At the kind invitation of His All Holiness the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople Bartholomew, a lecture was given in Constantinople on “The Orthodox Academy of Crete - The First Forty Years.” The lecture was delivered in Greek as a power-point presentation in the Manuscripts Room of the Library of the Ecumenical Patriarchate on 12 January 2011. His All Holiness the Ecumenical Patriarch, the members of the Holy Synod, and other hierarchs of the Ecumenical Patriarchate as well as officials, both clergy and lay people, were in attendance.

Following the wish of His All Holiness, the lecture was published in the form of an Album. During an official celebration at the Ecumenical Patriarchate in May of the same year, the Album was presented by the Brotherhood of Archons of the Mother and Great Church of Christ, the Church of Constantinople, to His All-Holiness the Ecumenical Patriarch on the completion of twenty fruitful years of patriarchal service.

Respect for the wish of the Patriarch to see the Album published in an English translation dictated the decision to publish the Album in English. Since the Greek lecture was addressed to members of the Orthodox Church, for the present edition it was necessary to make several changes and additions.

It is evident that this Album cannot and should not be seen as a history of the Orthodox Academy of Crete. It is simply a brief overview of some aspects of its creation, life, and efforts, and a short informative account for beloved people from all over the world, who honor the Academy through their visits or their participation in one or another of its activities.

Dr. Alexandros K. Papaderós