Open main menu

OrthodoxWiki β

Metropolis of Dryinoupolis, Pogoniani and Konitsa

Seal of the Metropolis of Dryinoupolis, Pogoniani and Konitsa
.

The Metropolis of Dryinoupolis, Pogoniani and Konitsa is one of the metropolises of the New Lands in Greece that is within the jurisdiction of the Church of Constantinople but de facto is administered for practical reasons as part of the Church of Greece under an agreement between the churches of Athens and Constantinople. The metropolis is located in Northern Epirus in northwestern Greece.

History

A Diocese of Dryinoupolis has existed since at least the Third Ecumenical Council at which Bishop Eutychius took part. The seat of the diocese initially was located in the city of Adrianoupolis.

The diocese was noted in a Notitiae of the eleventh century as the seventh ranking diocese of the Metropolis of Nikopolis.

In 1318, the diocese was placed under the jurisdiction of the newly formed Metropolis of Ioannina. In the mid-fourteenth century the see was transferred to Gjirokaster with the title of Dryinoupolis and Gjirokaster.

The diocese continued to exist through the centuries until in 1832 when the Diocese of Dryinoupolis was merged with the Diocese of Cheimarra and Delvinion to form one diocese titled Dryinoupolis and Torrents. Then, in 1835, the Diocese of Dryinoupolis and Delvine was raised to a Metropolis.[1]

When, in September 1916, Italian troops entered Northern Epirus, their first actions were to close all Greek schools in the region and to expel Vasileios (Papachristou) to Greece. Following the Greco-Turkish War, Northern Epirus was acquired by Albania in 1921, further preventing his return.

In November 1924, after the Asia Minor disaster, the Ecumenical Patriarchate, having spiritual jurisdiction over the Metropolises of the New Lands of Greece, issued decree number 4427/8-11-1924 by which new temporary Metropolises were formed in these regions, to accomodate Bishops from Asia Minor and Thrace who had become refugees; thus were formed the Metropolises of : a) Metsovo, b) Philiata and c) Dryinoupoleos and Pogonianis.

On March 10, 1936, by decree number 961/1070 of the Holy Synod of the Church of Greece, the former Metropolis Vella and Konitsa was annexed to the Metropolis Dryinoupoleos and Pogonianis, forming the newly merged Metropolis of Dryinoupolis, Pogonianis and Konitsa.

Metropolitans

Metropolis of Dryinoupolis, Pogonianis and Konitsa

Metropolis of Dryinoupolis, Pogonianis and Konitsa 1936-1938
(Metropolitan of Vella and Konitsa 1926-1936)

Metropolis Dryinoupoleos and Pogonianis

(Metropolitan of Vella and Konitsa 1906-1916)

Diocese of Dryinoupolis

Monasteries

  • Monastery of the Virgin Mary of Molyvdoskepasto at Konitsa[1] For Men
  • Monastery of Stomio (Panagia Stomiotissa) at Konitsa For Men

Reference

Sources

ΣΥΝΤΟΜΟ ΙΣΤΟΡΙΚΟ.  Ἱερᾶς Μητροπόλεως Δρυϊνουπόλεως, Πωγωνιανῆς καί Κονίτσης.
  • (Greek)
Dryinoupolis, Pogoniani and Konitsa

External links