What Language Did the Trojans Speak?
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Former Bishop of Thessaloniki Anthimos, known for his outspoken and often controversial stance on national issues, passed away on Thursday at the age of 91.
He was a formidable figure who left a mark on the ecclesiastical affairs of the city. He served the Church with dignity and love, steering clear of intrigues and machinations.
However, he succumbed to the temptation of delving into matters unrelated to the Church’s mission, intertwining their presence with overt involvement in national issues, particularly the Macedonia name issue.
He fueled popular sentiment through impassioned speeches of high patriotism, placing the Church in the arena of political conflict – a practice that later proved to be unhelpful for state officials and diplomats.
Anthimos also expressed his fierce opposition to the decision of the Greek government to abolish religion affiliation in the identity cards. He helped organize massive protests for these issues in Thessaloniki and other Greek cities.
He was also opposed to gay parades in Thessaloniki urging the faithful to attend vigil ahead of the events. In a statement in 2015, the Thessaloniki bishop protested the “unpleasant, unacceptable and condemnable presence of homosexuals.” He called citizens to protect their children against “unholy and unnatural festivals.”
Born Dionysios Roussas in 1934 in Salmoni of Pyrgos in the western part of the Peloponnese peninsula of Greece, Anthimos graduated from the Philosophical and Theological Faculties of the University of Athens. After completing his university studies, he taught in high school.
In 1964, he entered the Holy Orders of the Orthodox Church when he was ordained a deacon with the name Anthimos. During the following year, 1965, he was ordained a priest.
As a member of the clergy, Anthimos was appointed the priest in charge of the Church of St. Basil in Athens. He also has been an active writer, publishing many articles as well as producing the leaflet “The Lord’s Voice” from 1965 to 1972. He was secretary of the Holy Synod of the Church of Greece and the Director of the Theological Boarding House of the Apostolic Diakonia.
Anthimos was consecrated to the episcopacy on July 13, 1974. On April 26, 2004, he was elected Metropolitan of the Metropolis of Thessaloniki in northern Greece.
He resigned in 2023 as his advanced age and health problems did not allow him to carry out his duties in the way he wished. He was replaced by Bishop Filotheos. The new spiritual leader is tasked with shepherding a Thessaloniki vastly different from the times of Anthimos with a message of reconciliation and conciliation.
