Injury

Published by The National Herald, September 12, 2005

Met. Maximos Recovering from Head Injury

BOSTON – Metropolitan Maximos of Pittsburgh was hospitalized in a Pittsburgh hospital after an accidental fall inside the Pittsburgh Metropolis Center last Friday afternoon, September 2.

The Metropolitan suffered a head injury severe enough to warrant his stay in a Pittsburgh hospital for a few days, Metropolis officials said, but he is doing well and is on his way to "complete recovery," according to His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America.

The Metropolitan suffered a head injury, but he is doing well and is on his way to "complete recovery," according to His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America, who announced this past Monday, September 6, that the Metropolitan’s condition continues to "steadily improve" since his fall at the Metropolis of Pittsburgh headquarters four days earlier.

In a statement to the National Herald, the Archbishop said Metropolitan Maximos "is in the phase of complete recovery," and that "Metropolitan Maximos is really an exceptional and great man and a prominent hierarch, and he deserves the best possible care."

The Archbishop added that the hospital is taking "all necessary measures to complete the full restoration of health of Metropolitan Maximos in the fastest possible way."

The Archbishop also told the Herald that Metropolitan Maximos "is a very valuable, unique brother hierarch for whom we are praying day and night because we want him to continue his great and sacred work."

The Archbishop issued a news release informing the faithful of the Church about the Metropolitan’s condition, and requested that "all clergy and faithful of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America pray for the speedy recovery of Metropolitan Maximos, with the certainty of God’s decisive help in the heeling process."

At press time, Metropolis officials said Maximos was alert and conversing with doctors and family.

Metropolitan Maximos was born on the island of Chios in 1935 to the Rev. Evangelos and Presvytera Lemonia Agiorgoussis. After his basic schooling in Chios, he entered the Ecumenical Patriarchate’s Theological School at Halki, from which he graduated with highest distinction. He was ordained into the Deaconate in 1957 in the Holy Trinity Chapel at Halki, assuming the name Maximos in honor of his spiritual mentor and Dean of Halki, Metropolitan Maximos (Repanellis) of Stavroupolis. He was ordained into the Holy Priesthood at the church of Saint Paraskevi in the village of Kalamoti in Chios in 1959.

Being an exceptional student, Maximos received a scholarship and pursued graduate studies in Systematic Theology at the historic University of Louvain in France. Upon completion of his doctoral studies, he was appointed professor of Doctrinal Theology at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology for more than 15 years. He also served the School as Dean of Academics, and as its Vice President.

In 1978, he was elected auxiliary Bishop to the late Archbishop Iakovos of North & South America, and in 1979, he was elected Bishop of the Diocese (now Metropolis) of Pittsburgh, where he still serves.

Metropolitan Maximos speaks seven languages and he has written theological books of high academic scholarship and caliber.



Volume 7 Number 37 - Tuesday, September 13th, 2005	A Publication of the ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN LAITY