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).
ARCHON OFFICE BEARERS OF THE PATRIARCHAL THRONE OF ALEXANDRIA
Brotherhood of Office Bearers of the Patriarchate of Alexandria and All Africa “Apostle Mark”
President: Theodoros I. Panagopoulos, Professor Emeritus of the University of Piraeus, Great Archon
Counselor
Vice president: Athanasios Martinos, Great Benefactor, Great Archon Deputy, Athens
Members: the following listed,Archon Officials in alphabetical order:
Α. GREAT ARCHONS
Asimakopoulos Theodoros, Great Archon of the Churches, Ethiopia
Barbounis Emmanuel, Professor of the University of Thrace, Great Archon Archivist, New Zoe, Attica
Zaimis Andreas, former Minister, Great Archon Liaison Officer, Athens
Zerefos Christos, Professor Emeritus University of Athens-Academician, Great Archon Teacher, Melissia,
Attica
Themistocleous Konstantinos, former Minister, Great Archon of the Churches, Strovolos Cyprus
Kamalakis Spyridon, Honorary Professor of the State University Nizhny Novgorod, President of the
Hellenic-Egyptian Friendship Association, Great Benefactor, Great Archon Deputy, Athens
Kikareas Panagiotis, Great Archon Teacher of the Gospels
Koumantaros George, Great Archon Patriarchal Summoner
Kounadis Antonios, National University of Metsovo – Academician, Great Archon Teacher, Athens
Kourkoumelis Nicholas K., Major General retired, Dr of Philosophy, Great Archon Archivist, Pal. Faliron,
Attica
Kourtis George-Stavros, Honorary President of the Court of Auditors, Secretary General of the Office
Bearers,
Great Archon Church Jurist, Athens
Kyriakides G., Great Archon of the Churches, Cameroon
Leventis Anastasios, High Commissioner of Cyprus in the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Great Archon
Recorder of the Court
Mandyla Lana, Businesswoman, Great Lady Archon of the Churches, Switzerland
Martinos Athanasios, Shipowner, Great Benefactor, Great Archon Deputy, Athens
Bakouris G., Great Archon Commissioner for Orphans, Piraeus
Babiolakis Andreas, Great Archon Officient, South Africa
Bousias Haralambos, University Professor Emeritus, Great Archon Hymnographer, Marousi Attica
Papagiannopoulos Ioannis, Great Archon of the Churches, Athens
Panagopoulos I Theodoros,Professor Emeritus University of Piraeus, Great Archon Counselor,
Papadopoulos Angelos, Great Archon of the Churches
Patelos Konstantinos, Professor Emeritus Panteion University, Great Archon Archivist Recorder, Pal.
Faliron, Attica
Rakintzis Leandros, Honorary Areopαgite Great Archon Church Jurist, New Erothrea, Attica
Raptis Markos, Civil Engineer, Great Archon Counselor, Voula Attica
Samaras Antonios, Former Prime Minister, Great Archon Exarch
Sofianou Aikaterini, Businesswoman, Great Benefactor, Archon Lady of the Churches, Bucharest
Tambakis Stefanos, President of S.A.E., Great Archon Officient, Alexandria, Egypt.
Tzoumerkas Panagiotis, Deputy Professor University of Thessalonica, Great Archon Archivist Recorder,
Katerini
Athanasios Tsakris, Professor University of Athens, Great Archon ecclesiastical Court Recorder, Athens
Tsiridis Konstantinos, Lawyer, Great Archon Grand Jurist, Cyprus
Β. ARCHONS
Athanasiou Eleftherios, Archon, Businessman, South Africa
Akexiadis Menas son of Alekos, Professor Emeritus Philosophy Faculty University of Athens, Archon
Patriarchal Archivist
Anestis Arnopoulos, Businessman, Archon Grand Liaison Officer, Cameroon
Asimakopoulos Demosthenes, Professor Emeritus University of Athens, Patriarchal Notary, Athens
Aslanides Dimitrios, President of the Missionary Association of Thessalonica, Archon Commissioner for
Orphans, Thessalonica
Atalas Antonios, Hieropsaltis, Archon Patriarchal Left Hand Psaltis, Cairo
Mary Vasileiou,Archon Lady Mother of Expatriate Hellenism South Africa
Beaufort Spontin Friderik Magister Prinz Duke, Archon Exarch, Austria.
Gdoutos Emmanuel, Professor Emeritus University of Thrace-Academician, Archon Teacher of the Nation,
Athens
Georgakis Theodoros, Lawyer, Archon Hierarchal Secretary, Athens
Georgiou Konstantinos, Archon Archivist Recorder, South Africa.
Georgopoulou Maria, Director Gennadius Library, Archon Lady Teacher of the Nation, Athens
Giokos Nicholas, Archon Patriarchal Summoner, Johannesburg, South Africa
Dardavesis Theodoros, Professor University of Thessalonica,Archon Archivist Recorder, Thessalonica
Diakofotakis George, Diplomat, Archon Counselor, Athens
Diamantides Antonios, Archon of the Churches, Cairo, Egypt
Englezakis Savvas, Archon Patriarchal Counselor, South Africa.
Theoharous Eleni, Doctor-former Member of the European Parliament, Archon Lady of the Churches,
Nicosia, Cyprus
Illaskini Raimot, Archon Patriarchal Notary Finland
Kageorgis Lazarus, Archon Hierarchal Secretary, Voula, Attica
Kanavakis Emmanuel, Professor Emeritus University of Athens, Archon Ecclesiastical Court Recorder,
Athens
Karagiannodimas Evangelos, President of the Philoptochus Brotherhood of Men of Thessaloniki
Karabatakis Vasilios, Professor Aristotelian University Thessalonica, Archon Patriarchal Archivist,
Katsigiannis Andreas, Musicologist, Archon Maestor, Volos
Kafetzis Dimitrios, Professor Emeritus University of Athens, Archon Ecclesiastical Court Recorder, Athens
Komninakis Spyridon, Businessman, Archon Patriarchal Left Hand Psaltis, Nice, France
Konidaris Ioannis, Honorary Professor, Doctor Angiologist, Archon Archivist Recorder, Athens
Kormas George, Economist, Archon Treasurer, Athens
Korres Dimitrios, Professor Emeritus, Archon Ecclesiastical Court Recorder, Athens
Kountouris Michael, Lawyer, Archon Keeper of the Laws, Athens
Kratsa Rodi, former Member of the European Parliament, Archon Lady of the Churches, Athens
Kriari Ismini,Professor Emeritus, former Rector of Panteion University, Archon Lady Teacher of the Nation,
Athens
Krystallides Anastasia, Educator, Archon Lady of the Churches, South Africa
Kvist Olov, Archon Officient, Finland
Konstantinidis George,President of the Philoptochos Brotherhood of Men of Thessalonica, Archon Keeper
of the Laws, Thessalonica
Lazaratos Pangiotis, Professor University of Athens, Tenor, Archon Maestor, Athens
Lyhnaras Aristodemos, Lawyer, Archon Patriarchal Counselor, Athens
Maltezou Chrysa, Professor Emeritus University of Athens – Academician, Archon Lady Teacher of the
Nation, Athens
Manikas Panagiotis, Archon Ecclesiastical Court Recorder, South Africa
Mendoni Lena, Minister, Archon Lady Treasurer, Athens
Baladakis John, Archon Counselor, Businessman, Johannesburg, South Africa
Balanou Chloe, Archon Great Lady of the Throne, Cameroon
Bovali Maria, Businesswoman, Archon Lady of Expatriate Hellenism, Cameroon
Botsis Dimitrios, Professor Emeritus University of Athens, Archon Ecclesiastical Court Recorder, Athens
Bourdara Kalliope, former Minister, Professor Emeritus University of Athens, Archon Lady Grand Jurist,
Athens
Nakas Gabriel, Chairman of the Arabic-Orthodox Community of Alexandria, Archon Jurist, Egypt
Xenopoulos Konstantinos, Artist, Archon Iconographer, Katerini
Economou George, Professor Emeritus University of Piraeus, Archon Sacristan, Athens
Panagopoulou Maria-Eleni, Professor Emeritus Panteion University, Archon Lady of the Churches, Athens
Papaemmanuel Gregorios, Musicologist, Archon Protopsaltis, Drama
Papaemmanuel Petros,Musicologist, Archon Maestor, Thessalonica
Pappou Ioannis, Lawyer, Archon Jurist, Rhodes
Pavlides Gregorios, Cardiologist, Director of the 1st Cardiology Clinic of the Onassis Cardiac Surgery
Center, Archon Ecclesiastical Court Recorder, Athens
Petrides Athanasios, Doctor, Archon Ecclesiastical Court Recorder, Athens
Pittaras Theodoros, Doctor, Bio-Pathologist, Assistant Professor University of Athens, Archon Patriarchal
Archivist, Athens
Polychroniou Nektarios, Lawyer, Honorary Consul of Botswana in Athens, Archon Patriarchal Counselor,
Athens
Pouroulis Loukas, Archon Patriarchal Notary, South Africa
Prantzas Vaios, President of the External Mission Brotherhood of Thessalonica, Archon Commissioner for
Orphans, Thessalonica
Stavrou Elias, Doctor, Archon Protopsaltis, South Africa
Schizis Loizos, Archon of the Churches
Tzalas Haris, Marine Antiquities Researcher, Archon Sacristan, Athens
Tsarouhas Konstantinos,Journalist, Archon Patriarchal Counselor, Athens
Tselikas Agamemnon, Paleographer, Archon Patriarchal Notary, Athens
Tsiridi Fotini, Member of Parliament, Lawyer, Archon Lady Keeper of the Laws, Cyprus
Philippou Ioannis, Businessman, Archon Patriarchal Archivist, Johannesburg, South Africa
Fortsakis Theodoros, Professor University of Athens, former Member of Parliament, Archon Jurist, Athens
Haralambakis Christoforos, Academician, Archon Teacher of the Nation, Athens
ΧHolevas Christos, Dentist, Archon Liaison Officer
Chrysoulakis Ioannis,University Emeritus Professor, Archon Hierarchal Secretary
Psillos Ariadne, Theologian, Archon Lady of the Churches, Zimbabwe