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Christodoulos was born at Xanthi in 1939. In 1962 he graduated from the School of Law and in 1967 from the School of Theology. In 1961 he was [[ordination|ordained]] [[deacon]], and [[priest]] in 1965. He served as a preacher and senior spiritual father at the church of Assumption of the Virgin Mary at Palaio Phalero for nine years, and, for seven years he served as a Secretary of the [[Holy Synod]]. He took part in many religious missions abroad. He is a Doctor of Theology, he has a degree in French and English, and he also speaks Italian and German. He is the author of many scientific and constructive books. He has been writing articles in religious press and in dailies.

:''"Christodoulos [has] often stirred controversy with politically tinged statements. He was instrumental in attempts to improve ties with the [[Roman Catholic|Catholic Church]]; in 2001, Christodoulos received in Athens [[Pope]] [[John Paul II]]—the first pope to visit Greece in nearly 1,300 years—ignoring loud protests from Orthodox zealots. He followed up last year [2006] with a historic visit to the Vatican, where he and Pope [[Benedict XVI]] signed a joint declaration calling for inter-religious dialogue and restating opposition to [[abortion]] and [[euthanasia]]. In Greece, politicians accused the archbishop of meddling in their affairs, angered by his vocal criticism of everything from [[homosexuality]] and globalization to Turkey's efforts to join the European Union and a recent government effort to tone down nationalism in school history books."'' {{ref|1}}

before=[[Seraphim (Tikas) of Athens|Seraphim (Tikas)]]|

title=[[List of Archbishops of Athens|Archbishop of Athens and All Greece]]|

after=—}}

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