Gregory Orologas

Gregory of Kydonies

Gregor Orologas ( Greek Γρηγόριος Ωρολογάς Gregorios Orologas ) (* 1864 in Manisa , Ottoman Empire ; † 3. October 1922 in Altınova ), as a saint of the Greek Orthodox Church canonized as Gregory of Kydonies ( Γρηγόρος Κυδωνιών ) was an Orthodox Metropolitan in the Ottoman Empire early 20th century. He was originally metropolitan of Strumiza in the region of Macedonia (1902-1908) and then of Kydonies (Turkish Ayvalık ) in western Asia Minor (1908-1922). He was executed in the course of the persecution of Greece at the end of the Greco-Turkish War (1919–1922) .

He was canonized on November 4, 1992 by the Church of Greece , he is commemorated by the Greek Orthodox Church as an ethno-hierarchical martyr ( Ἐθνοϊερομάρτυρας ). His feast day is celebrated annually on the Sunday before the Exaltation of the Cross (September 7th to 13th).

Early years

Gregor was born in the Ottoman city of Manisa (Magnesia) in 1864. His real name was Anastasios Saatsoglou . Saatsoglou is the Greek translation of the Turkish word saatçıoğlu ( watchmaker's son ), a patronymic icon derived from his father's profession . The later used name Orologas is again the Greek equivalent of the Turkish Saatçıoğlu. In 1882, with the support of the Metropolitan of Ephesus , Agathangelo, he was accepted into the seminary of Chalki ( Heybeliada near Istanbul ), where he completed his studies in 1889. He was considered an outstanding student and wrote his dissertation. He was ordained a deacon, then a priest, and changed his name to Gregorios.

After graduation, he served in various dioceses including Thessaloniki , Serres and Drama . Initially he worked as a deacon and teacher of religion, later as an archimandrite , protosyngellos and preacher. He was one of the first preachers to use the Greek vernacular in his sermons.

Metropolitan of Strumiza

On October 12, 1902, he was appointed Metropolitan of the important Metropolis of Strumiza in the Macedonia region . Here he not only had to struggle with oppression by the Turks, but also with opposition from the Bulgarian Revolutionary Committee , whose members assassinated him several times in 1905.

Metropolitan of Kydonies

Metropolitan Gregor remained in office until 1908 when the Ecumenical Patriarch transferred him to the newly created diocese of Kydonies on the west coast of Asia Minor on July 22, 1908, under pressure from the Ottoman government. In the first years of office he supported the expansion of educational and charitable institutions in the region. Meanwhile, several patriotic demonstrations by the Greek Orthodox residents were seen as a threat to the stability of Ottoman rule, which is why martial law was declared in the city from July to August 1909. Many Greek residents were persecuted and jailed. Metropolitan Gregor tried to negotiate with the Ottoman authorities. However, many Greeks continued to be incarcerated in Bodrum Prison , even after martial law was lifted after a month. As a result of his protest against the Ottoman authorities, Gregor managed to have several prisoners released.

Even so, he was charged with alleged treason during World War I and charged twice in a military tribunal in Smyrna . Despite being found innocent, he was arrested in September 1917. He was only released after the surrender of the Ottoman Empire on October 16, 1918 and returned to Ayvalik. Gregor tried to help the locals who were suffering from Ottoman politics.

Initiatives during the Greco-Turkish War

In May 1919 the Hellenic Army occupied the region and Ayvalik became part of the Izmir occupation zone . Metropolitan Gregory stayed in Ayvalik, although he came into conflict several times with the Greek High Commissioner of Smyrna, Aristeidis Stergiadis .

In August 1922, the Greek units had to withdraw from the area due to developments in the Greco-Turkish War. Before the Turkish army reached Ayvalik, Gregory convened a local council (dimogerontia) and proposed immediate action to facilitate the evacuation of the area.

On August 29, 1922, the first Turkish troops marched into Ayvalik, martial law was proclaimed, and in the following days all adult males were arrested.

Gregor achieved a partial withdrawal of the civilian population to Greece in negotiations . Even so, on September 30th, he was arrested along with the rest of the local clergy . They were executed on October 3rd. According to eyewitness accounts, he died of a heart attack when Turkish troops tried to bury him alive.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ^{a b} Demetrius Kiminas: The Ecumenical Patriarchate . Wildside Press LLC, 2009, ISBN 978-1-4344-5876-6 , pp. 76 ( online in Google book search).
2. ↑ Βίος Αγίου: Άγιος Χρυσόστομος Σμύρνης και οι συν αυτώ Άγιοι Αρχιερείς Γρηγόριος Κυδωνιών , Αμβρόσιος Μοσχονησίων, Προκόπιος Ικονίου, Ευθύμιος Ζήλων καθώς και οι κληρικοί και λαϊκοί που σφαγιάσθηκαν κατά την Μικρασιατική Καταστροφή , Ιστοσ. Saint, Ανακτήθηκε 16/03/2011. (Greek)
3. ↑ Theodorou Tsiri: Η Προσφορά της Εκκλησίας και του Ιερού Κλήρου στη Μικρά Ασία 1912-1922 . Ed .: University of Thessaloniki , Department of Theology. Thessaloniki 2008, p. 91 (Greek, auth.gr [PDF; accessed October 19, 2012]).