It was sadly announced this morning Wednesday 20th November 2019 by the Archdiocese of Thyateira and Great Britain that Archbishop Gregorios our former Archbishop of Thyateira and Great Britain (Nee Gregorios Theocharous Hadjittofi) sadly passed away this morning at 7am at the age of 91.
He was born in the village of Marathovounos in the district of Famagusta, Cyprus, on October 28, 1928 (it is now under Turkish military occupation). He was the ninth and last child of the family of the builder Theocharis and his wife Maria Hadjitofi. At the age of three he was orphaned through his father’s death. After completing his primary education at the village school, the eleven-year-old Gregorios became an apprentice as a shoemaker in his brother-in-law’s shop, where he worked for the next eight years. On his 13th birthday (October 28, 1941) he heard on the only radio of the village that Greece had joined the war by refusing to allow Axis troops to enter its territory.
At the age of 20 he decided to attend a secondary school; he enrolled in 1949 at the Higher Commercial School of the town of Lefkoniko which, at that time, had only five classes. He was accepted in the second-year class.
In 1951, he transferred to the Pan-Cypriot Gymnasium, Nicosia, having become a rasophore, and he was later ordained deaconon the Sunday of Pentecost, 1953, at the Church of St. Sava in Nicosia by the late Archbishop Makarios III.
He graduated from the Gymnasium in 1954 and went to Athens to study at the Theological School of the University. Before receiving his university degree in February 1959, he was appointed to the Church of All Saints in London. He arrived there and started his duties at the Church of the Holy Saints in Camden Town in April 1959.
He was ordained presbyter by the late Archbishop of Thyateira, Athenagoras (Kawadas), on the April 26 of the same year.
In 1964 he was appointed Chancellor of the Archdiocese of Thyateira. On December 12, 1970 he was consecrated Bishop of Tropaiouby the blessed former Archbishop of Thyateira, Athenagoras Kokkinakis, at the Cathedral of St. Sophia. From the first day of his ordainance he undertook to organize and administer the St. Mary’s Cathedral and the Church of St. Barnabas the Apostle in Wood Green, North London.
On April 16, 1988 he was unanimously elected by the Sacred Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate as Archbishop of Thyateira and Great Britain and his enthronement took place at the Cathedral of Sophia in West London. His tireless program saw him attending many community events, both in London and around the country.
Parikiaki would like to extend their condolences to the family.
Sevasmiotate was truly a good shepherd! Ο Θεός να τον ανάπαυση! Вечная ему память!
His heart was full of love, he was a blessing to the whole nation.Memory eternal.
Such a wonderful man and friend of our family. His greatness will continue to shine on our community. May he rest in peace.
A gentle, warm, approachable and generous in all ways human being who devoted his whole life to his flock. He will be sadly missed by all who had the honour to meet him and by everyone in the Cypriot Community. He was unstinting in his efforts to be all-inclusive with all who believed in one omnipotent God, irrespective of their path to Our Maker.
Theos Makarisi ton. I will never forget you my dear Uncle. Your compassionate spirit will live on in us your humble community always.
A much loved Archbishop and human being. He will be greatly missed by the entire community for his unceasing devotion to our faith and wellbeing of our community. May God test his soul.
Wonderful, courageous man who helped so many in need. Rest in peace.
May almighty God keep him safe in his Kingdom for eternity! So sad to see such a wonderful Archbishop pass away! He will be sadly missed by all! Jesus we pray that you keep him safe!
God rest his soul he was a peoples person full off kindness and good advise , Loved sitting next to him at Lykion of London dance performances that he always attended. He really will be missed.
Katia
Oh this news makes me very sad as we have met the Archbishop Gregorios on many occasions in the Greek Church and His Eminance presence was very holy divine, one of the best people I ever met.
We will miss your Eminance very much ???we will never forget you ☘️
May God rest your soul in all the Glory of Paradise ☘️
His passting is great loss to all Greeks and Cypriots who reside in Great Britain, Ireland and France!
We will not see his like again.
Eonia i mnimi
On behalf of THE BRITISH ASSOCIATION OF P we send our condolences to all who feel a ,loss of Archbishop Greogrios as our Association does..Of his own accord he wrote an introduction for one of our Exhibition Catalogues and came to one on of them as well. We shall miss his encouragement and support. He rests in the life of peace of our Lord.
From British Association of Iconographers
I was saddened to hear from the Archdiocese of Thyateira and Great Britain that Archbishop Gregorios our former Archbishop of Thyateira and Great Britain sadly passed away on the 20th November 2019.
He was a kind, generous and great man with a warm smile that lit up his face . He wanted to educate people and to help them. During his lifetime, he worked tirelessly and ensured that many Greek Orthodox Churches and schools that would teach the Greek language and the Greek Orthodox Christian faith were set up.
I remember the lovely words he said at my wedding after conducting the ceremony and also after baptising my two sons.
In October 2018, I was privileged to attend an exhibition hosted by the Salvation Army at their International Headquarters within their Gallery 101 space. This was given the title ‘Immortalised by Art’ and a group of artists exhibited their work in honour of His Eminence Archbishop Gregorios to commemorate his 90th Birthday and 30 years as head of the Archdiocese of Thyateira and Great Britain. Anyone that has met him never forgets their meeting with him. His Eminence was very good with remembering everyone’s name and would greet you using your name whenever he saw you. His passing is a great loss but he will live on in our hearts and in the memories that we have of him.
Our deepest wishes of sympathy to His Grace Bishop Athanasios and to the whole family.
May God grant Archbishop Gregorios peace and may he ‘Rest in Peace’. Memory eternal.
A truly great man. Always had time for everyone whatever the circumstance. Married my parents, christened me. I got to know him really well when doing work at the archdiocese. May he RIP.