View source for Alexios (Panagiotopoulos) of Atlanta

[[Image:AlexiosAtlanta.JPG|thumb|Metropolitan Alexios at the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in New York]]
His Eminence Metropolitan '''Alexios (Panagiotopoulos)''' is a [[bishop]] of the [[Ecumenical Patriarchate]] serving in the United States within the [[Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America]].  He is primate of the [[Metropolis of Atlanta]], which covers the southeastern portion of the United States.

=== Early life ===
Anthimos Panagiotopoulos was born on [[December 25]], 1943, in Patras, Greece.  His parents were Spyridon and Angeliki Panagiotopoulos.  In 1963, Anthimos was [[tonsure]]d as a [[monk]] of Vatopedion Monastery.  He graduated from the Anthonias Ecclesiastical Academy in 1964.  Upon his [[ordination]] to the [[diaconate]] in late 1965, he served as [[archdeacon]] of the Metropolis of Patras, but later moved to Athens to enroll in the School of Theology of the University of Athens (from which he received a degree in 1973).  While enrolled at the university, he served concurrently as deacon to the Athenian churches of St. Panteleimon and St. Spyridon.

Deacon Anthimos returned to Patras upon his ordination to the [[priest]]hood on [[August 27]], 1972.  He became a member of the Gerokomion [[Monastery]] of the Virgin Mary, while serving the church of St. Sophia in Patras.  Shortly after receiving his degree from the University of Athens, he applied to the Doctor of Ministry program at Boston University's School of Theology.  He was accepted and moved to Boston, where he served as [[proistamenos]] of the church of the [[Dormition]] of the Theotokos in Burlington, Vermont.  Fr. Anthimos received his doctoral degree in 1977 and returned to Patras, where he was appointed [[Hegumen]] of the Gerokomion Monastery.  He was shortly summoned back to America, however, to become [[Dean]] of the Cathedral of Ss. Constantine and Helen in Brooklyn, New York.  The following year, he was transferred to Astoria to serve as dean of the combined communities of St. Demetrios and Ss. Catherine and George.

On [[April 7]], 1987, the [[Holy Synod]] of the Ecumenical Patriarchate elected Fr. Anthimos as [[titular bishop]] of Troas.  At his consecration on [[May 17]] of that year, he was appointed as [[chorepiscopos]] (village bishop) of Astoria.  (Although this is a former office in Orthodox canon law, in this case the term seems to have been more intended to describe the scope of his responsibilities with respect to the Astoria community.)  In 1989, his duties were expanded to include oversight of parishes throughout Queens, Long Island, southern Connecticut, and upstate New York.  He was also named as director of the [[Hellenic Cultural Center]], an institution of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America based in Astoria.

On [[January 1]], 1997, Bishop Alexios was designated as Archepiscopal Vicar for the Diocese of Atlanta, following the death of Bishop [[Philip (Koutoufas) of Atlanta|Philip]].  In 1999, Bishop Alexios was elected as the new bishop of the Diocese.  At the end of 2002, the Diocese of Atlanta was elevated, along with the other dioceses of the American Archdiocese, to the status of Metropolis, and Bp. Alexios was elevated to the rank of Metropolitan.


{{start box}}
{{succession|
before=?|
title=Bishop of Troas|
years=1987-1999|
after=[[Savas (Zembillas) of Troas|Savas (Zembillas)]]}}
{{succession|
before=[[Philip (Koutoufas) of Atlanta|Philip (Koutoufas)]]|
title=Metropolitan of Atlanta|
years=1999-present|
after=&mdash;}}
{{end box}}

==Sources==
*[http://atlanta.goarch.org/biography.htm Biography of Metropolitan Alexios on the website of the Metropolis of Atlanta]
*"Bishop Alexios Enthroned in Atlanta Diocese," ''The Orthodox Observer'', June 1999, page 2 [http://www.goarch.org/en/news/observer/pdf/1999/99-JUNE.pdf] (PDF)

==External link==
*[http://orthodoxresearchinstitute.org/resources/hierarchs/constantinople/goarch/current.htm#alexios_bishop Listing] at the Orthodox Research Institute

[[Category:Bishops]]
[[Category:20th-21st-century bishops]]
[[Category:Bishops of Troas]]
[[Category:Bishops of Atlanta]]
[[Category:University of Athens Theology School Graduates]]