Angelos (Anastasiou)

Metropolitan Angelos (Anastasiou) of Avlona and Viotia is First Hierarch of The Holy Metropolitan Synod of Genuine Orthodox Christians of the Patristic Calendar (Avlona Synod or GOC-A).

Birth

His Beatitude was born in Athens in September of 1950.

Theological Studies

He studied Theology at the University of Athens, receiving the Supreme Theological School Certificate, as well as the Diploma of the Californian Center of Traditional Studies.

Priesthood

He was consecrated a Deacon in 1975 and then ordained a Priest in 1978 by the late Metropolitan of North Ionia, Timotheos.

As a young man he spent time on Mt. Athos and was a disciple of Papa Ephraim of Katounakia.

In 1986, for matters of belief and principle, he joined the Orthodox Church of Greece - Holy Synod in Resistance, and was later elevated to Archimandrite in May of 1987.

Episcopacy

In 1996, then Archimandrite Angelos was consecrated by Metropolitan Cyprian of Oropos and Fili (SiR), Bishop Agafangel (Pashkovsky) of Odessa and Crimea (ROCOR), and Metropolitan Vlasios of the Romanian Old Calendar Church, as well as many other bishops from these synods. He was enthroned as Bishop of Thessaloniki, and remained as such for two years. He later asked for canonical release to join with the Lamian Synod then under Metropolitan Kallinikos (Hatzis), which was granted.

Enthronement

In 2002, he was elected Metropolitan of Avlona and Viotia by the Lamian (now Makarian) Synod in accordance with a 9th Century Tomos. He later asked for canonical release from the Lamian Synod, and with the assistance of the Holy Synod of Milan under Metropolitan Evlogios, he was able to consecrate vicar bishops for the Avlona Metropolia. With the help of Met. Evloghios (Hessler) and Archbishop Luca of Torcello, two new bishops were consecrated, Archbishop Porfyrios (Alexandrou) of Euchaiton, and Bishop Cherubim (Doukatas) of Pentapoleos.