Grigorios, Metropolitan of Irenopolis

Grigorios, Metropolitan of Irenopolis

Grigorios Metropolitan of Irenopolis was born in Ephesus in 1761. He studied under Daniil Kerameas at the Patmias School, Athanasios of Paros on Chios and Lambros Photiadis in Bucharest. Afterwards he became a teacher in the house of Alexandros Chantzeris in Constantinople, as well as the Patriarchal Chancellor (Protosyngellos). At Vatopaidi Monastery in 1802, by patriarchal decree he was consecrated titular Metropolitan of Irenopolis and Vatopaidi by the former Patriarch Grigorios V and three other hierarches. He was appointed general overseer of the Monastery’s metochia in the Trans-Danubian provinces. He died in 1846 in Kisnovio. He blessed the Revolt of Alexandros Ypsilantis in Iasi. He was distinguished as a benefactor for his great financial aid for the rebelling Greeks, for the restoration of churches and for the support of scholars, as well as for his donations to the Theological School of Chalkis, the Greek School in Ephesus and the educational institute at Sparti. Grigorios’s books, his massive archive, his own discourses (mostly of liturgical interest), and many of his personal items are preserved in the Monastery of Vatopaidi.

The inscribed bishop’s stole of the Metropolitan of Irenopolis Grigorios.