View source for Euthymios (Agritellis) of Zela

New Hieromartyr Saint '''Euthymios (Agritellis) of Zela''', known in the world as '''Eustratios Agritellis''', was the last [[Bishop]] of the [[Diocese]] of Zela on the Pontus, which he served from 1911 until his death in May 1921.

His memory is celebrated on [[May 29]], as well as on the Sunday before the [[Elevation of the Holy Cross|Exaltation of the Holy Cross]].

==Biography==
Saint Euthymios was born in [[July 6]], 1872 in Parakoula on Lesvos, where he started his education. At the age of nine, he entered [[w:Saint Ignatios Monastery|Leimonos Monastery]] as a child, and was [[Tonsure|tonsured]] a [[monk]] eight years later, in 1899, with the [[Hegumen]] Archmandrite Anthimos Georgiellis giving him the name Euthymios. 

He completed his general education at the [[monastery]], and was then sent by the brotherhood to the [[Theological School of Halki]], where he studied from 1900 to 1907. His thesis was titled ''"The purpose of monastic life in the East up to the 9th century AD."'' 
After his graduation, he returned to the monastery, having been [[ordination|ordained]] a [[deacon]] in 1906 by Metropolitan Agathangelos of [[Metropolis of Grevena|Grevena]].

He then became a teacher, and was head of the Leimonos School. In 1910 he was ordained [[priest]], and later received the title [[Protosyngellos]] of the Metropolis of Methymnos. 

In 1911 in [[Constantinople]], he was ordained as Bishop of the Diocese of [[w:Zile|Zela]] on the Pontus, which he served from 1911 until his death on May 1921, having the responsibility of about 340 [[parish]]es and 150,000 Greeks.

In 1921, by a decision of the Kemalist government, all the Metropolitans, Bishops, and [[Archimandrite]]s of the Pontus region were obliged to abandon Pontus and leave their seats. The only hierarchs who did not obey this order were Metropolitan Chrysanthos of Trebizond, Bishop Euthymios, and the [[Protosyngellos]] Archimandrite of [[w:Amasya Province|Amasya]] Platon Aivazidis.
 
It was because of his actions in support of the Greek side in the [[w:Greco-Turkish War (1919–1922)|War in Asia Minor]] that he was captured by the Turkish armed forces on [[January 21]], 1921. After suffering terrible tortures he gave up his soul to the Lord on [[May 29]]th, 1921.

===Glorification===
In 1992 Euthymios was numbered among the chorus of the [[Saint]]s by the [[Holy Synod]] of the [[Church of Greece]]. 

In 1998 a [[chapel]] was built in honour of the Saint at [[w:Saint Ignatios Monastery|Leimonos Monastery]], in the Holy Metropolis of Methymna.

Among the manuscripts at Leimonos Monastery, there are fifty items written in his hand, most of which are notebooks from the time of his studies in Halki.


{{start box}}
{{succession|
before=?|
title=Bishop of Zela (Pontus)|
years=1911-1921|
after=&mdash;<br>(extinct)}}
{{end box}}


==Sources==
* ''[http://84.205.233.134/euthimios_en.php St. Efthymios Agritellis].'' Holy Patriarchal and Stavropegial Leimonos Monastery.
* Great Synaxaristes: {{el icon}} ''[http://www.synaxarion.gr/gr/sid/3462/sxsaintinfo.aspx Ὁ Ἅγιος Εὐθύμιος ὁ Ἱερομάρτυρας Ἐπίσκοπος Ζήλων].'' 29 Μαΐου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.

[[Category:20th-century bishops]]
[[Category:Bishops]]
[[Category:Martyrs]]
[[Category:Saints]]
[[Category:Greek Saints]]
[[Category:Modern Saints]]
[[Category:Theological School of Halki Graduates]]