Due to the fact that many of the descendents of Kefalonian families have married people of other religions, there are a great number of descendents who know very little of the Church of their ancestors. For this reason, Kefalonian Roots presents a brief history of the Greek Orthodox Church. The history will prove very interesting; since all of the present day branches of the Christian Church have their roots in the story which is presented below.

Words found in link form, have their definition in the Glossary.

The First Three Centuries of the Christian Religion

During the first 300 years of its development, the Christian Church under went much hardship and was subjected to 10 persecutions by the emperors of Rome. Some of the persecutions were directed at just the lay people, some against the bishops and clergy and the last against the church buildings and ecclesiastical literature, including the Holy Scriptures. Despite these hundreds of years of persecution, the Church grew stronger and spread over a large area. Ironically, a large percentage of the expansion was due to the work of the clergy that had been exiled from Rome.

The Organization Of The Church

And The Defining of Its Beliefs and Doctrine

Between the years 313 and 787, the Christian Church was freed; its basic beliefs defined; its structure formed and its doctrine discussed, debated, formulated and stated in written form.

By the beginning of the 4^th century AD, the Roman Empire began to decline and it was divided into the Western and Eastern parts. Constantine, ruler of the Western half, had a vision, and through it, became sensitive to the Christians. In 313 AD, Constantine and Licinius, ruler of the Eastern half, held a conference in the city of Milan; the result of which was the Edict of Milan. The purpose of the edict was to give religious tolerance to Christians throughout the Roman Empire. This tolerance was insured by three basic rights for all Christians: (1) freedom of worship, (2) abandonment of crucifixion, and (3) acknowledgement of Sunday and special days as Christian holidays.

In the early 4^th century, Constantine moved the capital of the Roman Empire from Rome to the city of Byzantium on the Bosporus, the area of present day Istanbul. It was dedicated as Constantinople in 330 AD and became the capital of all Christendom. Between the years 313 and 325, differences, among the bishops, regarding the Church doctrine that Jesus had set down, began to surface. In an effort to settle these differences in beliefs and doctrine, Constantine called a conference in 325 in the city of Nicaea – a city in the province of Bithynia, in Asia Minor near the Sea of Marmara. This meeting, known as the First Ecumenical Council, accomplished the following: (1) brought to preeminence the bishops of the three main centers of the Roman Empire, Rome, Italy; Alexandria, Egypt and Antioch, Syria, (2) as an honor, granted preeminence to the Bishop of Jerusalem, (3) proclaimed the true teaching of God the Father and God the Son, (4) formulated canons regulating the Church and (5) drew up the first seven articles of the faith.

The Second Ecumenical Council of 381 AD, held in Constantinople - present day Istanbul, Turkey - drew up the last five articles of the faith and named the 12 articles, the Nicene Creed. It also granted preeminence to the Bishop of Constantinople. These particular five Bishops were granted preeminence at the first two councils, because the apostles of Christ had established cathedrals in these cities. At this time in history, Rome was looked upon as the former capital of the world and Constantinople was in fact the present seat of the Empire; both cities being very significant in the political and religious realms of the time. The Second Ecumenical Council rejected the teachings of Macedonius, and condemned them as heresy against the Holy Spirit. Macedonius' theory was that God created the Holy Spirit and that it was similar to the angles, though being a spirit of a higher order than the angels. At this meeting 150 bishops were present.

In 413 AD, the Third Ecumenical Council was held in Ephesus, Asia Minor – present day Turkey. This council condemned the heresies of Nestorius who taught that the Virgin Mary was the Mother of Jesus Christ and not the Mother of God, and that our Lord was only a man who had the divine spirit in Him, as it is in a temple. This meeting was attended by 200 bishops.

The Fourth Ecumenical Council of 451 AD was convened in Chalcedon, an ancient city of Asia Minor. This council defined Jesus Christ as the Second Person of the Trinity as True God and True Man with His divine and human natures distinct with out confusion, and inseparably united in One Person. It also decreed that the Patriarch of Constantinople was the single head of the Eastern Church, the Ecumenical Patriarch. Another point on its agenda was the condemning of the Eutychian party which taught that Jesus was God only, and that His divine nature absorbed the human one. This meeting was attended by 630 bishops.

The Fifth Ecumenical Council met in Constantinople in 553 AD with 160 bishops attending. This council excommunicated Nestorius and his followers who taught that the Virgin Mary's title as Mother of God was erroneous, stating that she was only the Mother of Jesus.

The Sixth Ecumenical Council met again in Constantinople in 680 AD with 170 bishops attending, condemned the teachings of the Monotheists who acknowledged only the divine nature of Christ and denied the human one. It adjourned and reconvened in 691 in Trula Palace and approved canons of preceding councils.

The Seventh, and the last of the Ecumenical Councils, met in the city of Nicaea, in 787 AD under the guidance of Empress Irene with 367 bishops in attendance.. It took a stand against the Iconoclasts who were for the destruction of all icons in the church. They also defined the doctrine on images and their veneration (reverence, not worship) and ordered images to be restored to the churches. This council was attended by mostly Byzantine bishops, although some papal reprehensive were present. In the seven council meetings, about 2000 clergymen participated as members of a united Christian Church.

There had been growing disagreement between the Western and Eastern Churches for a long period of time, but the separation of the Patriarch of Rome from the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople did not occur until 1054, over the religious dispute on the Filioque dogma. However, there were also political circumstances which helped pave the road for the Great Schism.

The Path of the Orthodox Church in Greece

The Orthodox Church in Greece traces its history back to the time of the Apostle Paul who was the first to teach the ideas of Christianity in Greece. St. Paul preached the Gospel in Philippi, Salonika, Verria, Athens, Corinth and Crete.

From these areas Christianity spread to all parts of Greece. Until 733 AD, the Church in Greece was subordinate to the Bishops of Rome; but in 733 the Church in Greece was acknowledged as being part of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople and from this time on, its history follows that of the Church of Constantinople, the Eastern Orthodox Church.

In 1254, Constantinople fell to the Turks – Ottoman Empire. Unlike the Vatican, which is its own State, the home and the office buildings of the Ecumenical Patriarch were, and are still, a part of the city of Istanbul and under Turkish rule. In the 1800’s the Ottoman Empire slowly began to break apart. The provinces within the empire began to fight for independence of both state and religion. See European countries of the Ottoman Empire The first national Orthodox Church, which came into existence after the crumbling of the Ottoman Empire, was the Church of Greece.

Establishment of the Greek Orthodox Church

On March 25, 1821 the Greeks proclaimed rebellion against the Turks. See Significant Holidays. After winning their independence from the Turks, it was difficult for the Greek Church to remain under the auspices of the Patriarch of Constantinople, since he was still under Turkish rule. Therefore, the Greek Orthodox Church severed relations with the Ecumenical Patriarch. On June 15, 1833, a year after Greece’s independence from Turkey, a Synod of Bishops representing the liberated areas of Greece, met in the city of Nafplio, Peloponnese and declared the independence of the Church. The bishops took this action with out communication with or obtaining authority from the Ecumenical Patriarch; and therefore, the Patriarch did not recognize this independence. After seventeen years of discussions and debate, the government of Greece completed the application to the Patriarch for official recognition of the independence of the Church of Greece. In 1850, the Patriarch declared the Greek Orthodox Church independent and autonomous. Fourteen years later, in 1864, upon the independence of the Ionian Islands from the English protectorate, the Diocese of the Ionian Islands, including Kefalonia, was officially incorporated into the Church of Greece. See The Order of the Establishment of Orthodox Churches.

For the following seventy years there were numerous crucial problems within the administration of the Church. After many debates and discussions, in 1923, under Archbishop Chrysostom, new canons were passed and the old Synod was replaced with the new Synod of Bishops. In accordance with the new canons, the new Synod of Bishops would meet once a year for administrative business and would constitute the highest authority of the Church of Greece. The cannons also provided for the selection of new bishops by the Metropolitans (synonymous with bishop) assembled in a Synod.

The Greek Orthodox Church

At The Beginning of The Third Millennium

Today, the Greek Orthodox Church is governed by a Holy Synod, which is presided over by the Metropolitan, Archbishop of Athens and all of Greece. The Patriarch of Constantinople remains the spiritual head of the Church, as Ecumenical Patriarch; but his only official connection with the workings of the Church of Greece is his consecrating of the Chrism used by the Church. This is a practical arrangement, both religiously and politically, since the Patriarch of Constantinople is required to be a Turkish citizen and is under Turkish rule.

The latest event in the evolving Greek Orthodox Church was an attempt by the Ecumenical Patriarch, Bartholomew I, to take under his control the Metropolitans of Northeastern and Northern Greece south to Larisa. This area includes five Metropolitans, who were Bishops of the last five areas to be freed from the old Ottoman Empire. Politically, in the year 2004, word had it that FYROM would be given the name of Macedonia and would politically encompass FYROM and northern Greece, south to Larisa; the same area over which the Patriarch Bartholomew I wanted to have control. However, in 2004, the Archbishop of Greece, Mr. Chystodoulos, defied the Ecumenical Patriarch and said that the Patriarch had no right to take control of any part of the Greek Orthodox Church. Greece refused to accept Patriarch Bartholomew’s views and statements, and a settlement was agreed upon confirming that the five Metropolitans would remain under the auspices of the Greek Orthodox Church. Also in early 2005, the discussion of FYROM taking possession of northern Greece subsided. However, this political play of FYROM invading and taking control of northern Greece has been an on going situation since 1991, and undoubtedly the tensions will flare up again. Whether the Church will again be involved is unknown. As of February 2005, all of the Metropolitans of the Greek Orthodox Church, in Greece, are under the auspices of the Archbishop Chrystodoulos, Archbishop of Athens and all of Greece

The Role of the Greek Orthodox Church

In Ecumenical Discussions with the Roman Catholic Church

On Friday, May 4, 2001, Pope John Paul II arrived in Athens and asked God to forgive the Roman Catholics for sins committed against Orthodox Christians during the 1,000 years that the two church branches have been split.

Moments before the pope’s address, Archbishop Christodoulos told him that an apology was needed for a range of grievances, from the schism to a lack of publicly expressed concern over the island of Cyprus, which is divided between Greece and Turkey.

“Traumatic experiences remain as open wounds,” the archbishop said. “Yet until now there has not been heard even a single request for pardon.” The archbishop’s spokesman, Haris Konidaris, said: “The pope has issued a similar mea culpa (I am to blame) to the Jews. So I think he owes one to the Orthodox world.”

In the pope’s address to Archbishop Christodoulos, he said: “For the occasions past and present, when the sons and daughters of the Catholic Church have sinned by actions and omissions against their Orthodox brothers and sisters, may the Lord grant us the forgiveness we beg of Him,”

Archbishop Christodoulos, grudgingly accepted the pope’s visit to Greece, even though the Greek President Mr. Stephanopoulos invited the Pope when he visited Rome in January 2001. However, the archbishop did applaud the pontiff’s call for forgiveness, and at the end of the speeches, the two church leaders embraced.

Archbishop Christodoulos and Pope John Paul II

International Herald Tribune, Athens, Saturday – Sunday, May 5-6, 2001

Another ecumenical meeting was held on June 29, 2004 at St. Peter’s Basilica between the Ecumenical Patriarch of the Orthodox Church Bartholomew I and Pope John Paul II. The purpose of this meeting was to continue ecumenical discussions between the two branches of the Church. At this time, Pope John Paul II expressed “disgust and pain” for the Catholic sacking of Constantinople during the 4^th Crusade in 1204.

In an earlier address to Bartholomew I on June 9^th, the Pope had said that there had been many painful episodes in relations between the Western and Eastern Churches since the Great Schism in 1054. However, he could not forget what happened in April 1204 when Constantinople, a great Christian city at the time, was attacked and sacked by other Christians in one of the most violent episodes of the Middle Ages. The pope said, “After eight centuries, how can we not share “the disgust and pain?” referring to the fury expressed by Pope Innocent III when he heard of the raping and pillaging.

The 4^th Crusade, sanctioned by Pope Innocent III himself, was supposedly aimed at conquering Egypt, then the center of Islamic power. However, the massive crusading army found itself in huge debt to the Republic of Venice, which had provided the army with ships. In order to repay this debt, the crusaders sacked Constantinople; thus obtaining great wealth. The four famous bronze horses that were for centuries atop St Mark’s Basilica in Venice before being placed in a museum, were looted from the hippodrome in Constantinople in the1204 sacking.

This meeting was intended to underline both sides’ commitment to Christian unity and to restart theological discussions. Before the end of the meeting the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I asked for the return of the relics of Saint John Chrysostom and Saint Gregory Nazianzen, to their rightful place in Constantinople.

The result of the meeting was that ecumenical discussions were carried out, although at a very basic level. However, the fact that the two branches of the Church were communicating, face to face, was a step forward.

Athens News, “Pope regrets 1204 sack of Constantinople”, by Phillip Pullella, 02/07/2004, page A09. Article code: 13073A092

On October 21, 2004 the Vatican officially announced that the precious relics of Saint John Chyrostom and Saint Gregory of Nazianzen would be sent back to Constantinople. The significance of these two saints is that they were both Fathers of the Eastern Orthodox Church. The theft of the relics in April, 1204 was a great psychological laceration of the Eastern Church.

Athens News 29/10/2004, article code: C 13102A062

On November 27, 2004, the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I visited the Vatican, and at an Ecumenical Celebration in St Peter’s Basilica the Ecumenical Patriarch accepted the return of the relics of St. Gregory of Nazianzen and St. John Chrysostom. The Pope described these two saints as, “two Fathers of the Eastern Church, two Holy Patriarchs of Constantinople, and two Doctors of the Church who, with St. Basil the Great, have always been honored with a feast day in the Catholic Church.”

The Ecumenical Patriarch responded saying – “This blessed transferal is taking place thanks to the decision of your beloved Holiness, prompted by good will that is pleasing both to you and to us, to restore to us the sacred relics.

We thank you with all our heart for all these things, Most Holy and Beloved Brother in Christ. And we thank you for your decision – noble, holy and rich in symbolism – to return these sacred relics to us.”

The Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I and Pope John Paul II

L’Osservatore Romano, N. 48 – December 1, 2004, page 3.

On November 30, 2004, the Roman Catholic delegation led by Cardinal Walter Casper, conveyed the relics of the two great saints of the Eastern Orthodox Church to Constantinople, and laid them before the Ecumenical Patriarch in the Cathedral of St. Georgios (St. George). The Ecumenical Patriarch read the Holy Liturgy for the Feast of St. Andrew. After which, Cardinal Casper and Patriarch Bartholomew I, each presented a speech on the significance of the return of the saint’s relics to their rightful home, and prayed that the ecumenical spirit would endure and develop.

The Reliquaries

The reliquaries in St. Peter's

the Vatican, Vatican City, Italy

The reliquaries in St. George's

the Fanari, Istanbul, Turkey

L'Osservatore Romano, December 1, 2004 Kathimerini, December 1, 2004

For more information on the uniting of the Eastern and Western branches of the Christian Church, see www.athensnews.gr “Healing Christian rift is still a distant glimmer.”, by Brian Murphy, June 10, 2005, pg. A17, Article code: C13134A172,

Circumstances of the Ecumenical Patriarchy In 2006

In the above text, it was stated that the residence of the Pope and all of the office buildings are located in Vatican City, a city state of its own; but that the residence of the Ecumenical Patriarch and all of the office buildings are located in the Fanari, an area "quarter" of Istanbul (Constantinople) with in the country, and under the government of Turkey.

In the year 2006, the Ecumenical Patriarch is under threat of having to leave Istanbul, (Constantinople), Turkey. At the present time, the situation under diplomatic discussion.

In April, 2007, the threat is still present, however other countries, such as the United States are involved in the negotiation to find a solution to the problem.

Archbishop Christodoulos Meets Pope Benedict XVI in Rome

On December 14, 2006

On December 14, 2006, Archbishop Christodoulos visited Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican. This was an historic moment, for it is the first time that a leader of the Orthodox Church of Greece has officially visited the Pope. At this meeting the two church leaders signed a joint declaration with the theme being the need to preserve "Christian roots of the European continent". (Newspaper, Athens News, Friday December 15, 2006, "Christodoulos meets the pope, by George Gilson.)

APPENDIX

GLOSSARY

Word	Definition
Canon	A law or body of laws of the Church: Eastern Orthodox, Anglican, Roman Catholic etc.
Cathedral	*From the Latin word cathedra, meaning seat or bench;* the main Church of a bishop’s see, containing the Bishop’s cathedra.**
Chrism	The consecrated oil used in baptism and other sacraments of the Church.
-clast	A suffix meaning to destroy, break.
Consecrate	To make or declare sacred by a religious ceremony.
Constantine’s Vision	In 312 AD, while on the battlefield, Constantine came out of his tent, and gazing at the sky, saw a cross, surrounded by a bright light. The Cross had an inscription – “By This Sign Conquer”. Constantine interpreted this vision as a sign that his victory depended on his faith and powers of the cross ---- Christianity. He immediately ordered that all of the banners of the army be inscribed with a cross. In the next battle, Milvian Bridge, his forces were victorious.
Diocese	The district under a bishop’s jurisdiction.
Doctrine	Information taught as the principles or creed of a religion, belief; dogma.
Ecclesiastical	Having to do with the church; the organization, the literature and the clergy.
Ecumenical	The general, universal, the Christian Church as a whole.
Ecumenical Patriarch	In the Eastern Orthodox Church, the highest ranking bishop who resides at the Fanari in Istanbul (Constantinople), Turkey. The spiritual head of the Eastern Orthodox Church.
Edict	An official public proclamation or order issued by authority; a decree.
Filioque Dogma	The base for the Christian faith is the Nicean Creed, formulated at the first two Ecumenical Councils. Orthodox Christians abide by, and refuse to alter in anyway, this basic belief. The Orthodox creed, is today, exactly as it was stated at the first two Ecumenical Councils. See the word Orthodox below. During the 6th Century, Arius taught that Jesus was not of the same substance with God; he was only the best of God's created beings. In Toledo, Spain a local religious council attempted to combat this "Arian Theory" and added the Filioque phrase to the Nicean Creed - Filioque is translated to "and the Son". This changed the Creed to " And I believe in the Holy Ghost (Spirit), The Lord and Giver of Life, Who proceeds from the Father and the Son; Who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified..." In 879-880, the Eighth Ecumenical Council by Orthodox Christians reaffirmed the Creed of 381 A.D. and stated that any changes in the creed would be invalid; and has since remained with the original creed. From the religious point of view, these circumstances thus created the base for the Great Schism of 1054 A.D..
FYROM	The Former Yugoslavian Republic of Macedonia.
Fanari	A “quarter” of Constantinople -Istanbul - in which is found the Ecumenical Patriarch, his home and the administrative buildings of the Church; including the area in which many Greeks live and keep alive the Greek culture in the Turkish state.
Heresy	A religious belief opposed to the orthodox doctrines of a Church. Especially, such a belief, which is denounced by the Church and regarded as likely to cause a schism.
Icon	A painting of Christ or any of the saints.
Iconoclast	One of an Eastern Orthodox Church group, in the 8th and 9th centuries, who denounced the use of icons.
Metropolitan	In the Eastern Orthodox religion, a bishop ranking just below the Archbishop.
Nunciature	Office of the Nuncio, representative of the Pope in a foreign country.
Nuncio	A papal ambassador.
Orthodox	(Religious): Conforming to the Christian faith as formulated in the early ecumenical creeds and confessions; conventional; as opposed to Western Christianity, which has it faith based on a varied form of the original Nicean Creed.
Reliquary	A container for the remains, relics, of a saint
Synod	A council of Church officials; ecclesiastical council

Hierarchy of the Greek Orthodox Church

Office	Duties
Ecumenical Patriarch	Spiritual Head of all Orthodoxy. He has no control over the ethnic churches.
Archbishop	Highest bishop of an autonomous Church within a country or continent.
Metropolitan	A bishop of a specific area elected by the Holy Synod and participates in the managerial organization of the Church.; synonym of bishop.
Bishop’s Cleric	Bishop’s chief assistant.
Prelate	Head of all the parish priests of a municipality and reports to the Metropolitan.
Archimandrite	Head of one or more monasteries, a widower or an unmarried priest.
Priest-Monk	A monk who has been raised to the rank of priest of a monastery.
Priest - Presbyter	A priest who is in the category between a deacon and a bishop.
Archdeacon	Administer of all of the deacons. Reports to the bishop.
Deacon	A servant of God ranking just below a priest. He must be married before he becomes a Deacon, or remain single the remainder of his life. After one year as Deacon, he can become a priest.
Abbot	Director of a monastery
Monk/Friar	A man who joins a religious order and lives under vows of poverty, obedience and chastity.
Hermit	A man who enters a monastery or goes to a quiet place to contemplate, with the goal of cleansing his soul from bad feelings, and to become one with God.

European Provinces of the Ottoman Empire

Hungary	Bosnia-Herzegovina	Serbia
Greece	Bulgaria	Romania
Moldavia	Cyprus	Turkey

Bibliography

Books

Babiniotis, G, Dictionary of the New Greek Language, 2 Ed., Athens, The Center For Lexicology, 2002.

The Concise Atlas of World History, Greek Version, Leukosia, Cyprus, Time Books, 1998.

Carlson, Stan, Faith of Our Fathers, 4^th Ed., Minneapolis, Olympic Press, 1968.

Euro Atlas, Bologna, Italy, Studio F.M.B..

Hyper Lexicon, English-Greek, Greek-English 5^th Ed., Athens, Staphylidi, 2000.

Webster’s New World Dictionary of the American Language, College Edition, New York, World Publishing Company, 1960.

Newspapers

Athens News, 3 Christou Lada, 10237, Athens, Greece

L’Osservatore Romano, N. 48, Tipografia Vaticana – Vatican City, Italy.

New York Times Service, International Herald Tribune, English Language edition in Greece, Saturday – Sunday, May 5-6, 2001; associated with the Greek newspaper, Kathimerini.

Internet Sites

Rev. George Mastrantonis, Great Schism of the Ecumenical Church, http://www.goarch.org/access/orthodoxfaith/schism.html , 1990-1996

Catholic Encyclopedia, Vol. XIII, “The Eastern Schism”, Robert Appleton Co., 1912, http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/13535a.htm, Online edition, 1999.

http://philtar.ucsm.ac.uk/encyclopedia/christ/east/index.html

Name Day Celebrations

Saint’s Name and Date of Celebration

Introduction:

The following is a catalogue of approximately 180 Name Days celebrated by the Greek Orthodox Church; the majority of them are common names on the island of Kefalonia. The names are listed in alphabetical order followed by the date of celebration – (day/month). Masculine and feminine forms of the name are celebrated on the same day.

Name		Date
	A
Adrianos		26/08
Agapy		17/09
Agathi		05/02
Aglaea		19/12
Agni		21/01
Aimilianos		18/07
Alexandros		30/08
Alexis		17/03
Anargyros		01/07, 01/11
Anastasia, Anastasios		22/12, Easter
Andreas		30/11
Andronikos, Androniki		17/05
Angelos		08/11
Anna		25/07, 09/12
Anthimos, Anthy		03/09
Anthony		17/01
Antigoni		01/09
Apollon		05/06
Apostoli		30/06
Argirios		01/07
Ariadni		18/09
Aristidis		13/09
Artemis		20/10
Asklipios		27/02
Aspasia		01/09
Athanasios		18/01
Augustinos		15/06
	B
Barbara		04/12
Bartholomew		11/06
Basel, Vasili		01/01
	C
Christina, Chrisa, Christos		25/12
Christodoulos		16/03
Christophoros		09/05
Chrysanthos		19/03
Chrysostomos		27/01
Cyprianos		29/09
	D
Damianos, Damion		01/07, 01/11
Daniel		17/12
David		26/06
Despoina		15/08
Dimitra, Dimitris		26/10
Dionisios		17/12
Dominic		08/01
Dorotheos, Dorothy		05/06
	E
Eflavios		10/10
Efrosini		25/09
Efstathios		20/09
Efthimios		20/01
Eftihia		24/08
Eirini, Irene		05/05
Eleftherios, Eleftheria		15/12
Eleni, Helena		21/05
Elijah, Ilias		20/07
Elissaos		14/06
Elizabeth		24/04
Elpida		17/09
Emmanuel		26/12
Epistimi		05/11
Epitihia		06/04
Ermioni		04/09
Evaggelos		25/03
Evanthia		11/09
Evdokia		01/03
Evdoxia		31/01
Evgenios		24/12
Evsevios		22/06
Evthalia		02/03
	F
For names beginnings with F,		see the names listed under Ph.
	G
Gabriel		08/11
Galini		16/04
Georgios, George		Moveable, depending on the date of Easter 23/04, if it falls during Lent, it is celebrated Easter Monday.
Gerasimos		20 /10
Glykeria		13/05
Grigorios, Gregory		25/01
	H
Haralabos, Haralabis		10/02
Hariklia		10/02
Haritini		05/10
	I
Ieremias		01/05
Ignatious		20/12
Ioakeim		09/09
Isaiah, Hsaias		09/05
Isidoros		14/05
	J
Jacob		21/03, 23/10
Jason		29/04
John the Baptist Ioannis the Forerunner		07/01
John, the Apostle, The Evaggelist		08/05
Jordan		06/01
Joseph		03/04
Julia, Julios		18/05
	K
Katherina, Aikaterina		25/11
Kosmas		01/07, 01/11
Kostantinos		21/05
Kuriaki		07/07, 29/09
	L
Labros		15/04
Laurentios		10/08
Lazaros		Movable, day before Palm Sunday
Leonidis		15/04
Linos		05/11
Loukas		18/10
Loukia		04/07, 13/12
Loukianos		15/10
Lidia		20/05
	M
Magdalini, Magdalene		22/07
Margaret		01/09
Maria		02/02, 15/08, 08/09, 21/11, 26/12
Marina, Marinos		17/07
Mark		25/04
Martha		04/06
Matthew		16/11
Maximus		21/01
Meletios		12/02
Mercury		25/11
Michael		08/11
Minas		11/11
	N
Natalia		26/08
Nectarios		09/11
Neophytos		21/01
Nestor		27/10
Nikiphoros		02/06
Nikita		15/09
Nikodimos		14/07
Nikolaos Nikoletta		06/12
	O
Olga		11/07
Onyphrios		12/06
Orestis		10/11
	P
Panagiotis, Panagis, preferred form on Kefalonia		02/02 15/08
Panteleimon		27/07
Paraskevas		26/07
Parthenos		07/02
Pashalis		Easter
Paul		29/06
Pelagia		04/05 08/10
Peter, Petros		29/06
Phanis Photis		06/01
Phanouris		27/08
Philimon		22/11
Phillip		14/11
Pigi Zoi		Movable Maundy Thursday
Pisti		17/09
Plato		18/11
Polikarpos		23/02
Polixeni		23/09
Porphirios		26/02
Prodromos		07/01
Prokopis		08/07
	R
Raphael		09/04
Rebbeca		17/12
	S
Saranti		16/08
Savas		15/12
Serafim		06/05
Sergio		13/05
Sevastiani- Sebastianik, Sevasti		18/12
Simeon		03/02
Simon		10/05
Socrates		21/10
Sophia		17/09
Sortiris		06/08
Spiros		12/12
Stamatis		08/11
Stavros		14/09
Stephanos		27/12
Stilianos, Stella, Stelios		26/11
	T
Tatiani		12/01
Thekla		24/09
Themistoklis		21/12
Theodosios		11/01
Theodore		Movable The first Saturday in Lent
Theophanis		06/01
Theophilos		08/07
The Three Teachers -Priests: Grigoris, Vasilis and John		30/01
Thomas		Moveable First Sunday after Easter
Timothy Timotheos		22/01
Titos		25/08
Triandafilos		08/08
Trifonas		01/02
	V
Vaia Vaios		MoveableSunday before Easter
Valentinos		14/02
Vasilis		01/01
Veronica		12/07
Victor		11/11
Vlassis		11/02
	X
Xenia		24/01
Xenophon		26/01
Zaharias		08/02

Bibliography

Babiniotis, George, Dictionary of the New Greek Language, 2^nd Edition, Center of

Word Study, Athens, 2002

ΕΥΛΟΓΗΜΕΝΟ ΤΟ ΕΤΟΣ 2001, ΙΕΡΟC ΝΑΟC ΥΠΕΡΑΓΙΑC ΘΕΟΤΟΚΟΥ

ΠΕΡΛΙΓΚΑΛΩΝ, Ληξουρίου, Κεφαλονιά, 2001

Μαθητική ΥΔΡΙΑ, Αξιωτέλλης & Σια ΕΠΕ., Αθήνα, Ελλάς, 1983

Veal, David L., Saints Galore, Forward Movement Publications, Cincinnati, 1972

Webster’s New world Dictionary, College Edition, The World Publishing

Company, USA, 1960

A Brief History Of The Greek Orthodox Church

Word

Definition

Hierarchy of the Greek Orthodox Church

Duties

European Provinces of the Ottoman Empire

Bibliography

Books

Newspapers

Internet Sites

Name Day Celebrations

Introduction: