Papa-Giannis Papaloudis, 1871–1941

“No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day.” (John 6:44)

 

He was yet another faithful and devoted priest from Pontus in Asia Minor. He came to Greece in 1924 with the population exchange and settled with his family in the village of Kato Vrontous in Drama. This village belongs to the Metropolis of Zichnai and Nevrokopion. In a paradoxical way, the presbytera and their only child found rest in attending services at the Old Calendar church of the Holy Prophet Elias, where, at intervals, the ever-memorable Papa-Giorgis Mavridis and Hieromonk Parthenios Mavroforidis served. And Papa-Giannis, too, harbored feelings of sympathy and a kind of reverent love toward the Old Calendarists, a love which, when the time called for it, he would also express in action.

However, his great step to approach them closely and to support them as their spiritual father was not something he dared easily. There was also the human fear of being defrocked by the New Calendarist bishop, in the event that he would follow the Patristic Festal Calendar, which certainly postponed his decision.

And the years passed.

Then came 1936, by which time, for a year now, the G.O.C. had acquired a Hierarchy with an Archbishop, Germanos of Demetrias. In the Prefecture of Drama, many branches had been established, and the spirit of the Traditions had been greatly cultivated by the tireless priests engaged in missionary work—Papa-Giorgis Mavridis, Papa-Andreas Andreadis, Papa-Andrianos Deligiannidis, Papa-Kostas, and the Hieromonks Parthenios Nikiforidis and Gavriil Liveris.

Papa-Giannis, despite the vibrant movement of the G.O.C., showed no signs of joining their ranks. His good predisposition was certainly strengthened, but he delayed, as if waiting for another push. And indeed, it seemed that this was God’s plan. Every morning and evening, when Papa-Giannis went to the church of the St. Theodore for Orthros or Vespers, his path passed by the newly built church of the G.O.C., that of the Holy Prophet Elias. Outside this church, there was a large and broad stone that resembled a seat. Every day, then, Papa-Giannis would stop there to catch his breath, and with longing he would make the prayer: that God might one day grant him to serve the Divine Liturgy in the church of the Prophet. And this happened every morning and every evening for ten whole years.

The Prophet Elias, in the end, did not remain indifferent to the priest’s long-standing fervent supplication. One night, Papa-Giannis saw an important dream: he was serving the Divine Liturgy in the church of the G.O.C., with his koumbaros [best man] and President of the G.O.C. of Kato Vrontous, the ever-memorable Theodosis Efkarpidis, assisting as chanter. He gave the blessing, “Blessed is the Kingdom,” and began the peace petitions. But when he reached the part “for our Archbishop and Father…,” he stepped out onto the Royal Doors and asked in the Pontic dialect:

– Theodosi, who is your Bishop?

– Germanos! he replied curtly.

And Papa-Giannis repeated with particular emphasis: “for our Archbishop and Father Germanos…”

At that very moment, he woke up, and realizing how vivid the dream had been, he nudged the presbytera, full of wonder, to confirm the truth of the dream:

– Presbytera, who is the bishop of the Old Calendarists?

– How should I know, my priest? she replied, also bewildered by his unexpected question.

– I heard his name, but I forgot who it was.

The bed could no longer contain Papa-Giannis. He jumped up to wake his child—perhaps he could confirm it from him. But unfortunately for him, the child too could not remember the name of the bishop of the G.O.C. Papa-Giannis could no longer bear it. He dressed quickly, took his walking stick, and as he stepped out, he paused at the door and declared decisively to the presbytera:

– Listen, presbytera, to what I’m telling you now. I’m going now to my koumbaros. I’ll ask him who their bishop is. If he tells me it’s Germanos, then I’m switching to the Old Calendar!

And leaving the presbytera bewildered, he immediately made his way down toward the house of his koumbaros, which was near the church of Prophet Elias.

He opened the gate and found himself in front of Theodosis, who was washing up before heading to his field.

– Good morning, Theodosis.

– Welcome, Papa-Giannis!

Without preamble, Papa-Giannis asked him:

– Theodosis, who is your bishop?

– Germanos, my priest, Germanos, his koumbaros replied, also puzzled.

Without delay, and with a deep awareness of the moment, Papa-Giannis said:

– Take the key and open the Church! From this moment, I am your priest.

His koumbaros, who had not expected such joy, ran to get the keys and accompanied Papa-Giannis to the church, where, after venerating the Holy Icons and the Holy Altar, he put on his epitrachelion and read, full of satisfaction, his first Orthros according to the Old Festal Calendar.

The “news” reached the preacher Michael N. Savvopoulos by telegram, and under his guidance, Papa-Giannis sent to Metropolitan Agathangelos of Zichni and Nevrokopi his resignation from the New Calendar, by official notice.

From that day on, he became the regular celebrant at the church of the Holy Prophet Elias and an occasional celebrant at any Branch where he was requested. When in 1941 the Bulgarians and Germans came down into Eastern Macedonia, Papa-Giannis and his family sought refuge in Edessa. The excessive deprivation and great hardships left Papa-Giannis gravely ill, and he fell asleep in the Lord in 1941.

 

Greek source: Τα Πάτρια, Vol. 3, 1978, pp. 141-144.