Biographical Profile of His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios
Primate of the Greek Orthodox Church in America
Exarch of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans

A Biographical Profile of His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios Primate of the Greek Orthodox Church of America · Exarch of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans · Chairman of the Holy Synod of Bishops · Consecrated Bishop of Vresthena in 1967 · Enthroned Archbishop of America September 18, 1999 · Nameday: October 26 On September 18, 1999, a new chapter will dawn in the life of the Greek Orthodox Church in America with the enthronement of His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios at the Archdiocesan Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in New York City. His Eminence is the sixth Archbishop to be enthroned since the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America was established by the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople in 1922. The Holy and Sacred Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate elected Metropolitan Demetrios Trakatellis of Greece, and former Metropolitan of Vresthena, Archbishop of America on August 19, 1999. Upon his election to the position of Archbishop of America, His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios, the spiritual leader of some 1.5 million Greek Orthodox Christians in America, stated: " This exceptional people of God that I have known for so many years and profoundly respect and unreservedly love, I am called upon to serve with the grace of God with all my strength and with all my love leaning always on the powerful support of our lord Jesus Christ and our special and beloved people. May God be with us always." Archbishop Demetrios, 71, was born in Thessaloniki, Greece, in 1928. From 1946 to 1950, he attended the University of Athens School of Theology, graduating with honors. In 1965, he came to the United States enrolling at Harvard University where he completed a Ph.D. in Philosophy (with distinction) in 1972. Archbishop Demetrios is also the recipient of a Th.D. (also with the highest distinction)  in Theology from the University of Athens, 1977. For more than a decade from 1983 to 1993, he served as the Distinguished Professor of Biblical Studies and Christian Origins at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology in Brookline, MA. He also taught at Harvard Divinity School as a Visiting Professor of New Testament. He is the author of three major books: Authority and Passion (1987), The Transcendent God of Eugonostos (1991), and Christ, the Pre-existing God (1992). The newly elected Archbishop was ordained a deacon in 1960 and to the priesthood in 1964. He was elected titular bishop of Vresthena in 1967 and an auxiliary bishop to the Archbishop of Athens. In 1968, he was elected Metropolitan of Attika and Megaridos, but refused the post because of the military junta ruling Greece at that time. Archbishop Demetrios speaks English, French, German and Greek fluently, but he also has commanding knowledge of Hebrew, Latin, Aramaic and Coptic which he learned in connection with his pursuit of the New Testament research. Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America 8-10 E. 79th Street, New York, NY. 10021 Phone: (212) 570-3500 Fax: (212) 861-2183 E-mail Address: archdiocese@goarch.org ARCHDIOCESE OF AMERICA | ECUMENICAL PATRIARCHATE | ORTHODOX MINISTRY ACCESS | ORTHODOX WORLD NEWS