ARCHONDONIS, BARTHOLOMEW

ARCHONDONIS, BARTHOLOMEW, Archbishop of Constantinople, New Rome and Ecumenical Patriarch (12 March 1940– ). Born on the Turkish island of Imvros, he graduated from the Halki Theological Academy in 1961, and served two years in the Turkish army. He was ordained to the diaconate and, in 1963, commenced doctoral studies at the Pontifical Oriental Institute, Rome, where he received a doctorate for a dissertation on the codification of the canons. His dissertation was published in Greek at Thessalonica (q.v.) in 1970 as part of the series Analecta Vlatadon. He also studied at the Ecumenical Institute, Bossey, Switzerland, and the University of Munich. In 1968 he was appointed vice-rector of the Halki Theological Academy and was ordained priest in 1969 and, soon after, archimandrite. When the Turkish authorities closed the Halki Academy in 1971, he became personal secretary to his predecessor, Patriarch Dimitrios. Consecrated Metropolitan of Philadelphia in late 1973 and made a member of the Holy Synod in 1974, he continued as personal secretary to the patriarch until January 1990, when he became Metropolitan of Chalcedon and Dean of the Holy Synod. He was unanimously elected patriarch on 22 October 1991, and was enthroned on 2 November. His tenure as patriarch has been characterized thus far by interorthodox cooperation and diplomatic trips to other Orthodox countries seldom previously visited.