Demetrios I of Constantinople

Demetrios I also Dimitrios I or Demetrius I, born Demetrios Papadopoulos (Greek: Δημήτριος Αʹ, Δημήτριος Παπαδόπουλος; September 8, 1914 – October 2, 1991) was the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople from July 16, 1973, to October 2, 1991. He was the 269th successor to St. Andrew (the apostle to whom the See of Constantinople traces its roots), and was the spiritual leader of more than 5 million Eastern Orthodox Christians.[1] Before his election as Patriarch he served as Metropolitan Bishop of Imvros. He was born and died in Istanbul, Turkey.

Demetrios I
Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople
InstalledJuly 16, 1973
Term endedOctober 2, 1991
PredecessorAthenagoras I
SuccessorBartholomew I
Personal details
Birth nameDemetrios Papadopoulos
Born(1914-09-08)September 8, 1914
Constantinople, Ottoman Empire (now Istanbul, Turkey)
DiedOctober 2, 1991(1991-10-02) (aged 77)
Phanar, Istanbul, Turkey
DenominationEastern Orthodox Church

Role in ecumenism

On November 30, 1979, Demetrios proclaimed the establishment of the official theological dialogue between the Orthodox and the Roman Catholic Church, at that time led by Pope John Paul II. He also met with two different Archbishops of Canterbury representing the Anglican Communion.

In 1986, Demetrios travelled to the Vatican where he was received by John Paul II. At a solemn ceremony in St. Peter's Basilica, the Patriarchs of East and West together recited the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed of the Church in Greek as originally defined in AD 381, without the controversial Filioque clause.

In a 8-city tour of U.S. in 1990 the Patriarch met with the US-president, with Christian and Jewish leaders, and public officials, and spread the message that: "Today, Orthodoxy is not a strange or alien factor in America. It is flesh of its flesh and bone of its bone".[2][3]

Eastern Orthodox Church titles
Preceded by
Athenagoras I		 Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople
1973–1991		 Succeeded by
Bartholomew I
Regnal titles
Preceded by
New office		 Co-Head of State of Mount Athos
1975–1991		 Succeeded by
Bartholomew I

References
  1. New York Times | 1991-10-03 | https://www.nytimes.com/1991/10/03/world/dimitrios-i-eastern-orthodox-patriarch-77-dies.html
  2. New York Times | 1990-07-03 | https://www.nytimes.com/1990/07/03/us/patriarch-begins-8-city-tour-of-us.html
  3. Image of Patriarch Demetrios I with US President George H.W. Bush | 1990-07-08 | https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/file-photo-dated-july-8-1990-shows-former-us-president-news-photo/1067065308


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