View source for Vasilios of Ammochostos

The Most Reverend Metropolitan '''Vasilios (Karajiannis) of Ammochostos''' is the Metropolitan of Constantia and Ammochostos of the [[Church of Cyprus]].  

==Life==
Metr. Vasilios was born on [[March 1]], 1948 in the village of Mandres of the district of Ammochostos on the island of Cyprus. After he finished his basic education in 1960, Vasilios joined the brotherhood of the Monastery of the [[Apostle Barnabas]] and was [[tonsure]]d a [[monk]] with the name Vasilios. He lived at the [[monastery]] until the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974. 

In 1967, he began his theological education at the [[Seminary]] of the Apostle Barnabas from which he graduated in 1970. He continued his studies at the A'Gymnasium for Males in Ammochostos, graduating in 1974. Then, he continued his theological studies at the Theological Faculty of the University of Athens, graduating in 1978. Following his graduation, he began his post-graduate studies at the University of Frisburgh in Switzerland, taking two year courses of studies in sociology at the Department of Law, Economics, and Social Studies and theological studies at the Theological Faculty. At the same time he prepared his doctoral dissertation, in French, on "Ontological distinction of substance and knowledge of God as per St. Maximus the Confessor."

While pursuing his education, Vasilios entered the [[Holy Orders]] when he was [[ordination|ordained]] a [[deacon]] at the Apostle Barnabas Monastery in 1970. Dn. Vasilios served as deacon at the Zoodochos Pigi Academias Church and the Metropolitan Church of Athens while attending the Theological Faculty in Athens from 1974 to 1978. He also served as deacon at the Orthodox Center of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Geneva while he pursued his post-graduate studies in Switzerland. 

In 1981, Dn. Vasilios was ordained a [[priest]] in Cyprus, raised to the dignity of [[archimandrite]], and then returned to Switzerland where he was the rector of the Hellenic Orthodox [[parish]] in Geneva. From 1982 to 1991, Fr. Vasilios was the administrator of the Bishopric of Geneva.

Returning to Cyprus in 1991, Fr. Vasilios was assigned manager of the Office of Inter-church Relations of the Church of Cyprus and appointed rector of Ayia Phaneromeni Church in Nicosia.

On [[February 7]], 1996, Archim. Vasilios was elected Bishop of Trimithounta by the [[Holy Synod]] of the Church of Cyprus. He was [[consecration of a bishop|consecrated]] on [[April 28]], 1996. On [[May 11]], 2007, Bp. Vasilios was elected Bishop of Constantia and Ammochostos and [[enthronement|enthroned]] on [[May 12]] at the temporary residence of the bishopric in Paralimni. 

He has been the representative of the Church of Cyprus in the theological dialogues between Orthodox and Roman-Catholic Churches and between Orthodox and Anglican Churches.

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{{succession|
before=?|
title=Bishop of Trimithounta|
years= 1996-2007|
after=?}}
{{succession|
before=?|
title=Metropolitan of Constantia and Ammochostos|
years=2007-Present|
after=&mdash;}}
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==Source==
*[http://www.churchofcyprus.org.cy/article.php?articleID=55   Constantia - Ammochostos Metropolitan Mr Vasilios]

[[Category: Bishops]]
[[Category: Bishops of Trimithounta|Trimithounta]]
[[Category: Bishops of Constantia and Ammochostos|Constantia]]
[[Category:20th-21st-century bishops]]
[[Category: University of Athens Theology School Graduates]]