Archbishop Alexander (Demoglou)

Archbishop Alexander (Demoglou) (1876-1942)

Early life of Alexander Demoglou

Alexander Demoglou was born in 1876 in the city of Chalcedon (now called Kadıköy), which is on the west coast of Asia Minor (present day Turkey). Situated on the east coast of the Sea of Marmara, it faces the old city Constantinople, of which it is now a part (and named Istanbul). At that time, the territory where he was born was part of the Ottoman Empire, of which Istanbul was the capital city.

Alexander was raised within the Patriarchate of Constantinople in Chalcedon. There, he was nurtured in the Orthodox Christian Faith.

Higher education

After completing his primary and secondary education, he then studied at the Theological School of Halki, from which he graduated in 1902.

Halki Island (Heybeliada Island) is one of the Princes' Islands in the Sea of Marmora, about 18 km (11 mi) southeast of Istanbul.

Ordinations, 1895, 1902

Alexander Demoglou was ordained to the Holy Diaconate in 1895.

He was then ordained to the Holy Priesthood in 1902.

Pastoral service

He served in the Holy Metropolises of Ephesus, Andrianoupolis and Xanthi. He also served in Thessaloniki and Athens (within the Church of Greece).

On 21 October, 1907, Priest Alexander Demoglou was elected to become a bishop.

Episcopal ordination, 1907

On 27 October, 1907, Priest Alexander Demoglou was ordained to the Holy Episcopate.

The ordination was performed by Metropolitan Kyrillos (Demetriadis) of Adrianople, along with Metropolitan Nikodimos (Neoklis or Papageorgiou) of Lititsa and Metropolitan Anthimos of Saranta. All the bishops bore titles of dioceses in Thrace.

Episcopal service

Bishop Alexander (Demoglou) was ordained as the Titular Bishop of Rodostolon. Rodostolon is a formerly functioning diocese that was active until the arrival of Islam in Anatolia. This title is very regularly-used for Vicar-Bishops of the Patriarchate of Constantinople.

With this title, he then was assigned to serve as Vicar-Bishop (assistant bishop) in the Dioceses of Adrianople, Ephesus, Xanthi, Thessaloniki (1910-1912) and then in Athens.

In 1918, Bishop Alexander was assigned to serve as the Vicar-Bishop of the Holy Synod of the Church of Greece for the newly-established Archdiocese of North and South America, formed by Metropolitan Meletios (Metaxakis) of Athens, Greece. This incipient archdiocese was formed to care for all the Greek Orthodox Faithful in North and South America, with Metropolitan Meletios as its head in the responsibility of Exarch of America. Bishop Alexander (Demoglou) became the first Greek bishop to head the ethnic Greek Orthodox parishes in North and South America.

This appointment of Bishop Alexander was made during a period of chaos for the Orthodox Church in North America, and also in other parts of the world (as a consequence of the Russian Revolution of 1917). The chaos was also produced by the Russian Civil War, the beginning of the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire at that time, and the Greek-Turkish War which followed World War I.

Before this time, there had been a long-standing immigration to the USA of Greek-speakers who had arrived, mostly from Greece. About 450,000 arrived between 1890 and 1917. Most settled in the cities of the northeastern USA. Many Greek immigrants expected to work and return to their homeland after earning capital and dowries for their families, but this was not always possible. Until 1917 and the fall of the Russian Empire, together with the beginning of the great repression of the Russian Orthodox Church, the Greek-speaking parishes in the USA had tended to be served under the auspices of the Russian Mission in North America, within the Russian Orthodox Diocese of New York, North America and the Aleutian Islands. These bishops provided Greek-speaking clergy to the parishes. Particularly after the catastrophe of 1917, other Orthodox Churches of other countries began to send clergy to care for their own people, and this brought about the opportunity for the establishment of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese. At first, it belonged to the Church of Greece, but it then became the responsibility of the Church of Constantinople.

After the royalists returned to power in Greece, Metropolitan Meletios (Metaxakis) was deposed. However, in 1921, he was elected to be the Patriarch of Constantinople in Turkey at a time when the government of the Ottoman Sultan was being deposed. Patriarch Meletios then returned to make an official visit to the United States, where he presided over the formal organisation of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of North and South America in 1922.

As one of his first official decrees, Patriarch Meletios (Metaxakis) appointed Bishop Alexander (Demoglou) to be the Titular Archbishop of Rodostolon as his Patriarchal Exarch in America.

The citation which follows is a letter to Archbishop Alexander (Demoglou). This letter shows the attitude of Archbishop Alexander (Nemolovsky) of New York, the Aleutians and North America, towards the arrival of Archbishop Alexander (Demoglou) :

 November 11, 1921.
 
 Most Reverend and dear Brother in Christ:
 
 After taking counsel and acting in accordance with our knowledge and understanding of Canon Law, we herewith 
 inform you about our interpretation of the duty confronting us in relation to the established intercommunion 
 of our Holy Eastern Orthodox Catholic Communion: we look to you and your Canonical Superiors as being in 
 North and South America, the head of the interests of the Hellenic members of our Holy Faith. 
 
 By this, you will therefore understand that until further action by the Œcumenical Patriarchate at 
 Constantinople, the Russian Mission established in America with jurisdiction known as the Archdiocese of the 
 Aleutian Isles and North America, as well as our local American work known as 'The American Orthodox Catholic 
 Church' under the immediate direction of the Right Reverend Archimandrite Patrick [Mythen], who is under 
 obedience to us as Archbishop, are in full fellowship and communion with you, as the only valid and canonical 
 head of the Hellenic Mission (for care of the spiritual interests of citizens and former citizens of the 
 Kingdom of Greece). 
 
 We beg you to take note of this, our official communication, and we pray that together, under God’s direction, 
 we may work in fraternal harmony in the Apostolic responsibilities resting upon us.
 
 Praying that God’s blessing be upon you and your work, I am
 
 Fraternally Yours,
 
 ALEXANDER
 
 Archbishop of the Aleutian Isles and North America

Greek Archbishop of America, 1922

On 26 April, 1922, after the Greek Orthodox parishes in North America were taken under the jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, Bishop Alexander (Demoglou) was elected to serve as "Archbishop of America" for the new Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of North and South America, and he was elevated to the dignity of titular archbishop.

Archbishop Alexander of America

During his archiepiscopal service in North America, he laid the foundations for the organisation of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, and he took care to develop structures that enabled activity in the field of charity and social action. However, the years of Archbishop Alexander’s service were punctuated by the political dispute in Greece between the supporters of the royal house and the supporters of Prime Minister Eleftherios Venizelos, in which Metropolitan Meletios (Metaxakis) of Athens and Archbishop Alexander (Demoglou) supported Mr. Venizelos (Metropolitan Meletios was a nephew of Prime Minister Venizelos). This dispute was reflected in a division which developed amongst the Greek parishes in America.

The identification of both Archbishop Meletios and the Synodal Exarch with the party of the Venizelists was problematic. It contributed to the ecclesiastical division within the Greek-American community, since the pro-royal faction refused to recognise Archbishop Alexander as its ecclesiastical leader. The source of this particular conflict was the defeat of Greece in 1922 at the end of the Greco-Turkish war of 1919-1922. This disaster was followed by another : the infamous exchange of populations in which a multitude Greek-speakers were expelled from Turkey and likewise Turkish-speakers from Greece. As a consequence, a revolution ensued on 11 September, 1922, since the government of King Constantine I (Glücksburg) was generally blamed for the catastrophe. The Greek-speaking residents of North America were affected by this war and by its consequences through their family members who experienced the events directly.

Despite his efforts, Archbishop Alexander was unable to bring about the unity of the archdiocese. Besides these obstacles to unification and reconciliation in the archdiocese, other obstacles were posed by the actions of the former bishops Vassilios of Chaldea and Panteleimon of Neapolis. They had settled in the USA, and they joined the mainly pro-royal communities. Archbishop Alexander stood up to them all with such an attitude of superiority and austerity that it was difficult to help ease the crisis.

Archbishop Alexander of Rodostolon was then recalled from his position of Patriarchal Exarch, and the Holy Synod of Constantinople assigned Metropolitan Germanos (Troianos) of Monemvasia and Sparta as the new exarch. Although he had been sent with the intention to ameliorate the dispute, he was unsuccessful. The 2 bishops strongly disagreed, and Archbishop Alexander (Demoglou) refused to accept the new situation and obey the orders of the Holy Synod. Rather, he remained in America where he continued to act as the Synodal Exarch.

In 1930, the dispute had become so intense that a definitive action had to be taken. Ecumenical Patriarch Photius II and the Holy Synod, understanding the magnitude of the troubles, and supported by the Church of Greece, sent Archbishop Damaskinos (Papandreou) of Corinth to the USA as his representative and exarch. It was his responsibility to enable a process of reconciliation. The exarch, after studying the situation, came to the conclusion that in order to pacify the Hellenists in the USA, all the high-priests (bishops, hierarchs) would have to leave the continent. This recommendation was fulfilled.

Archbishop Alexander

Transfer to Corfu, 1930

During 1930, Archbishop Damaskinos (Papandreou) effected the transfer of the hierarchs who had been assigned by Patriarch Meletios to new sees in Greece.

In the course of the changes, on 19 June, 1930, Archbishop Alexander was released from his responsibilities in North America, and he was returned to Greece.

On 6 November, 1930, Archbishop Alexander (Demoglou) was elected to serve as the Metropolitan of Corfu (Kerkyra).

Early in 1931, after the transfer of Archbishop Alexander, Archbishop Athenagoras (Spyrou), supported by Vicar-Bishops, arrived in the USA to be the ruling hierarch of the Greek archdiocese as the successor to Archbishop Alexander (Demoglou).

Metropolitan Alexander served as Metropolitan of Corfu into the terrible days of 1942 in Corfu (during the German Occupation in World War II).

In the course of his service, Metropolitan Alexander of Corfu saved from execution 23 high school students. The military commander of the Ionian Islands had condemned them to death as a result of their involvement in actions against Mr. B Mussolini and his occupying Italian Army forces during the war.

Repose, 1942

On 1 August, 1942, Metropolitan Alexander (Demoglou) fell asleep in Christ in Corfu.

The Funeral Services for the Burial of a Hierarch were offered in the Dormition of the Theotokos Cathedral "of the Cave" of the City of Corfu, on the Island of Corfu (Kerkyra).

After the conclusion of the funeral services, the body of Archbishop Alexander (Demoglou) was interred at the cemetery of the Monastery of the Platitera (near one of the gates of the city of Corfu).

— Titular Bishop of Rodostolon 1907-1918.

— Titular Bishop of Rodostolon, Vicar-Bishop of North America 1918-1922.

— Titular Bishop of Rodosotlon, Archbishop of North and South America 1922-1930. See created. Succeeded by : Patriarch Athenagoras (Spyrou).

— Patriarchal Exarch of North and South America 1922-1930.

— Metropolitan of Corfu 1930-1942. Preceded by : Metropolitan Athenagoras (Spyrou). Succeeded by : ____.

Reflections

Probably the main significance of Archbishop Alexander (Demoglou) is that he was the first and (as it were) founding Archbishop of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of North and South America.

It was perhaps unavoidable during the course of his years of pastoral service in North America that there was such a difficulty with regard to the political situation in Greece. Willy-nilly, he was identified with one political party in Greece, and the consequence was a division amongst the Greek Orthodox Faithful in the USA. It is frequently stated that politics and the life of the Orthodox Christian Church do not mix.

Moreover, in certain situations, when people fall into the temptation simply to react or to defend, any possible bridging and reconciliation can become difficult or even impossible.

Despite this particular division, Archbishop Alexander did establish the foundation of the archdiocese, and the truth of his pastoral heart and disposition was clearly revealed during the last years of his life as Metropolitan of Corfu during World War II.

References

Orthodoxwiki biography

Wikipedia biography

Biography

Additional information :

Koukousas, Vassilios, 'Alexandros Dimoglou, Archbishop of America, Metropolitan of Corfu' in "Great Orthodox Christian Encyclopedia", vol. 2 (Athens), p. 168. ISBN-13 : 978-960-8094-63-5 (in Greek).

(Surrency), Archimandrite Seraphim, “The Quest for Orthodox Church Unity in America : A History of the Orthodox Church in North America in the Twentieth Century” (New York : Saints Boris and Gleb Press, 1973).

Tarasar, Constance J, ed., "Orthodox America 1794-1976 : Development of The Orthodox Church in America" (Syosset, NY : The Orthodox Church in America Department of History and Archives, 1975). ASIN : B000ZLZAUE.

Patriarch Meletios IV (Metaxakis)

Patriarch Athenagoras (Spyrou)

Metropolitan Platon (Rozhdestvensky)

Archbishop Alexander (Nemolovsky)

Orthodox History article

1921 Clergy-Laity Congress

Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of North America web-site

Wikipedia article about the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America

Orthodoxwiki article about the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of North and South America

Orthodoxwiki article about the Ecumenical Patriarchate

History of the Metropolis of Corfu

Wikipedia article about the Metropolis of Corfu, Paxoi and the Diapontian Islands