Iakovos: Milestones in the life of a religious leader

c. 1996 Religion News Service (UNDATED) Here are highlights in the life of Archbishop Iakovos, who for 39 years led the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of North and South America and was a spokesman for all branches of Orthodox Christianity. Origins: Demetrios Coucouzis is born July 29, 1911, on the Greek-populated Island of Imvros, Turkey. Education: […]

c. 1996 Religion News Service

(UNDATED) Here are highlights in the life of Archbishop Iakovos, who for 39 years led the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of North and South America and was a spokesman for all branches of Orthodox Christianity.


Origins:

Demetrios Coucouzis is born July 29, 1911, on the Greek-populated Island of Imvros, Turkey.

Education:

Ecumenical Patriarch’s Theological School, Istanbul: Master’s Degree in Orthodox Theology, 1934

Harvard Divinity School: Master’s Degree in Sacred Theology, 1945

In the Greek Orthodox Church:

1934: Ordained a deacon in Istanbul. He assumes the name Iakovos (James).

1940: Ordained a priest in Lowell, Mass.

1955: Consecrated Bishop of Melita.

1956: Elevated to rank of Metropolitan

1959: Enthroned as Archbishop of North and South America.

1960: Established the Standing Conference of Orthodox Bishops in the Americas, the central body of Orthodox prelates.

1996: Retires after 39 years as archbishop.

Ecumenical activities

1959: Meets with Pope John XXIII, the first Greek Orthodox prelate to meet a pope in 350 years.

1959: Serves the first of nine terms as co-president of the World Council of Churches.

1965: Participates in a service in Rome that nullifies the centuries-old rift between Roman Catholics and Greek Orthodox Christians.

1981: Opposes National Council of Churches plan to replace biblical language in lectionary with more inclusive terms.

1983: Initiates dialogues between Orthodox Christians and Jews, Catholics, Anglicans, Lutherans, Southern Baptists and black church leaders in the United States.

1969: First Greek Orthodox prelate to preach in St. Patrick’s Cathedral.

Civil Rights and Human Rights

1950: Becomes a U.S. citizen.

1965: Marches with Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. in Selma, Ala.

1966: Makes pastoral visit to Orthodox Christian American soldiers serving in South Vietnam.

1972: Joins demonstrations against the war in Vietnam.

1982: Joins other religious leaders in call to reverse arms race; issues an encyclical deploring development of nuclear weapons.

Among the Powerful

1960: Offers Christmas prayer at White House with Dwight D. Eisenhower.

1961: Offers prayer at inauguration of John F. Kennedy.

1980: Receives Medal of Freedom from Jimmy Carter.

1984: Criticizes Reagan administration decision to appoint U.S. Ambassador to the Vatican.

1985: Calls for outright ban on abortion.

JC1 END RNS

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