Metropolis of Thessaliotis and Fanariofersala
The Metropolis of Thessaliotis and Fanariofersala, also Metropolis of Thessalliotida, Fanari, and Pharsalos, is under the jurisdiction of the Church of Greece. The metropolis is located in Thessaly region of Greece.
History
The earliest evidence of ecclesiastical territories in the present territory of the Metropolis of Thessaliotis and Fanariofersala appeared after the middle of the fourth or early fifth century when a Bishop Perrevio of the diocese of Farsala, that was subordinate to the Metropolis of Larissa, took part in the Council of Ephesus in 431. In the ninth century, a Bishop Stephen of Farsala attended a meeting with Patriarch Photius in 879.
Through the following centuries the diocese went through several phases with various titles, including Farsala, under the jurisdiction of the Metropolis of Larissa or the Ecumenical Patriarchate. [1]
An episcopate emerged in the area of the present metropolis during the period of 1530-1540 with the title of Fanari and Neochorio. In 1600-1601, the see was made an archdiocese with Seraphim of Bezoula its first archbishop. Archbishop Seraphim later would be remembered as a saint. During the eighteenth century (1767) Fanari was joined with the Metropolis of Fersala under the title "Fanariofersala".[1]
The present day title of the Metropolis of Thessaliotis and Fanariofersala was established near the turn of the nineteenth to twentieth centuries.
Metropolitans
- Kyrillos II (Chrystakis) 2005 - Present
- Theoklitos (Koumarianos) 1999 - 2005
- Kleopas II 1974 - 1999
- Constantine (Sakellaropoulos) 1968 - 1974
- Kyrillos I (Karmpaliotis) 1951 - 1967
- Ezekiel (Stroumbos) 1924 - 1951
Earlier Farsala hierarchs
- Aristaeus Damaskinos II 1814 - ?
- Parthenios 1800 - 1814
- Makarios
- Nicodemus
- Dorotheus
- Neophytos 1785 - 1797
- Nektarios 1753 - 1785
- James 1736 - 1739
- Michael
- Dorodeos 1721
- St. Seraphim c. 1600
- Peter 1192 - 1199
- Stephen c. 879
- Perrevio c. 431
Monasteries
- Monastery of Panagia in Korona For Men
- Monastery of St. George "Karaiskaki" For Men
- Monastery of Spilia in Koumpouriana For Men
- Monastery of Faneromeni in Kallifonio For Men
- Monastery of Panagia Pelekiti[2] For Men
- Monastery of the Twelve Apostles or "Kokkini Ecclesia" (Red Church) For Women
- Monastery of the Birth of Theotokos in Katousion For Women