Metropolitan Gennadios of Italy fell asleep in the Lord today in the early hours, after a short battle with the dreaded malady. His health deteriorated rapidly in early October, resulting in his passing today.
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew recently performed a memorial service in memory of the blessed Metropolitan Gennadios of Italy and Melitis.
Πατριαρχικό Τρισάγιο στη μνήμη του μακαριστού Μητροπολίτου Ιταλίας και Μελίτης κυρού Γενναδίου , ο οποίος εκοιμήθη τα ξημερώματα.
Gepostet von Ecumenical Patriarchate am Donnerstag, 15. Oktober 2020
Metropolitan Gennadios, known as Tsampikos Zervos, was born in Kremasti of Rhodes in 1937.
He completed his compulsory education at the Primary School of the town of Kremasti and then continued his studies at the Patmiada Ecclesiastical School, where he attended the Sacred Science and then attended the Holy Theological School of Halki.
He was ordained a Deacon in 1960 by the Metropolitan Spyridon of Rhodes. The Ecumenical Patriarch of Athenagoras was then sent to Naples.
He served the historic Church of Saints Peter and Paul, of the Greek Brotherhood of Naples, as Deacon then Presbyter and finally as Bishop until 1996. For about 10 years he taught Paternal Theology at the University Institute of Saint Nicholas, Bari.
In parallel with his service to the Greek Brotherhood of Naples, he continued his studies in the subjects of Sociology and Psychology at the University of Naples. In 1970 he was awarded a Doctorate in Theology from the Pontifical Theological School of Southern Italy, on the subject of his Doctoral Thesis: “The contribution of the Ecumenical Patriarchate for the unity of Christians”.
In 1970 he was unanimously elected Bishop of the once glorious Diocese of Krateia, as Assistant Bishop of the Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Austria and Exarch of Italy. With his election, after 275 years he is the first Orthodox Bishop in Italy, where he was ordained.
On August 26, 1996, he was unanimously elected Metropolitan of Italy and Melitis by the Holy and Sacred Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. He was enthroned in the historic Church of St. George of the Greeks in Venice on October 27 of the same year. He has founded 65 parishes, 5 new Holy Monasteries and re-established the Holy Monastery of Saint George the Greek. He succeeded as well in carrying out the Agreement between the Italian State and the Orthodox Holy Diocese of Italy of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople.
Also, in 1999, he was awarded a Doctorate from the Theological School of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.
In May 2004, the Italian state handed over to the Italian Orthodox Church the historic Church of St. Theodore of Tyrone, in the historic center of Rome.
Upon completing 50 years of service in Italy, he was honored by the Republic of Italy with the Order of Senior Brigadier and by the Municipality of Rhodes with the Gold Medal of the city of Rhodes. In addition, the Metropolitan was honored with the Golden Cross of Saint Demetrius, patron saint of Thessaloniki.
