Ecumenical Patriarch Demetrios I (1972-1991) was born in [[Constantinople]] in 1914.
In 1937 he graduated from the Theological School of Halki. At the same year he was ordained as [[Deacon]] and in 1942 as [[Priest]].
From 1937 until 1964 he served at various communities in Turkey and Tehran (1945-1950). He taught Ancient Greek at the University of Tehran for one year.
In 1964 he was elected as [[Bishop]] of Elea and 1972 as [[Metropolitan]] of Imvros and Tenedos. He was elected Ecumenical Patriarch on 16 July 1972.
He called the three first Panorthodox Meetings for the preparation of the Panorthodox Synod at the Orthodox Centre of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Chambesy, Switzerland.
His accepted at the Ecumenical Patriarchate two Archbishops of Canterbury and Pope John Paul II (30 November 1979) with whom he proclaimed the establishment of the official theological dialogue between the Orthodox and the Roman Catholic Church.
In 1987 travelled to Rome where he was warmly received by [[Pope]] [[John Paul II]]. At a solemn ceremony in St. Peter's Basilica, the Patriarchs of East and West together recited, in Greek, the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed of the Church as originally expressed without the filioque.
He died on 2 October 1991.Source: http://www.ecHis All-patr.gr, http://www.archons.org, httpHoliness '''Patriarch Demetrius I''' (Greek://www.cmkon.orgΠατ
