DEFENDERS OF THE FAITH THE ARCHONS OF THE ORDER OF ST. ANDREW IBy OLGA VICTORIA KARRAS 1 Photographs By Dimitris Panagos My Godfather was an archon, a "leader" within the community and the Greek Orthodox Church. He devoted his life to serving, both his fellow man and his Creator. In recognition of his commitment to bettering the quality of life and to preserving sacred traditions, he was designated an "Archon" by the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constan­ tinople and inducted into the Order of St. Andrew, the Apostle with the title or "offikion" of Archon Depoutatos meaning "Patriarchal Summoner". Archon Depoutatos is one of dozens of appellations based on ancient Greek and equally mystifying in sound denot­ ing specific duties performed for Church and State by those exceptional citizens of the Byzantine Empire who were designated Archons. Among the responsibilities of Archon Depoutatos, His Eminence with the former Commander Dr. Anthony Borden, left, and his for instance, were "to issue invitations successor Dr. Chris Philip. to the Archons for audiences before the Church of Christ, otherwise known as about the Archons, the men who have Patriarch and Bishops and to seat the the Mother Church of Orthodoxy or the been honored for their essential works congregants holding official titles and Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constan­ in the private sector and for their gener­ offices according to protocol." tinople, the seat or see of our Christian ous contributions of time and money to My Godfather, a pious man, was one Orthodox faith located in Istanbul the Church here, in the United States, of some 800-900 Eastern Orthodox Turkey - yesteryear's Byzantium: and to the Mother Church, in Istanbul. Christians- from around the world (600 "New Rome", Constantinople. In spite I had never asked by Godfather to tell strong in the United States) who in of relentless harassment through the me in any great detail about his role and recent years have been honored by the centuries, the Patriarchate has upheld responsibilities as Archon. I do know Mother Church with the highest acco­ ecclesiastical and liturgical tradition how very proud he was to serve as lade accorded a layman for exemplary and bound together the Greek people as Archon. I do know that my Godmother, dedication inside and outside the no other force could have hoped to do. independently of my Godfather a most Church. I t is only recently that I have learned devout Christian and supporter of the Archon. Ecumenical Patriarchate of something more about the rich and Church, will continue to uphold the Constantinople. St. Andrew, the Apos­ troubled history of our Church and the Faith. Now that I know more about the tle. Offikion. Archon Depoutatos. Pat­ unquestionable strength and dignity of Order of St. Andrew, the Apostle and riarchal Summoner. Mother Church. its spiritual leaders, from the first, St. the very important, indeed vital work it Among others, these terms, titles, insti­ Andrew, the Apostle ("Bishop" from performs, I am so sorry that I cannot tell tutions, and even Andrew, brother of 33-36 A.D.), to the 270th, His All Holi­ my nouno how proud I am that he was St. Peter, are not altogether familiar to ness Bartholomew I, enthroned as Ecu­ an Archon. He died last year, just as my most Greek Orthodox parishioners in menical Patriarch of Constantinople on interest in the Archoli.s was awakening. spite of the fact that Orthodox Chris­ November 2, 1991 by election of the tianity points to the year 33 A.D. as the Holy Synod, following the death of His My interest developed through that Beginning. It is only recently that I have All Holiness Dimitrios I. of my husband, Michael Karras, who come to learn more about the Great And, only lately have I learned more just about a year ago, asked Anastasios DECEMBER, 1991 17 Manessis, Vice Commander of the Constantinople fired Michael's mount­ Constantine the Great, in the year 330, Archons of the Order ofSt. Andrew, the ing desire and mine to delve into the nearly three centuries following the Apostle to tell him all there was to know history of our Church and become bet­ death of the Apostle Andrew. The about the Order. Mr. Manessis spoke ter acquainted with those individuals Byzantine Empire was dawning. By the enthusiastically, devotedly. Little did who function, according to their own 5th century there were five important Michael know that there was so very deep reverence and on authority of the centers of Christianity: Rome, where much to tell. The more involved Patriarchate, as Defenders of the Faith, Latin continued to be spoken; and Con­ Michael became, the more I, too, the Archons of the Order ofSt. Andrew, stantinople:, Alexandria, Antioch, and learned and wanted to learn. And, all the Apostle. Jerusalem, where Greek reigned. In the the while, I remembered my Godfather. 6th century the Patriarchate of Con­ Michael suggested that an interview stantinople became know as the "Ecu­ be conducted and published so that A number of sources offered valuable menical" Patriarchate, thereby more many people could have the benefit of information with respect to the history accurately expressing its spiritual learning firsthand about the Order. Mr. of the Patriarchate, a little bit of which authority over world Orthodoxy. By the Manessis suggested that Dr. Chris must be understood in order to appre­ 8th century, Islamic Arabs besieged Philip, the Archon entrusted with the ciate the highly important work of the Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem, principal executive post within the Archons. Of these, I wish to acknowl­ leaving only Rome and Constantinople Order, that of National Commander, be edge an excellent and most engaging to fend for Christianity. invited to answer our questions. Dr. study, A Short History oJthe Ecumeni­ From 726-843, a weary 107 years, Philip graciously accepted the invita­ cal Patriarchate oj Constantinople: Constantinople faced another threat: tion. It took many months for us all to First A mong Equals in the Orthodox iconoclasm. Iconoclasts sought to des­ get together, but we did, in the final days Church, written by Deno J . Geanako­ troy the icons of the church because, of September, 1991. plos (Archon Didaskalos Tou Genous, they argued, the icons were being wor­ In the meantime, several events of "Teacher of the People"), Professor of shipped as idols, not venerated, as they historic magnitude took place and gar­ Byzantine History and Orthodox should be, as representations of Christ, nered worldwide interest in the Chris­ Church History, Yale University. As the Virgin, the Saints. Some historians tian Orthodox Church, principal one can imagine, the Patriarchate has believe that the real reason why the among them the arrival in the United lived a long and often difficult life. It all iconoclasts raged on and on had States of His All Holiness Dimitrios I in began just following the death and nothing to do with icons and everything July, 1990, which was his first official resurrection of our lord Jesus Christ. to do with the "chief protectors of the and, as it was to be, only visit to the In spite of the warnings of its pagan icons", the monks, who were exempt western hemisphere, restricted as he had emperors who banned Christianity, the from paying taxes and military duty. If been by the government of Turkey with Apostles traveled throughout the there were no icons to care for, these respect to his travels. Suddenly many Roman Empire to spread the word. able men could serve the Empire more questions were being asked: Why did Peter and Paul were martyred in Rome, "usefully". Turkey continue to have so decisive a the city which would become the first In the end, the iconoclasts did not say in matters concerning the Ecumeni­ among the world's Christian sees. have their way. To this day, the first cal Patriarchate, including the election Peter's brother, the Apostle Andrew, Sunday of Lent celebrates the Victory of the Patriarch and his travels? What concentrated his efforts in the East - in of the icon and is set aside as the Feast of was the Patriarch's relationship to the what we know of today as Greece, Orthodoxy or Sunday of Orthodoxy or world's estimated 300 miliionDrthodox .southern Russia, and Istanbul. Andrew Procession of the Holy Icons . Christians, including the Russians, was crucified in Patras by a pagan From 843 up to the lith century, the whose own religious leaders, in light of Roman general, but not before he had Byzantine Empire thrived and with it the breakdown of Communism, broke laid the cornerstone of the Christian so, too, did the Patriarchate and its their long, imposed silence and sum­ Orthodox Church and its center in magnificent cathedral church, Hagia moned the faithful to prayer? Byzantium. Sophia (the "Great Church of Holy The world's focus, if only momen­ Byzantium was christened Constan­ Wisdom"), which had also been named tary, on the Ecumenical Patriarchate of tinople by the first Christian Emperor, by Constantine the Great. In the year 988 envoys of Prince Vladimir the Great of Russia, dispatched to Constantino­ XPONIA IlOAAA ple to consider Orthodoxy as a possible , religion to be adopted by the Russian ana people, reported to their sovereign that, TOV, MdiK, ~m;~TR€) so in awe were they of Hagia Sophia and the mystical Greek Orthodox Liturgy, they believed they were in "Heaven itself". In 989 Prince Vladimir con­ EAST and WEST DINER verted to Orthodoxy. By the II th century, the Byzantine 449 3rd AVENUE - TEL (212) 213- 1100 Empire's strength, its power, its glory 400 WEST 23rd STREET - TEL (212) 924-3709 began to fade.