Aristotle University awarded the special Honorary Distinction of the “Saint Demetrius” Emblem to His Eminence Archbishop (former) of America Mr. Demetrios (Trakatellis), at an official Ceremony held today, Thursday, 15 January 2026, in the Ceremonial Hall of the University.

The honorary distinction was conferred following a decision of the Senate of Aristotle University, in recognition of the multifaceted contribution and spiritual work of an eminent personality of Orthodoxy and Ecumenical Hellenism.

The Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs and Development, Professor Nikolaos Maggaioros, declared the opening of the Ceremony.

This was followed by the address to the honoree by the Rector of Aristotle University, Professor Kyriakos Anastasiadis, who emphasized that the University honors a lifelong path of selfless service to fellow human beings and an outstanding personality of Orthodoxy and Ecumenical Hellenism, with a wide-ranging presence and significant spiritual work.

“Throughout his long ministry, he highlighted the role of Orthodoxy and Hellenism as a steady and sober voice of peace and dialogue. He served knowledge with dedication, and his work constitutes a lasting legacy for younger generations of scholars,” he noted characteristically.

The Rector, among other remarks, emphasized: “At a time when global challenges are testing societies, institutions, and values, and amid circumstances in which humanity is called upon to redefine its priorities, the example of our honoree underscores that spiritual leadership is not a matter of authority, but an act of service. It is not imposed; it inspires. It is not a privilege; it is a responsibility. It is not distance from the human being, but closeness and offering.

In your person is embodied a path of dedication that does not look to origins or cultural distinctions, and is not defined by the context of any given era. On the contrary, it is shaped as an autonomous value-based expression of humanism—a living compass that charts the path of Orthodoxy for all of us.”

Subsequently, the Senate’s resolution and the title were read aloud, followed by the conferral of the emblem and the title upon the honoree.

In his address, His Eminence Archbishop (former) of America Mr. Demetrios expressed his gratitude for the honor, stressing that it comes from an internationally recognized university and is associated with the name of the Great Martyr Demetrius. He referred to his student years at the Experimental School of Aristotle University and to his teachers, who, as he noted, were never confined to official textbooks but always went beyond them.

“This required more work, which is why it was considered a demanding school, since no class finished with the same number of students with which it began. In my class, we started with 30 students and finished with 21, because the school’s requirements were many, yet they proved impressive when all those who sat for examinations were admitted to universities.”

At the same time, he referred to his brother, Mr. Antonios Trakatellis, who served as Rector of Aristotle University for six years, as well as to personal experiences from the history of Thessaloniki, from the outbreak of the war in 1940 onward.

This was followed by a Polychronion in honor of His Eminence Archbishop (former) of America Mr. Demetrios, performed by the Choir of the School of Theology “Three Hierarchs,” under the direction of Associate Professor Ioannis Liakos. The musical part of the Ceremony included Byzantine hymns by the same choir, as well as the work “Iridescences on Three Musical Themes by Stavros Kouyioumtzis,” arranged and performed by Th. N. Bililis.

Brief Biography of the Honoree

His Eminence Archbishop (former) of America Mr. Demetrios (Trakatellis) served the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America for twenty years, during which he consistently highlighted the spiritual and cultural role of the Greek Orthodox diaspora within a multicultural and multireligious environment. He served as President of the Eparchial Synod of the Holy Archdiocese of America, as well as of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of America, while actively participating in inter-Christian and interfaith dialogues aimed at promoting cooperation and peaceful coexistence among religious communities.

Alongside his pastoral work, he served theological scholarship as Professor at the Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology in Boston and as Visiting Professor at Harvard University. In recognition of his generous contribution to scholarship, he was elected a Corresponding Member of the Academy of Athens and was awarded honorary doctorates by fifteen universities, including Aristotle University. Three university chairs in Biblical Studies bear his name in his honor (Fordham University, University of Notre Dame, Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology). His scholarly output includes monographs, articles, and essays that made a substantial contribution to the development and cultivation primarily of Biblical Studies.

During critical historical periods for Hellenism, His Eminence undertook initiatives of humanitarian, national, and ecclesiastical character, mobilizing the Greek diaspora and providing substantial support to the Ecumenical Patriarchate, Greece, and Cyprus.

The former Archbishop of America Mr. Demetrios is a personality of high prestige and international recognition and has received numerous distinctions, among which are the Gold Cross of the Order of the Phoenix and the Gold Cross of the Order of Archbishop Makarios III.