In November 2014, the Orthodox and Catholic Churches wrote a shared chapter in the long history of Christianity when Pope Francis visited the Phanar and met with Patriarch Bartholomew. During that historic Divine Liturgy, the Nicene Creed was read by businessman Theodore Angelopoulos in his capacity as Archon Grand Logothete, the holder of the highest offikion (ecclesiastical honorific office) awarded by the Ecumenical Patriarchate to a lay member of the Church.

Public figures, business leaders, shipowners, academics, university professors, lawyers, and political representatives participate in the modern Order of the Archons of Orthodoxy as the offikialoi (holders of offikia) of the ancient Patriarchates. The history behind these offices, which are directly linked to service to the Church, is centuries old and closely parallels the history of Byzantium and Orthodoxy itself.

Bestowals

According to the Patriarchate of Alexandria:

“The institution of the Archon Offikialoi traces its roots to the hierarchy of the Byzantine Empire and entered ecclesiastical life around the 9th century, beginning with the Great Church of Christ in Constantinople, where the offikia were organized into groups of five.

There are ecclesiastical offikia both for clergy and laity, but the lay offices gained greater influence and prominence during the period of Ottoman rule.”

In the 20th century, both the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Patriarchate of Alexandria revived the practice of awarding offikia, thereby honoring individuals who contribute to the Church.

In November 1991, by decision of Patriarch Bartholomew, the Brotherhood of the Offikialoi of the Holy Great Church of Christ was established in Athens under the name “Panagia Pammakaristos.” All officials of the Ecumenical Throne automatically become members, except those belonging to the Archdioceses of America and Canada, which maintain their own brotherhoods. Particularly well known is the Order of Saint Andrew, whose members include the Patriarchate’s Archons from the United States.

The president of the Brotherhood of the Offikialoi in Greece and Europe is shipowner Athanasios Martinos, Archon Exarch of the Patriarchate of Constantinople. Both Martinos and criminal lawyer Sakis Kechagioglou hold the office of Archon Grand Logothete of the Patriarchate of Alexandria. Kechagioglou also belongs to the ranks of the Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate as Archon Dikaiophylax, making him one of the few individuals honored with an offikion by two Patriarchates.

From left, Theodore Angelopoulos, Archon Grand Logothete of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, holder of the highest offikion of the Patriarchal Throne of Constantinople.

There are many offikia, but not all rank equally. The highest title is that of Archon Grand Logothete. Before Theodore Angelopoulos, the title was held by his father, Panagiotis Angelopoulos, a Great Benefactor of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.

As theologian and Archon Ostiarios Christos K. Tsouvalis wrote:

“Offikia were also called offices or archontikia. They appeared in Rome in the 3rd century and in New Rome, namely Constantinople, from the 8th century onward. After 1453, the Ecumenical Patriarchate, in order to continue its struggle, made more selective use of the institution of the offikialoi. The offices of clergy and laity became more clearly distinguished. Many old offikia were elevated, while others fell into complete disuse. The office of Logothete was raised to the highest rank. The Grand Logothete, as a minister, exercised the duties of chancellor and served as the link between the Patriarch and the Sultan. The bishops of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, led by the Patriarch, together with the clerical and lay offikialoi of the Church of Constantinople, effectively formed the government of the Romioi.”

After the Fall of Constantinople and until the 18th century, when it lost its status as an official state office and remained only an honorary title, the office of Grand Logothete was bestowed upon a person enjoying the complete trust of the Patriarch.

The Grand Logothete at the court of Constantine Palaiologos was George Sphrantzes, the historian of the Fall of Constantinople. Sphrantzes undertook numerous critical diplomatic missions, was captured during the Fall, later released, and fled to Corfu. In 1468 he became a monk and wrote his famous Chronicle, being the only Byzantine historian who personally witnessed the fall of the imperial capital.

The most important privilege of the Grand Logothete was participation, as one of the very few lay members, in the electoral assembly responsible for choosing a new Patriarch. He could simultaneously hold other offices, such as Dikaiophylax—the guardian and protector of rights, legal documents, and judicial decisions. The first ecclesiastical Dikaiophylax was the monk and synkellos Niketas in the mid-11th century.

Women Also Received Honors

Following the persecution of Christians in Turkey during the 20th century, Patriarch Athenagoras sought supporters among Christians and increased the awarding of offikia, which had previously been granted very sparingly.

Patriarch Athenagoras also began awarding the title Archontissa (Lady Archon), without attaching a specific offikion, to women who had made significant contributions and performed notable works. The Patriarchate of Alexandria also bestows the title of Archontissa.

The honorary titles held by members of the board of the Order of the Archons in Athens are particularly illustrative:

The vice president, shipowner George Prokopiou, is Archon Protomastor.

The secretary general, Professor Konstantinos Delikostantis, is Archon Teacher of the Nation.

Public relations officer Evangelos Chronis is Archon Maistor.

Shipowner Athanasios Laskaridis is Archon Grand Referendarios.

Governor of Crete Stavros Arnaoutakis is Archon Exarch.

Professor of Medicine Sotiris Tsiodras is Archon Protoasekretis.

Shipowner Athanasios Laskaridis, a member of the administration of the Brotherhood of the Offikialoi of the Holy Great Church of Christ “Panagia Pammakaristos,” is Archon Grand Referendarios of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.

It should be noted that the honorary president of the Pammakaristos Offikialoi is businessman Gerasimos Fokas, while Antonios Lyberakis serves as Commander of the Order of Saint Andrew, with Theodoros Bozonelis as Deputy Commander.

In the Order of the Offikialoi of the Patriarchate of Alexandria “Apostle Mark,” Professor Theodoros Panagopoulos serves as president, while businessman Spyridon Kamalakis heads the revived Ancient Order of the Parabalani, with Nikolaos Kourkoumelis as secretary general.

Many prominent public figures have been installed as Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. Among them are shipowner and benefactor Nikolaos Pateras, who rebuilt the Church of Saint Nicholas of the Poorhouse as Archon Eutaxias, businessmen Spyros Latsis, Achilleas Konstantakopoulos, and Anestis Arnopoulos, who is active in France and Africa.

George Taniskidis of Optima Bank is Archon Protekdikos, while George Mylonas of the National Bank is Archon Protoasekretis.

Leonidas Tzonis, president of the Hellenic American Union, is Archon Ostiarios of the Ecumenical Throne and also Archon Skevophylax of Alexandria.

Academics Paschalis Kitromilides and George Babiniotis belong to the ranks of the Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, while Christos Zerefos holds the title of Archon Grand Teacher.

The Governor of Mount Athos, Alkiviadis Stefanis, is also an Archon.

European Commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas was installed by Patriarch Bartholomew as Archon Kyaistor, an offikion awarded for the first time in modern history.

Criminal lawyer Sakis Kechagioglou with Patriarch Theodore of Alexandria after his installation as Grand Logothete of the Patriarchate.

The ranking of the offikia was not originally fixed. For reasons of order, however, the Church eventually organized them into nine groups of five belonging to either the right or left choir. The position of each office could be altered by decision of the Emperor or Patriarch depending on necessity and usefulness and was influenced by the circumstances and special needs of the Church.

In every classification, however, the highest-ranking office was—and remains—that of Grand Logothete, currently held by Theodore Angelopoulos in Constantinople and Athanasios Martinos and Sakis Kechagioglou in Alexandria.

Very few offikia carried the adjective “Grand” (Megas), and the title was reserved only for those who worked most extensively for the Church.

Honorary Decorations

It should be noted that the other two ancient Patriarchates—Jerusalem and Antioch—award honorary decorations rather than offikia.

Also noteworthy is the history of the ancient Order of the Parabalani in Alexandria. It was founded in the 4th century AD during the time of Patriarch Athanasius the Great. Its name derives from the Greek word meaning “to expose oneself to danger.”

Originally, the Parabalani were a group of clergy and laymen who risked their lives caring for the sick and dying during epidemics. They also became known in history as a militant group that carried out the Patriarch’s orders and undertook the protection of Christian churches.

Many Byzantine offices whose titles are now awarded honorarily to the Archons of Orthodoxy have survived to the present day as surnames. Examples include Logothetis, Protopsaltis, Protonotarios, and Skevophylax, all of which originally referred to individuals with specific duties in the Byzantine Church.

The Ostiarios, for example, was the doorkeeper and guardian of order during assemblies.

The Silentiarios served as master of ceremonies.

The Lampadarios ensured that church candles remained lit.

The Chartophylax acted as the Patriarch’s representative and has been described as a kind of “patriarchal cardinal.”

The Myrepsos was responsible for preparing the Holy Chrism. This offikion was traditionally awarded to physicians, and today the myrepsai participate in the Holy Chrism ceremony at the Ecumenical Patriarchate.

Photos: EUROKINISSI