Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate
Encyclopedia
The Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate are honorees of the Patriarch of Constantinople
Patriarch of Constantinople
The Ecumenical Patriarch is the Archbishop of Constantinople – New Rome – ranking as primus inter pares in the Eastern Orthodox communion, which is seen by followers as the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church....

, who have been selected from among the laity
Laity
In religious organizations, the laity comprises all people who are not in the clergy. A person who is a member of a religious order who is not ordained legitimate clergy is considered as a member of the laity, even though they are members of a religious order .In the past in Christian cultures, the...

 due to service to those portions of the Eastern Orthodox Church
Eastern Orthodox Church
The Orthodox Church, officially called the Orthodox Catholic Church and commonly referred to as the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the second largest Christian denomination in the world, with an estimated 300 million adherents mainly in the countries of Belarus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece,...

 under his particular guidance.

The Order of Saint Andrew
Saint Andrew
Saint Andrew , called in the Orthodox tradition Prōtoklētos, or the First-called, is a Christian Apostle and the brother of Saint Peter. The name "Andrew" , like other Greek names, appears to have been common among the Jews from the 3rd or 2nd century BC. No Hebrew or Aramaic name is recorded for him...

, comprising the Archons living in America, was founded in 1966 under Patriarch Athenagoras, when Archbishop Iakovos
Iakovos, Archbishop of America
Archbishop Iakovos , born Demetrios Koukouzis was the Primate of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of North and South America from 1959 until his resignation in 1996...

 conferred the honor upon thirty members of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, headquartered in New York City, is an eparchy of the Church of Constantinople. Its current primate is Archbishop Demetrios of America.-About the Archdiocese:...

. The Order's first Grand Commander was Pierre De Mets. The current Grand Commander is Anthony J. Limberakis, MD who has led the Order to secure religious freedom for the Ecumenical Patriarchate. Upon induction into the "Order of St. Andrew", as the Archons of America are styled as a group, the honoree swears an oath "to defend and promote the Greek Orthodox faith and tradition".

On November 19, 1991, according to a decision of the Holy and Sacred Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the "Brotherhood of the Most Holy Lady Pammakaristos" was created and on February 22, 1992 the first administrative board was appointed. The purposes of the Brotherhood were set as the spiritual unity of the Archons of all the rest territories (except America where the Order of Saint Andrew already existed), their connection to the Ecumenical Throne and their cultural activity and cooperation as well as their activities on publishing, authorship, social contribution, the annual convention in Phanar on the Sunday of the Samaritan Woman, the commemoration of the Holy Patriarchs of Constantinople, the financial support of the works of the Patriarchate etc. The first major activity was the restoration of the existing Orthodox holy churches in Constantinople.

In recent years the Order of Saint Andrew has also concerned itself strongly with the situation of the Ecumenical Patriarchate within Turkey. While it refers to itself as an "Order", it does not claim to be an order of chivalry, as such.

See also

  • Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople
    Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople
    The Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople , part of the wider Orthodox Church, is one of the fourteen autocephalous churches within the communion of Orthodox Christianity...

  • Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople
  • Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople
    Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople
    Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I is the Archbishop of Constantinople, New Rome and Ecumenical Patriarch, and thus "first among equals" in the Eastern Orthodox Communion, since 2 November 1991...

  • History of the Eastern Orthodox Church
    History of the Eastern Orthodox Church
    The Eastern Orthodox Churches trace their roots back to the Apostles and Jesus Christ. Apostolic succession established the seats of Patriarchy...

  • Church of St George, Istanbul
  • List of Ecumenical Patriarchs of Constantinople
  • Mount Athos
    Mount Athos
    Mount Athos is a mountain and peninsula in Macedonia, Greece. A World Heritage Site, it is home to 20 Eastern Orthodox monasteries and forms a self-governed monastic state within the sovereignty of the Hellenic Republic. Spiritually, Mount Athos comes under the direct jurisdiction of the...

  • Eastern Catholic Church
  • Patriarch Athenagoras I of Constantinople
    Patriarch Athenagoras I of Constantinople
    Ecumenical Patriarch Athenagoras I , born Aristocles Spyrou was the 268th Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople from 1948 to 1972.-Life:...

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