Hieromonk Christophoros (Papoulakos) was numbered among the Saints of the Orthodox Church with an official proclamation of his canonization by the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople on August 30th 2024, during a meeting of the Holy and Sacred Synod.
Christophoros Panagiotopoulos, known as Papoulakos (born in Armpounas of Achaia in 1770 and died in Andros on January 18th 1861), was a Greek Orthodox monk, missionary and preacher.
It should be noted that in May 2023, the Synodal Committee on Nomocanonical and Dogmatic Issues of the Church of Greece, in its meeting, gave a positive recommendation for the canonization of Papoulakos.
The suggestion went to the Permanent Holy Synod who in turn recorded Saint Papoulakos in the Hagiologion of the Church and a little while ago it was approved by the Patriarchate.
Christophoros Panagiotopoulos, known as Papoulakos (born in Armpounas of Achaia in 1770 and died in Andros on January 18th 1861), was a Greek Orthodox monk, missionary and preacher.
It should be noted that in May 2023, the Synodal Committee on Nomocanonical and Dogmatic Issues of the Church of Greece, in its meeting, gave a positive recommendation for the canonization of Papoulakos.
The suggestion went to the Permanent Holy Synod who in turn recorded Saint Papoulakos in the Hagiologion of the Church and a little while ago it was approved by the Patriarchate.
THE OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE
ECUMENICAL PATRIARCHATE
"Continuing the work of the Holy and Sacred Synod, it unanimously decided that the proposal of the Most Holy Church of Greece regarding the classification in the Hagiologion of the Church of the late Hieromonk Christophoros Panagiotopoulos, also known as Papoulakos, is accepted, and his memory will be celebrated annually on January 18."
BRIEF BIOGRAPHY
Venerable Christophoros was born in 1770 in the village of Armpounas in the district of Kalavryta as Christophoros Panagiotopoulos and initially worked as a butcher. Christophoros was completely illiterate when he made the decision to follow the monastic life. He first became a monk in the Monastery of the Great Cave in Kalavryta, while later he lived in asceticism in a hut near his village. He remained in seclusion for about 20 years during which he learned to read and write.
At the age of 80 he made the decision to become a preacher and help educate his fellow Greeks in their Orthodox faith, since Atheism and Protestantism were flourishing in Greece from the West. His fame spread quickly, as he had his own way of captivating his audience. He mainly preached against adultery and theft, and in favor of prayer. Through his sermons he criticized the anti-Orthodox policy of the Bavarian government and the condescension to it of the Synod of the Church. He was brought before the Bishop of Kalavryta, who reprimanded him and asked him to limit his sermons.
Six months later, Papoulakos began a tour of the southern Peloponnese, gathering thousands of people along his way. After pressure, King Otto signed a decree confining Papoulakos to a monastery. Papoulakos fled to Mani to save himself.
On June 21, 1852, he was arrested by the army on the accusation of treason, and was transferred to the prisons of Rio where he spent two years in solitary confinement. He was to be tried by the criminal court of Athens as a rebel, but the events of the Crimean War obliged Otto to grant him amnesty. In 1854 he was exiled to the Monastery of Panachrantou in Andros, where he died on January 18, 1861 and was buried there. During his stay in the monastery, he received many visitors.
His thinking was greatly influenced by his spiritual teacher Kosmas Flamiatos, whose activity was parallel and whose teaching was similar.
At the age of 80 he made the decision to become a preacher and help educate his fellow Greeks in their Orthodox faith, since Atheism and Protestantism were flourishing in Greece from the West. His fame spread quickly, as he had his own way of captivating his audience. He mainly preached against adultery and theft, and in favor of prayer. Through his sermons he criticized the anti-Orthodox policy of the Bavarian government and the condescension to it of the Synod of the Church. He was brought before the Bishop of Kalavryta, who reprimanded him and asked him to limit his sermons.
Six months later, Papoulakos began a tour of the southern Peloponnese, gathering thousands of people along his way. After pressure, King Otto signed a decree confining Papoulakos to a monastery. Papoulakos fled to Mani to save himself.
On June 21, 1852, he was arrested by the army on the accusation of treason, and was transferred to the prisons of Rio where he spent two years in solitary confinement. He was to be tried by the criminal court of Athens as a rebel, but the events of the Crimean War obliged Otto to grant him amnesty. In 1854 he was exiled to the Monastery of Panachrantou in Andros, where he died on January 18, 1861 and was buried there. During his stay in the monastery, he received many visitors.
His thinking was greatly influenced by his spiritual teacher Kosmas Flamiatos, whose activity was parallel and whose teaching was similar.