METROPOLITAN PHILEMON KAVASON FALLS ASLEEP
Today, 3rd August 2012, His Eminence Philemon, Metropolitan Kavason, retired Hierarch of the Patriachate of Alexandria fell asleep in the Lord. The late Hierarch was born on 30th September 1934 in Lyon, France. He was a graduate of the Theological Faculty in Thessaloniki and was tonsured a monk in 1955 at the Pendelis Holy Monstery. He was ordained to the Diaconate on 15th March 1959 by Metropolitan Ierotheos of Aitolia and Akarnania and Presbyter – Archimandrite at Christmas in the year 1960 By Ignatios Metropolitan of Arta. In 1964 he was numbered among the clergy of the ancient Patriarchate, where he was Parish Priest of the Holy Churches of St Nicholas in Ibrahimia, the Transfiguration of the Saviour in Port Said, Annunciation of the Theotokos in Alexandria and was also Hegumen of the Holy Patriarchal Monastery of St Savvas in Alexandria.
On 27th November 1979 he was elected Bishop of Kanopos, ordained in the Holy Church of St Savvas in the Great City on 2nd DCecember 1979 by the late Metropolitans of Pilousion Varnavas and Irinoupolis Frumentios, as well as Metropolitan Paul of Johannesburg and Pretoria, now Elder Metropolitan of Memphs. Following his ordination as Bishop he was appointed Heguen of the Holy Monastery of St George in Old Cairo.
On 23rd November 1999 he was elected Metropolitan of Dar-es-Salaam (Tanzania), and retired from this position on 4th November 2000. On 14th March 2003 he was elected Titular Metropolitan of Kavasos.
The funeral service for the late Hierarch will take place on Tuesday 7th August 2012at 11.00am at the Holy Church of St Athanasios in Kypseli (Dependency of the Alexandrian Patriarchate) and he will be buried at the 1st Cemetery in Athens. This will be preceded by a Hierarchal Divine Liturgy conducted by His Eminence George of Accra, representative of His Beatitude in Athens.