THE INSTITUTION OF THE ARCHON OFFICE BEARERS OF THE PATRIARCHAL THRONE

The institution of the Archon Office Bearers has its roots in the Hierarchy of the Byzantine Empire and primarily came into the ecclesiastical world around the 9th Century, beginning with the Great Church of Christ in Constantinople, where the offices existed hierarchically in three pentads. Of course there are ecclesiastical offices, both for the clergy as well as for lay people. However, the offices for lay people acquired greater validity and dissemination during the years of the Ottoman supremacy whence they were gradually disseminated to the other ancient Patriarchates of the East. Office Bearers of the Alexandrian Throne are seen from this period, however the order and the succession of the offices was always in direct connection with the historic events of the Ancient See of the Apostle and Evangelist Mark.

The offices are awarded by “Patriarchal esteem and intention” as a recompense to the Patriarchate of Alexandria and All Africa, while in earlier years they were connected to particular positions within the patriarchal court and the administrative mechanism of the Patriarchate, which over the years slackened.

During the 20th century, the institution of the office bearers of the Alexandrian Throne was revived, with many honourary awards of offices made to men and women and during the Patriarchal tenure of His Beatitude Theodoros II, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa, the Brotherhood of Office Bearers of the Patriarchate of Alexandria and All Africa “Apostle Mark” was developed, and its rules were recently (2007) drawn up and ratified by His Beatitude who was appointed as the founder and patron of the Brotherhood.

Also, old Archon Office Bearers formed the contemporary continuance of the ancient of the Paravalans, under the Chairman of the Order Great Archon Logothetis mr.Kamalakis Spyridon (Businessman, Athens).

Kamalakis Spyridon, Honorary Lecturer of the State Educational University of Nizhny Novgorod, Chairman of the Hellenic Egyptian Friendship Association, Great Archon Logothetis, Athens.

Panagopoulos, I. Theodoros, Professor of the University of Pireaus, Archon Great Protekdikos, Chairman of the Office Bearers, Athens.

Kourtis, Georgios-Stavros, Chairman of the Audit Offices, General Secretary of the Office Bearers, Archon Great Dikeophylax, Athens.

Athanasiou, Eleftherios Businessman, South Africa.

Alexiadis Al.Minas, Professor of the Philosophical Faculty of the University of Athens, Archon Hartoularios.

Arnopoulos, Anestis, Businessman, Archon Referendarios, Cameroon.

Asimakopoulos, Dimosthenes, Professor of the University of Athens, Archon Notarios, Athens.

Asimakopoulos, Theodoros, Megas Archon Ekklesion, Ethiopia.

Aslanidis George, Archon Ecclesion, Stavroupolis, Thessaloniki.

Atalas Antonios, Hieropsaltis, Archon Lambadarios, Cairo.

Varvounis Emmanuel, Professor of the University of Thrace, Archon Μegas Hartophylax, Nea Zoi, Attikis.

Vardinoyiannis Marianna, UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador, Archontissa Ecclesion, Athens.

Vasiliou Mary, Mother of Hellenes Abroad, South Africa.

Beaufort Spontin Friderik Magister Prinz Duke, Archon Exarchos, Austria.

Botsis Dimitrios, Professor of the University of Athens, Archon Aktouarios, Athens.

Georgakis Theodoros, Lawyer, Archon Hartophylax, Athens.

Georgiou Konstantinos, Archon Ypomimniskon, South Africa.

Dardabesis Theodoros, Professor of the Aristotelian University of Thessaloniki, Archon Ypomimniskon, Thessaloniki.

Diakofotakis Georgios, Diplomat, Archon Protekdikos, Athens.

Diamantides Antonios, Archon Ecclesion, Cairo, Egypt.

Doukas Petros, Archon, former Minister, Great Archon Dikaiophylax, Athens.

Englezakis Savvas, Archon Ekdikos, South Africa.

Zaimis Andreas, former Minister, Great Archon Referendarios, Athens.

Zerefos, Christos, Professor of the University of Athens – Academic, Great Archon Didaskalos, Melissia, Attikis.

Themistokleous Konstandinos, former Minister, Great Archon Ekklesion, Strovolos, Cyprus.

Theoharous Eleni, Doctor – Member of European Parliament, Archontissa Ekklesion, Cyprus.

Illaskini Raimot, Archon Notarios, Finland.

Kafetzis Dimitrios, Professor of the University of Athens, Archon Aktouarios, Athens.

Kagiorgis Lazaros, Archon Hartophylax, Voula, Attikis.

Karagiannodimas Evangelos, Archon Thesaurophylax, Athens.

Karakostas Ioannis, Professor of the University of Athens, Archon Dikaiophylax, Athens.

Karambatakis Vasilios, Professor of the University of Thessaloniki, Archon Hartoularios, Thessaloniki.

Katsigiannis Andreas, Musicologist, Archon Maestro, Volos.

Kikareas Panagiotis, Megas Archon Didaskalos Evangeliou.

Komninakis Spyridon, Businessman, Archon Lambadarios, Nice, France.

Konidaris Ioannis, Doctor of Angiology, Archon Ypomimniskon, Athens.

Korres Demetrios, University Professor, Archon Aktouarios, Athens.

Koumantaros Georgios, Great Archon Depoutatos.

Kounadis Antonios, Professor of the National Technical University – Academic, Great Archon Didaskalos, Athens.

Kountouris Michael, Lawyer, Archon Nomophylax, Athens.

Kourkoumelis Nikolaos K., Major General Retired, Dr of Philosophy, Great Archon Hartophylax, Palaion Phaliron, Attikis.

Kratsa Rodi, Member of European Parliament, Archontissa Ekklesion, Athens.

Krystallidou Anastasia, Educator, Archontissa Ekklesion, South Africa.

Kyriakides G., Great Archon Ekklesion, Cameroon.

Kvist Olov, Archon Teletarhis.

Lazaratos Panayiotis, Professor of the University of Athens & Tenor, Archon Maestro, Athens.

Leventis Anastasios, High Commissioner of Cyprus in the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Great Archon Aktouarios.

Lixnaras Aristodimos, Lawyer, Archon Ekdikos, Athens.

Manikas Panyiotis, Archon Aktouarios, South Africa.

Bakouris G., Great Archon Orphanotrophos, Pireaus.

Baladakis Alexandros, Archon Referendarios, South Africa.

Balanou Chloe, Great Archontissa tou Thronou, Cameroon.

Babiolakis Andreas, Great Archon Teletarhis, South Africa.

.Bovali Maria, Business Woman, Archontissa Apodimou Ellinismou, Cameroon.

Bourdara Kalliope, former Minister, Professor of the University of Athens, Archontissa Dikaiophylax, Athens.

Bousias Haralambos,Professor, Great Hymnographos, Marousi, Attikis.

Nakas Gabriel, President of the Arabic Speaking Community of Alexandria, Archon Dikaiophylax, Egypt.

Xenopoulos Konstantionos, Artist, Archon Iconographos, Katerini.

Ekonomou Georgios, Professor of the University of Pireaus, Archon Skevophylax, Athens.

Papadopoulos Angelos, Great Archon Ekklesion.

Papaemmanuel Gregory, Musicologist, Archon Protopsaltis, Drama.

Papaemmanuel Petros, Musicologist, Archon Maestro, Thessaloniki.

Pappou Ioannis, Advocate, Archon Dikaiophylax, Rhodes.

Patelos Konstantinos, Professor of Panteios University, Great Archon Ypomimniskon, Palaion Faliron, Attikis.

Pavlides Gregory, Doctor Cardiologist, Director 1st Cardiological Clinic Onassion Cardio-Surgery Centre, Archon Aktouarios, Athens.

Petrides Athanasios, Doctor, Archon Aktouarios, Athens.

Pittaras Theodoros, Doctor, Biopathologist, Lecturer of the University of Athens, Archon Hartoularios, Athens.

Polychroniou Nektarios, Lawyer, Consul a.d. of Botswana in Athens, Archon Ekdikos, Athens.
Pouroulis Loukas, Archon Notarios, South Africa.

Prantzos Vaios, Chairman Brotherhood of External Missions Thessaloniki, Archon Orphanotrophos, Thessaloniki.

Rakintzis Leandros, Supreme Court Judge a.d., Great Archon Dikaiophylax, Nea Erythraia, Attikis.

Raptis Markos, Civil Engineer, Archon Protekdikos, Voula, Attikis.

Sofianou Aikaterini, Businesswoman, Archontissa Ekklesion, Bucharest.

Stavrou Elias, Doctor, Archon Protopsaltis, South Africa.

Schizis Loizos, Archon Ekklesion.

Tamvakis Stephanos, President of the Worl Counsil of Hellenes Abroad, Great Arhon Teletarhis, Alexandria, Egypt.

Tzalas Haris, Marine Archaeology Researcher, Archon Skevophylax, Athens.

Tzoumerkas Panayiotis, Lecturer of the University of Thessaloniki, Archon Ypomnimatographos, Katerini.

Tourkantonis Achilleas, Academic, Professor of the University of Thessaloniki – Academic, Great Archon Aktouarios, Thessaloniki.

Troianos Spyridon, Professor of the University of Athens, Great Archon Protekdikos, Alimos, Attikis.

Tsakris Athanasios, Professor of the University of Athens, Great Archon Aktouarios, Athens.

Tsarouhas Konstantinos, Journalist, Archon Ekdikos, Athens.

Tselikas Agamemnon, Professor of Paleography, Archon Notarios, Athens.

Tsiridis Konstantinos, Lawyer, Archon Dikaiophylax, Cyprus.

Fortsakis Theodoros, Professor of the University of Athens, Archon Dikaiophylax, Athens.

Psillou Ariadne, Theologian, Archontissa Ekklesion, Zimbabwe.