Changes

[[List of Constantinople patriarchs|Patriarch]] Athenagoras was born Aristokles Spyrou in Vasilikón, near [[Ioannina]], [[Epirus]], [[Greece]], on [[March 25]], [[1886]]. The son of the village doctor, his mother died when he was only 13. He attended the [[Patriarchical Theological School (Halki)|Patriarchical Theological School]] at Halki, Turkey, graduating in [[1910]]. Upon graduating he was ordained to the [[deacon|diaconate ]] taking the name Athenagoras. He served as [[archdeacon ]] of the Diocese of Pelagonia before becoming the secretary to [[Archbishop ]] [[Meletius Metaxakis]] of [[Athens ]] in [[1919]]. He was raised to the episcopacy as the [[Metropolitan ]] of [[Corfu]] in [[1922]].

Returning from a fact-finding trip to the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese in America in [[1930]], Metropolitan Damaskinos recommended to [[Patriarch Photios II]] that he appoint Metr. Athenagoras to the position of [[Archbishop of North and South America ]] as the best person to bring harmony to the American diocese. The patriarch made the appointment on [[August 30]], [[1930]].

When Abp. Athenagoras assumed his new position on [[February 24]], 1931, he was faced with the task of bringing unity and harmony to a diocese that was racked with dissension between Royalists and Venizelists [[Venizelist]]s who had virtually divided the country into independent dioceses. To correct this he centralized the eccelesiastical administration in the Archdiocese offices with all other bishops serving as auxiliaries, appointed to assist the archbishop, without dioceses and administrative rights of their own. He actively worked with his communities to establish harmony. He expanded the work of the clergy-laity congresses and founded the [[Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology (Brookline, Massachusetts)|Holy Cross School of Theology]]. Through his capable leadership he withstood the early opposition and gained the love and devotion of his people.