His Eminence Elder Metropolitan Emmanuel of Chalcedon, born on December 19, 1958, in Crete, exemplifies a global perspective, pursuing education in France, including studies at the Sorbonne in Paris and the Catholic University of Paris. Ordained as a deacon and priest in 1985, he continued his theological studies at the Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology in Boston, obtaining his Master’s degree in 1987.

 

After his studies, Metropolitan Emmanuel served as chancellor of the Greek Orthodox Diocese of Benelux while concurrently serving as Dean of the Parish of the Archangels in Brussels and teaching Orthodox religious studies. In 1995, His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew appointed him director of the Liaison Office of the Orthodox Church to the European Union in Brussels.

 

Consecrated as an auxiliary bishop of the Benelux diocese in 1996, he was later unanimously elected Metropolitan of France in 2003 by the Holy and Sacred Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. In France, he spearheaded cooperation among Orthodox communities and engaged in ecumenical dialogue in his role as president of the Orthodox Episcopal Assembly. He also served as President of the Conference of European Churches from 2009 to 2013 and is currently a member of the Central and Executive Committees of the World Council of Churches.

 

Metropolitan Emmanuel actively participates in inter-religious and ecumenical dialogues, representing the Ecumenical Patriarchate in academic discussions with Judaism and Islam. He holds positions such as Co-President of the World Conference of Religions for Peace and member of the Board of Directors of the King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz International Centre for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue. His contributions have earned him distinctions like the “Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur” in France and the “Order of Honor” in Greece, along with an honorary doctorate from the University of Athens in 2022.

 

On February 16, 2021, His Eminence was elected the Elder Metropolitan of Chalcedon.