Stylianos Harkianakis - Overview

Overview

Archbishop Stylianos was born in Rethymno, in the island of Crete, Greece on the 29th of December, 1935. He studied theology at the Theological School of Halki, on the island of Halki and graduated in 1958. He and was ordained deacon in 1957 and priest in 1958. He completed postgraduate studies in systematic theology and philosophy of religion in Bonn, West Germany, during 1958 to 1966. His lecturers included Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, who later became Pope Benedict XVI. Father Stylianos wrote his thesis on the concept that the Orthodox Church possessed infallibility when it acted together in conciliarity (e.g. the Ecumenical Councils). At that time, the idea of infallibility was thought to be an exclusively Roman Catholic idea, entirely alien to the Orthodox Church.

In 1965, whilst still completing his postgraduate studies, Father Stylianos was declared Professor of Theology at the University of Athens. In 1966, he was appointed Abbot of the Holy Patriarchal Monastery of Vlatodon, in Thessaloniki. He was a founding member, then became vice-president, and later president, of the Patriarchal Institute of Patristic Studies within the monastery. From 1969 to 1975, Abbot Stylianos lectured in Systematic Theology at the University of Thessaloniki.

In 1970, Abbot Stylianos was elected the Titular Metropolitan of Militoupolis (whilst remaining in the Holy Monastery of Vlatadon) as Exarch in matters concerning Northern Greece and Mt. Athos.