Alexandros K. Papaderos

Alexandros Papaderos (AP), a lay theologian and Doctor of Philosophy, was born in Livada Selinou, Chania, Crete, in 1933 as the fifth of six children in his farming family. He participated (recognized by the State) as a messenger in the National Resistance, which had one of its main centers in the area. His village and neighboring ones (Koustogerako and Moni) were destroyed in 1943. He was imprisoned in the Concentration Camp in Agia, Chania. 1946-52: Attended the Ecclesiastical School of Crete (Holy Monastery of the Holy Trinity). 1952-56: Studied at the Theological School of Thessaloniki. Engaged in preaching, catechetical, and social activities. 1955 and 1956: Participated in Work Camps of the World Council of Churches (WCC) in Berlin and Wiesbaden. 1957-58: Military service (responsible for the Religious Service –B10– of the Third Army Corps). Further Education: Driven by an existential need to unravel his "German enigma" (how to explain that a nation that produced Beethoven could also foster Hans, the executioner of Selinou?), he declined a scholarship to Yale University in the USA. Instead, he requested and received a scholarship from the World Council of Churches (WCC) for Germany. From 1958 to 1963, he stayed at the University of Mainz, where he studied Theology (Evangelical and Roman Catholic School) and Comparative Cultural Studies (Philosophical School, where he earned his Doctorate in 1962), served as a Curator, and taught from 1960-63. Orthodox Academy of Crete (OAC): During his stay in Germany, AP, in close collaboration with his mentor, Bishop of Kissamos and Selinou Irenaeus, sought financial resources to rebuild the OAC facilities. Simultaneously, he prepared himself for its work by studying the operation of the Academy of Bad Boll and other similar institutions in Europe. He has been the General Director of the OAC continuously since the establishment of its Founding Committee (1-2-1963) to the present day. Pedagogical Institute (P.I.): On the recommendation of Professor I. Kakridis (1964), the Cabinet elected AP to the position of Theologian Advisor of the newly established P.I. of the Ministry of National Education and Religious Affairs (MNERA). The dictatorship dismissed him (1967). He was reinstated with the rank of Counselor (1974). He retired in 1999. In the interim, he served on the Administrative and Management Committee of the University of Crete (1975-1976) and as a Special Advisor at MNERA (1982-84), with responsibilities over Religious Affairs. These services were offered alongside his directorship of the OAC. Other Activities: - Co-founder and first President of the Theatre Company of Crete (E.TH.E.K.), elected by the General Assemblies (1973-1983), when he resigned due to obligations in Athens. - Since 1974, a member of the Central Committee of the Conference of European Churches, representing the Ecumenical Patriarchate, re-elected by the General Assemblies. After the departure of Patriarch Alexy of Moscow from the Presidency of the CEC, AP served as President for six months (1992-93). Member of various Committees, missions, etc. - Member of General Assemblies, Committees, and missions of the WCC. - For over 30 years, a member of the Board of Directors of the Association of Christian Academies of Europe. - Visiting Professor at the McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago (1989). · Member of the Senate of the Council of Europe for the educational-cultural program "Cultural Routes - Monastic Influence" (1995-99). Distinctions: - Archon Hypomnematographos of the Ecumenical Patriarchate (1968). Ecclesiastical honors from the Patriarchates of Antioch, Moscow, Bucharest, the Armenian Church of Lebanon, among others. - Federal Cross of Merit of Germany (Cross of Distinguished Service - Bundesverdienstkreuz First Class) during the presidency of R.v. Weizsäcker. His books, studies, articles, encyclopedia entries, book reviews, etc., have been published in Greek and other languages (see Bibliography). Married to Anna (Polychroniadou). They have two children.