Efstathios (Spiliotis) of Monemvasia

His Eminence Efstathios (Spiliotis) of Monemvasia and Sparta is the Metropolitan of the Metropolis of Monemvasia and Sparta under the jurisdiction of the Church of Greece. The metropolis is located in the southern part of the Peloponnese. He has served as Metropolitan of Monemvasia and Sparta since 1980.

Life

Constantine Spiliotis was born in 1940 in the southwestern portion of the Peloponnese of Greece in the village of Valyra in Messinia, the third of a large family of five brothers in the family of Athanasios and Panagiota Spiliotis. After attended elementary school in Valyra, he completed high school in the town of Meligala. After graduating from high school, Constantine entered the Theological School of the University of Athens, graduating in 1963.

On August 12, 1964, Constantine was tonsured a monk at the Monastery of the Virgin Mary at Voulkano in Messinia with the name Efstathios. On August 13, he was ordained a deacon by Metropolitan Efstathiou of Gortyna and Megalopolis, who at the time was Vicar of the Metropolis of Messenia, and whose name he took.

As a deacon, he served as preacher in the Metropolis of Messenia and as an instructor at the Higher Ecclesiastical School of Kalamata. In 1966, Dcn. Efstathios was transferred to the Metropolis of Gortyna and Megalopolis, as a preacher, at the request of Metr. Efstathiou. On June 12, 1966, Dcn. Efstathios was ordained a priest at the Cathedral of Megalopolis and, on the same day, raised to the dignity of archimandrite. During the next eleven years Father Efstathios served the Metropolis of Gortyna and Megalopolis as a preacher and as a teacher at the vocational school of Megalopolis.

In 1977, Metr. Chrysostomos (Themelis) of Messinia invited Father Efstathios to his metropolis as preacher and chancellor and appointed him abbot of the Monastery of the Virgin Mary at Voulkano.

On August 28, 1980, Fr. Efstathios was elected to the episcopate by the Holy Synod of the Church of Greece. On August 31, he was consecrated Metropolitan of the Metropolis of Monemvasia and Sparta and enthroned at his see on September 28, 1980. Metr. Efstathios is assisted by Bishop Theoktistos (Kloukinas) of Androusa.

During his tenure in office Metr. Efstathios was very active in his ministry which included ecclesiastical, social, and charitable initiatives. Among the projects that he encouraged were the establishment of some 140 chapels and parish churches in the metropolis, the restoration and expansion of the Monasteries of Golas, the Annunciation, St. Anargyron Parnonos, and the Forty Saints Monastery. He established an Ecclesiastical library at the metropolitan center as well as other parish libraries. Additionally, he encouraged the establishment of hospices for the elderly and disabled as well as nursing and youth facilities.

In 2006, he received an Honorary Doctorate degree from the School of Human Movement and Quality of Life of the University of Peloponnese.

Succession box: Efstathios (Spiliotis) of Monemvasia
Preceded by: ?	Metropolitan of Monemvasia 1980-Present	Succeeded by: —

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Sources

• Holy Metropolis of Monemvasia and Sparta
• Metropolis website: metropolitan In Greek
• Metropolis of Monemvasia and Sparta In Greek