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The Aristotle University of Thessaloniki has conferred its highest honorary distinction—the “Saint Demetrios” Emblem—upon His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios, formerly of America. The award, bearing the image of the city’s patron saint, was presented during a ceremony held on Thursday, January 15, in the university’s packed Ceremonial Hall, following a unanimous vote by the Senate.
The distinction recognizes the hierarch’s decades of dedicated pastoral ministry to the Greek Orthodox faithful of the diaspora and his broader contributions to the Orthodox Church worldwide.
Archbishop Demetrios, 96, served as Primate of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America from 1999 until his resignation in 2019. A native of Thessaloniki, he graduated from the city’s Experimental School before pursuing theological studies at the University of Athens. He earned doctorates from both Harvard University (in New Testament and Christian Origins) and the University of Athens, and served as Distinguished Professor of Biblical Studies at Hellenic College, Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology in Brookline, Massachusetts, where he taught many of America’s Greek Orthodox clergy.
The ceremony was presided over by Rector Professor Kyriakos Anastasiadis, who read the Senate’s resolution and formally presented the emblem. Vice Rector for Academic Affairs Professor Nikolaos Maghioros delivered the opening address.
His Eminence Metropolitan Philotheos of Thessaloniki attended in a dual capacity, representing both His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and His Beatitude Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens and All Greece. The ceremony drew a significant gathering of hierarchs from across Greece and beyond, including Their Eminences the Metropolitans: Apostolos of Miletus, Panteleimon of Veria, Naousa and Kampania, Nikodemos of Kassandreia, Damaskinos of Velestino, Nikolaos of Mesogaia and Lavreotiki, Georgios of Kitros, Katerini and Platamon, Ioustinos of Nea Krini and Kalamaria, and Chrysostomos of Mani, along with Their Graces the Bishops: Nikiforos of Amorion, Irenaeus of Rhegion, and Athenagoras of Domenikon.
In his address, Archbishop Demetrios reflected on his formative years in Thessaloniki and developed themes of theological significance, focusing particularly on the enduring value of education and the centrality of faith in human life. His remarks were received by an audience that included besides university students, members of Parliament and local government officials, members of the judiciary, and representatives of the Hellenic Armed Forces.
The ceremony concluded with ecclesiastical hymns performed by the “Three Hierarchs” Choir of the School of Theology under the direction of Associate Professor Ioannis Liakos, followed by a performance of *Iridismoi*, based on three musical themes by composer Stavros Kouyioumtzis, arranged and performed on piano by Th.N. Bililis.
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