A COMPREHENSIVE BIOGRAPHY

 
An Introductory Note:
The biographies provided in publicly-available sources (see below) are incomplete, mis-dated, factually-unsupported, and in some instances even unclear. Here, for the first, time, we provide a very carefully-sourced and researched (and factually-verified) biography. Where there remain questions, we thus note and do not make inferences or speculations. We are very thankful to the Very Reverend Archimandrite Alexandros (Koutsis), Patriarchal Librarian and Second of the Patriarchal Deacons, who kindly responded to our request for records in the Patriarchal Archives and Library concerning the person of Polyefktos. We are also very thankful to the Very Reverend Grand Ecclesiarch Fr. Aetios, Director of the Personal Office of His All-Holiness, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, who physically brought these records to us from Constantinople during his visit to America as part of the Patriarchal Representation to the 44th Biennial Clergy-Laity Congress of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America (2022).
 
Konstantinos Finfinis was born in Constantinople in 1912. He was admitted to the Theological Seminary of Halki in 1928. He graduated in 1934 defending the dissertation "The Bulgarian Schism".
 
Upon his graduation from the Theological Seminary of Halki, he was ordained to the diaconate in March of 1934, on the 4th Sunday of Lent, inside the Seminary chapel by the Metropolitan of Heraclia, His Eminence Beniamin, receiving the clerical name “Polyefktos”. He was then appointed deacon and preacher to the church of Agia Triada in the Pera district (Stavrodromi) of Constantinople succeeding the serving deacon of the church, Vasilios Anthoulidis, who was elevated to the priesthood by His Eminence Germanos, Metropolitan of Sardeon and Pisidia. There, he developed charitable activities including growing a soup kitchen for the faithful of lesser means of the community, the needy students, and most notably, Muslims of lesser means of the area.
 
In July of 1936, His All-Holiness, Ecumenical Patriarch Beniamin, appointed Deacon Polyefktos as his personal Deacon attaché, and in January of 1938, he was appointed to the position of under-secretary of the Holy Synod succeeding Deacon Kyrillos Axiotis who was elevated to the position of Chief Secretary.
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In January 1938, at the direction of the Ecumenical Patriarch, and through the tonsure by His Eminence Germanos, Metropolitan of Sardeon and Pisidia, Polyefktos is elevated to the rank of priest and then immediately to Archimandrite at Agia Triada church at Pera, Constantinople. Polyefktos resigns his position as Under-secretary of the Holy Synod, and departs for New York City, to serve as the priest of Holy Trinity church and to further immerse himself in theologic education. Of interest in this report is the elevation of the Archdeacon of the Metropolis of Chalcedon, Meliton Chatzis, to the position of under-secretary of the Holy Synod. Meliton became among the most notable and influential hierarchs of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Eastern Orthodox Church in general in subsequent decades, nearly becoming Ecumenical Patriarch himself, had not the Turkish authorities interfered to disqualify him on their own political grounds.
 
Although the record of the Ecumenical Patriarchate indicates that Polyefktos, as a priest, is assigned to Holy Trinity Church in New York City, this is not reflected at all in the public record (e.g. Wikipedia, or the public records of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America). The Patriarchal record also does not mention where he enrolls for further studies. The public record, however, states that he served as priest of the Perth Amboy community in New Jersey and at the same time attended a theological seminary in New Brunswick, New Jersey. The public record also notes that, by order of the bishop of Boston, Athenagoras Kavvadas, he abandoned his studies to teach at Pomfret Connecticut. Pomfret is a small town and at the time, there were only three schools in the general region. There was no theological seminary, and thus the public record about him teaching at a theological seminary at Pomfret requires some investigation. The public record states that somewhere in that time, he was invited by the community of St. Demetrios in Astoria, New York to serve as their priest, remaining in this position for three years.
 
In 1945, at the request of the community of San Francisco, he was transferred to the Church of the Annunciation. He served this parish for a decade. During this time he developed a rich activity: for nine years he directed a Greek radio program and published the church magazine "Torch of the Annunciation". In 1953, the public record notes that he founded a religious institute of Orthodox Theology, however this requires further investigation. From 1946 to 1951 he was also the Episcopal Vicar of the 4th Archdiocesan district.
 
On October 11th, 1955, at the recommendation of Archbishop Michael Konstantinidis, the Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate elected Polyefktos to the rank of auxiliary/assistant bishop consequent to the recommendation by His Eminence Michael, Archbishop of North and South America, as part of a wide consecration of a number of auxiliary/assistant bishops to serve him and the American faithful. Polyefktos, at that time serving as the proistamenos of the community in San Francisco, in addition to the rank of auxiliary/assistant bishop to His Eminence Michael, was elevated to the See of the ancient bishopric of Tropaiou. Polyefktos’ formal elevation and enthronement took place on the 3rd of October at St. Nicholas Cathedral in Pittsburgh, under the tonsure of His Eminence Michael, and their Graces, bishops Bogdan, Athenagoras of Elaia, and Iezekiel of Nazianzou. Therefore, he was assigned to oversee, administer, and shepherd the 6th Diocesan district centered at Pittsburgh. Essentially, Polyefktos becomes the first formal bishop of what was soon to become the Diocese of Pittsburgh. At the time, the Sixth District was comprised of fifty seven communities in Western and Central Pennsylvania, Northern Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia, and two additional communities, one in Jamestown, New York, and the other in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. 
 
CLICK HERE FOR A GALLERY OF REPORTING ON HIS ELEVATION
 
CLICK HERE FOR HIS ACTIVITIES AND PHOTOS WHILE IN PITTSBURGH
 
Bishop Polyefktos, around the month of June 1957, travels to Constantinople to offer his respect to the Mother Church and to also visit his relatives. He stays in Constantinople for 2 months and in the period, he celebrated the Holy Liturgy in many churches in the city, preached, and confirmed his personal commitment and respect, as well as that of his American flock, to the Mother Church. He departed on the 14th of August, was introduced/admitted for final greetings by the Very Reverent Georgios, Grand Archdeacon. Subsequently, there is a report in the Patriarchal archives about more than 500 faithful from America on a pilgrimage to the Mother Church and Constantinople. The pilgrimage was led by Archbishop Iakovos of North and South America and accompanied by Bishop Polyefktos. Details of key moments and events are provided HERE.
 
Between January-March, 1960, at the recommendation of His Eminence Iakovos, Archbishop of North and South America, the Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate elevated His Grace Polyefktos of Tropaiou to titular Metropolitan of Tropaiou assigning to him, as part of his responsibilities, the administrative oversight of the communities of the South American region of the Archdiocese, referring always to the leadership and direction of His Eminence Iakovos. There is confusion in the public record concerning whether he migrated to some area in South America for this assignment. More investigation is required on this matter, although the most realistic probability is that he administered from America through emissaries and/or regional vicars/bishops already in South American communities.
 
On October 22, 1963, he is elected as the first Metropolitan of Germany and Exarch of the Netherlands and Denmark. He was enthroned on the 1st of March 1964 in the Church of St. Andrew in Dusseldorf. He remained Metropolitan of Germany for about five years. There is much information about his election, elevation, and tenure in Germany HERE.
 
 On June 25, 1968 he is elected Metropolitan of Heliopolis and Thira and on August 12, 1969 he is elected the first Metropolitan of the newly established Metropolis of Sweden. On April 30, 1974, he is elected Metropolitan of Aeneas, whereupon he settles in Athens. He passed in the Lord in Athens on February 1, 1988.
 
Polyefktos left behind a rich library of of books (nine) and many pamphlets whose topics covered Greek national, and Orthodox religious matters during his service as deacon (Constantinople), priest (San Francisco), bishop (Germany). There is no public information available about any works he wrote while in service in Sweden and then during his retirement in Greece.
 
Two of his books are provided HERE and offer insight into his thinking and his approach in service to the Church.
 

Sources:

 
“Οι Ιεράρχες της Εκατονταετίας (1922 - 2022), The Hierarchs of the Past Century”,
Stylianos D. Charalambidis, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America (Publ.); https://fliphtml5.com/iput/krck/basic, p. 200.
 
“Orthodoxia: Ethico-Religious Journal” (“Ορθοδοξία: Περιοδικόν Ηθικοθρησκευτικόν”), A Publication of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, Fener, Director-Meletios of Christoupolis; January 1934, 9th Year, Volume 97, p. 138 and p. 138; July 1936, 11th Year, Volume 7, p. 138; January 1937, 12th Year, Volume 1, p. 35; January 1938, 13th Year, p. 91.
 
“Orthodoxia” – Ecclesiastical Annals (“Ορθοδοξία - Εκκλησιαστικά Χρονικά“), A Publication of the Ecumenical Patriarchate; January-March 1955, 30th Year, Volume 1, p. 494; July-September 1957; 32nd Year, Volume 3, pp. 404-405; April-June 1960, 35th Year, Volume 2, pp. 215-216; January-March 1960, 35th Year, Volume 1, p. 494.
 
Μητροπολίτης Ανέων Πολύευκτος – Βικιπαίδεια
https://el.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Μητροπολίτης_Ανέων_Πολύευκτος, (accessed May 14, 2023)
 
Μητροπολίτης Ανέων Πολύευκτος Φινφίνης (+ 01-02-1988) http://users.sch.gr/markmarkou/1988/koim/polyeuktos_finfinis.htm (revised, February 23rd, 2023)
 
https://www.pittsburgh.goarch.org/history (accessed May 14, 2023)
 
 “Ιερά Μητρόπολις Γερμανίας”, Αρχιμανδρ. Συμεών Αυγουστάκης, Μεταπτυχιακή Εργασία, Αριστοτέλειο Πανεπιστήμιο Θεσσαλονίκης, Θεολογική Σχολή, Τμήμα Θεολογίας, Τομέας Εκκλησιαστικής Ιστορίας, Χριστιανικής Γραμματείας, Αρχαιολογίας και Τέχνης, http://ikee.lib.auth.gr/record/127185/files/GRI-2011-7223.pdf,  pp. 38-49