View source for Polykarpos (Stavropoulos) of Italy

'''Metropolitan Polykarpos (Stavropoulos)''' is the [[primate]] of the [[Archdiocese of Italy and Malta|Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Italy]], a [[diocese]] of the [[Ecumenical Patriarchate]] covering Italy and San Marino.

==Life==
Polykarpos (Stavropoulos) was born Panagiotis Stavropoulos in Nafpaktos, Greece on [[October 15]] 1963 where he received his primary and secondary education. In 1986 he graduated with honours at the Theological Faculty of Athens University, then went on to do his military service as a Theologian NCO for two years (1986-1988) and later, thanks to an ecclesiastical grant, did a two-year postgraduate course at the Church History Department of the Pontifical Oriental Institute of the Gregorian University of Rome.

On [[January 15]] 1990 he was [[Ordination|ordained]] a [[Deacon]] in the Patriarchal Church of Saint George in Constantinople by his mentor, the [[Metropolis of Chalcedon|Metropolitan of Chalcedon]] (and now Ecumenical [[Patriarch]]) [[Bartholomew I (Archontonis) of Constantinople|Bartholomew]]. He was ordained a [[Priest]] the following day by the [[Metropolis of Nafpaktos|Metropolitan of Nafpaktos and Agios Vlasios]] (now [[Metropolis of Mantinia and Kynouria|Metropolitan of Mantinia and Kynouria]]) [[Alexander (Papadopoulos) of Mantineia|Alexander]], and then elevated to the rank of [[Archimandrite]] on that same day by the same [[Hierarch]] who ordained him a Deacon.



On [[January 14]], 2021 he was elected Metropolitan of Italy.