GREGORIOS PAPAMICHAEL (1874-1956)

Editorial Director of the Journal Θεολογία/Theologia, 1923-1939 / 1956

Gregorios Papamichael, the first editorial director of Θεολογία/Theologia, was a distinguished Professor at the School of Theology of the University of Athens and a member of the Academy of Athens. He was born in the village of Hippeios on Lesbos Island and attended secondary school in Mytilene, Jerusalem, and Samos. He studied Theology at the Theological School of Chalki. He worked as a teacher in the Greek community of Sofia, Bulgaria, and then continued his theological studies at the Theological Academy of St. Petersburg, where he was awarded a Master’s degree in Theology for his prize-winning thesis Saint Gregory Palamas, Archbishop of Thessaloniki. In 1905, he taught for two years as a professor at the Theological School of the Cross in Jerusalem, publishing his studies in the journal Nea Sion. He subsequently took over the editorship of the two journals of the Patriarchate of Alexandria, Ecclēsiastikos Pharos and Pantainos, to which he brought significant prestige by publishing his notable texts and studies. In 1918, he was unanimously elected full professor of Apologetics and Theological Encyclopedia at the Theological School of the University of Athens, while also teaching at the Rizarios Ecclesiastical School, where he served as director from 1937 to 1940. He served repeatedly as Dean of the School of Theology and Rector of the University of Athens (1936–1937), organizing the celebrations for its centennial. In 1945, he was elected a full member of the Academy of Athens, where he also served as President in 1954. Alongside his teaching and writing, Gregorios Papamichael was active in ecclesiastical and social work, taking over the editorship of the journals Ecclēsiastikos Cēryx and Nea Didachē, and later of Ecclēsia and Theologia, publishing numerous articles and studies. His literary output was prolific, covering many theological disciplines. He published seventy major theological works (apologetic, ethical, hagiographic, patristic, historical, etc.) and over a thousand shorter publications, ecclesiastical articles, and book reviews. As a theologian and academic teacher, Gregorios Papamichael combined scholarly depth with literary grace. His ecclesiastical writings in theological journals, and particularly in Θεολογία/Theologia, bear witness to his great love and devotion to the work and mission of the Orthodox Church.