope of Rome.
On Sunday, 5 January, 1964, at 9:30 p.m. on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem, for the first time since the great schism of 1054, the Ecumenical Patriarch and the Pope of Rome met. The 2 who met were Patriarch Athenagoras (Spyrou) and Pope Paul VI. The first meeting was held at the Roman Catholic delegation's palace. The second meeting was held the following day at the Patriarchate of Jerusalem.
Patriarch Athenagoras and Pope Paul VI
This meeting in Jerusalem led to the mutual lifting of the Bulls of Excommunication that had resulted in the Great Schism of 1054. This was a significant step towards restoring communion between Rome and Constantinople.
It produced the "Catholic-Orthodox Joint Declaration" of 1965, which was publicly read on 7 December, 1965, simultaneously at a public meeting of the Second Vatican Council in Rome and at a special ceremony in Istanbul.
The declaration did not end the schism, but it was said to show a desire for greater reconciliation between the 2 Churches. Nevertheless, not all Orthodox shared this sentiment, including Metropolitan Philaret (Voznesensky) of the ROCOR in New York, who wrote a response to the patriarch that same year.
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Patriarch Athenagoras, 1967
Patriarch Athenagoras paid great attention to the concern about of inter-Christian unity and co-operation. He referred to this in his message (published in 1951) on the occasion of the 1500th anniversary of the Fourth Ecumenical Council. During both official and unofficial meetings, much was achieved with regard to the dialogue with the Oriental Orthodox ("non-Chalcedonian") ; with the Old Catholics, and with the Anglicans.
The development of communication between the Constantinopolitan Church and the West was facilitated by the active contacts of its Primate with the Roman Catholic Church, and especially with the repeal of the anathemas of 1054. This repeal was carried out simultaneously on 7 December, 1965 : by Patriarch Athenagoras in Constantinople, and by Pope Paul VI at the Vatican in Rome.
The top leadership of the Russian Orthodox Church considered this act as an action of the Local Church of Constantinople headed by Patriarch Athenagoras as "having no theological significance for the entire Plenitude of the Holy Orthodox Church" (Messages of Patriarch Alexei I (Simansky) to Patriarch Athenagoras and to Archbishop Chrysostom II (Hadjistavrou) of Athens and Greece ("JMP" nos. 2, 4, 5 (1966)).
Patriarch Athenagoras showed special concern for the spiritual enlightenment of the clergy and the flock about the authority of Orthodoxy.
During his patriarchal service the "Orthodox Centre of the Ecumenical Patriarchate" in Chambésy (Switzerland) was opened in 1966 ; the "Institute for Patristic Studies" in Thessalonica was opened in 1968 ; the "Patriarchal Printing House" (founded by Patriarch Cyril (Loukaris) was restored. There was a re-organisation of the dioceses of the Constantinopolitan Patriarchate in Greece, in Western Europe, and in the Far-East. The semi-autonomous Church of Crete received a new charter (1961). The European bishoprics were elevated to the status of metropolia (1972). The Metropolitanates of France, Austria, and Germany (1964), then Sweden and Belgium (1969) emerged from the Thyatira and British archdiocese. The Australian and New Zealand metropolis became an archdiocese (1959). Then, in 1970, an independent Metropolis of New Zealand was separated from this metropolis.
During the years of the service of Patriarch Athenagoras, Saint Nicodemus of the Holy Mountain, Equal-to-the-Apostles, was glorified (31 May, 1955) ; Saint Cosmas of Aetolia was glorified (20 April 1961) ; Saint Nectarios of Aegina was glorified (20 April 1961).
Repose, 1972
On 7 July 1972, Patriarch Athenagoras (Spyrou) fell asleep in the Lord in Istanbul. Hospitalised following a broken hip, he began to suffer from kidney failure, which caused his repose.
Soon afterwards, the Funeral Services took place at the Patriarchal Cathedral of Saint George at the Phanar in Istanbul.
After the Funeral Services for the Burial of an Hierarch, his body was entombed amongst other former patriarchs at the Saint Mary of the Spring Monastery in Istanbul.
Tomb of Patriarch Athenagoras (Spyrou)
— Metropolitan of Corfu and Paxia 1922-1930. Preceded by : Metropolitan Sebastian (Nikokouras). Succeeded by : Bishop Alexander (Demoglou).
— Archbishop of North and South America (Greek Archdiocese) 1931-1948. Preceded by : Archbishop Alexander (Demoglou). Succeeded by : Archbishop Michael (Konstantinides).
— Exarch of North and South America (Greek Arhdiocese) 1931-1948.
— Patriarch of Constantinople 1948-1972. Preceded by : Patriarch Maximus V (Vaportzis). Succeeded by : Patriarch Demetrios I (Papadopoulos).
Reflections
Patriarch Athenagoras I was the 268th successor to the Holy Apostle Andrew, and Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, from 1948 to 1972.
As is usually the case with patriarchs and other heads of local Churches, there is criticism (often politicised) of their behaviours and decisions by those within the Church who disagree with them about one or another matter, and by those outside the Church who have a different perception of the world and of situations. An assessment of such a person cannot be limited to one or even several matters. Rather, it must consider the whole of the person's life and service. For an Orthodox Christian, a main criterion in discernment (or “litmus test”) is the Dominical saying : “By their fruits you will know them”.
‘Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorn-bushes or figs from thistles ? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them’ (Matthew 7:15-20).
Honours and awards
Honourary Doctorate from the Law Faculty of the University of Vienna (1967)
His work has been marked by various Church awards.
References
Encyclopaedia Britannica biography
Greek Wikipedia biography (in Greek)
“Athenagoras : Ecumenical Patriarch (1948-1972)”
Encyclopædia Britannica biography
Orthodox Encyclopaedia biography
Greek Archdiocese of America biography
Additional information :
Castanos de Medicis, S, “Athenagoras I : Contribution of Orthodoxy to Ecumenism” (Lausanne, 1968).
Chrestou, Panagiotes K, "Partakers of God" (Patriarch Athenagoras Memorial Lectures) (Brookline, MA : Holy Cross Press, 1984). ISBN-13 : 978-0916586676. ISBN-10 : 0916586677.
Clement, Olivier, “Conversations with Patriarch Athenagoras”
Delikostopoulos, A I, “Outside the Walls : the Ecumenical Patriarch Athenagoras I” (Athens, 1988). [Δελικωστόπουλος A. Ι. ̀ρδβλθυοτεΕξω ἀπὸ τὰ τείχη̇ ̓Αθηναγόρας Α´, ὁ Οἰκουμενικὸς Πατριάρχης. ̓Αθῆναι, 1988].
Firsov, Sergey Lvovich, "Time as Judge : Orthodox Churches of Russia and Constantinople in the 20th Century" (Moscow : Department of External Church Relations, 12 December 2018).
Logachev, K, ‘Obituary of His Holiness Athenagoras I, Patriarch of Constantinople’ in “Journal of the Moscow Patriarchate (JMP)”, no. 8 (1972), pp. 54-55.
Ohse, B, “Patriarch Athenagoras of Constantinople : an Ecumenical Visionary” (Göttingen, 1968).
Prokurat, Michael ; Golitzin, Alexander & Petersen, Michael, eds., “The A to Z of the Orthodox Church” (Lanham, MD : Scarecrow Press, 2010), pp. 309-310. ISBN : 978-0-8108-7602-6.
......, ‘Athenagoras I’ in “Theology”, vol. 1, pp. 602-606. [Τσακώνας Δ. G. ̓Αθηναγόρας Α´ // ΘΗΕ. Τ. 1. Σ. 602-606].
« Η Εκκλησία της Ελλάδος 1941-2007 - Ιστορικό Λεύκωμα », Εκδόσεις Μέτρον - Αθήνα 2007. ["The Church of Greece 1941-2007 - Historical Album" (Athens : Publication Metron, 2007).]
Wikipedia article about 1922 in Greece
Wikipedia article about the 1923 Corfu Incident
History of the Church in Corfu
Wikipedia article about the Greek monarchy
British Pathé video of the 1948 enthronement
Patriarch Athenagoras embraces Pope Paul VI, 1960
Patriarchal visit to Mount Athos 1963
Reflections of Father Georges Florovsky on the 1964 meeting in Jerusalem
: The Meeting of Pope Paul VI and Ecumenical Patriarch Athenagoras in Jerusalem - January 5-6, 1964
“Remembering Ecumenical Patriarch Athenagoras I”
"Ecumenical Patriarch Athenagoras I and Orthodoxy" by John Sanidopoulos on the Mystagogy web-site]
1970 protest letter about autocephaly in the USA
Patriarch Athenagoras Orthodox Institute web-site
Archons Patriarch Athenagoras Human Rights Award
"Patriarch of Constantinople Athenagoras in the Vatican" - National Audiovisual Archive (video, in Greek)
Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople web-site
Orthodoxwiki article about the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople
Wikipedia article about the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople
Orthodoxwiki article about the Church of Greece
Orthodoxwiki article about the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
« Ο Οικουμενικός Πατριάρχης στην Αθήνα, Ιστορικό Λεύκωμα 1963 », σελ. 89, Καθημερινή (1997 ['The Ecumenical Patriarch in Athens, Historic Album 1963', in "Kathimerini" (1997), p. 89.]
« Ιστορική συνάντηση Πατριάρχη-Πάπα, Ιστορικό Λεύκωμα 1964 », σελ. 85, Καθημερινή (1997) ['Historical Meeting Patriarch-Pope, Historical Album 1964', in "Kathimerini" (1997), p. 85.]
Findagrave listing for the tomb of Patriarch Athenagoras
Canadian Orthodox Church History Project, no. 18, pp. 75-76.
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