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Apostolos Makrakis was a charismatic lay theologian with broad talents and a leader of the ''awakening movement'' in post-revolutionary Greece. He finished his secondary school training in his birthplace and later studied in Constantinople, where he worked for a short time as a teacher and published his first treatises (''Ekpaideutike Enkyklopaedeia''). Being a person of strong character and with a disposition towards vigorous inspection of things, he came to a collision course with the [[Ecumenical Patriarchate]] and with the parents of his students, the grounds being his teaching of frequent communion.
In 1862 he went to Paris, where he worked as a private tutor, remaining there for two years and learning about modern European philosophy up to Hegel. His apologetic disposition was expressed quickly with the writing in French of ''four treatises against Western (and especially Cartesian) philosophy, and in favour of Christianity.'' After a brief trip to Athens, he returned in 1865 to Constantinople, where he continued his work for a year, and in 1866 he settled permanently in Athens, where he also reposed.
Makrakis was manifested upon the Greek nation at a multifarious and therefore very difficult epoch. The re-emerging civilization, the foreign military presence, the irregular political situation, the activity of foreign influences (especially religious propaganda), the attachment to "Enlightened Europe", and the uninterrupted adulteration of traditional criteria were problems that would not leave a restless spirit indifferent or in peace.
According to Traintaphyllu, in Patras, Makrakis had as his most fervent followers, Theodoros Kapetanon, Ioannis Arnellon, and Nikolaos Christogiannopoulos (1885). He preached to large crowds there, who came out in awe to listen to his "nation-saving" teachings on [[June 18]], [[June 24|24]], [[June 27|27]], and [[July 16]], 1876. (''Triantaphyllu''). After this a number of publications(''Achaia''; ''Phoenix''; ''Aratos'') strongly attacked his teachings; others (''Peloponnesus'') supported him. Defenders of Makrakis included a theologian of Patras named Ieronymos, as well as the spiritual father of Patras, Fr. Athanasios Georgiou, recommending he be exiled for two years lest he be judged by the Synod (''Triantaphyllu''). For a period of thirty years Makrakis went to Patras, and in 1876 he remained for forty-days, teaching the people there.
*''Apostolos Makrakis, the Prophet and Thinker of modern Greece.'' (Archimandrite) Eusebius A. Stephanou, 1954.
*''Apostolos Makrakis: An Evaluation of Half a Century.'' Editor: Andronis, Constantine. Chicago: Orthodox Christian Educational Society, 1966. (A complete list of the staggering amount of works of Makrakis is given in English, pp.337-339)