Epiphanios (Perialas) of Bryoula

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Metropolitan Epiphanios (Perialas) is a hierarch of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. He is the primate of the Metropolis of Spain and Portugal.

Life

Metropolitan Epiphanios was born in Ithaca, New York in 1935, as Constantine Perialas. He is a graduate of Syracuse University and Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology.

The future metropolian served for 30 years as a professor of speech and communications at Ithaca College. He also served for a period as a vice president of the college, in charge of student affairs. The college established the Perialas Prize in Epiphanios' honor in 1997. The prize is given to three students annually.

In 1984 he was ordained to the priesthood (taking at that time the name Epiphanios) and served in a variety of parishes, including St. Catherine's in Ithaca (for 15 years) and the Assumption (Koimisis of the Theotokos) Greek Orthodox Church in St. Clair Shores, Michigan, from which he was elected Metropolitan.

On April 12, 2003, the Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate elected Fr. Epiphanios as the first bishop of the newly-created Metropolis of Spain and Portugal. Previously, Spain and Portugal had constituted an exarchate of the Metropolis of France.

In March of 2007, Metropolitan Epiphanios informed the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of his intentions to retire. The Holy Synod then elected him as Titular Metropolitan of Vryoula, and elected his successor - V. Rev. Archimandrite Polikarpos Stavropoulos, from the Metropolis of Italy. Metropolitan Polikarpos was consecrated at the Patriarchate on May 6, 2007 and will be enthroned on June 16, 2007 in the Orthodox Cathedral of Apostle Andrew and Saint Dimitrios in Madrid. His Eminence Metropolitan Epiphanios will stay on for a short transition and likely return to the U.S. in early summer.

Source



Succession box:
Epiphanios (Perialas) of Bryoula
Preceded by:
new creation
Metropolitan of Spain and Portugal
April 2003 - May 2007
Succeeded by:
Polikarpos Stavropoulos
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