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==Life==
Charalambos Sofroniadis was born on [[March 14]], 1947 in Ferikioi in Istanbul (Constantinople). His parents were John and Theopoula (nee Thales) Sofroniadis. From 1954 to 1960, he attended primary school before attending the Zografio gymnasium (high school) in Istanbul from 1960 to 1963. In 1963, he entered the [[Theological School of Halki]], from which he graduated in 1970 after having presenting his dissertation on: ''Relations of the Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches in the 20th-century''.
During his last year at Halki, Charalambos was [[ordination|ordained]] a [[deacon]] in the Church of Agia Paraskevi in New Smyrna, Athens, Greece on [[September 14]], 1969, taking the name Iakovos (James). As deacon he served in the church and schools in the [[Archdiocese of Constantinople]]. In 1970, he was assigned to the staff of the patriarchate, serving initially as a patriarchal deacon and Rapporteur of the [[Patriarch]]. He, then, served for eighteen months in the Turkish army during the period from 1971 to 1973.
