Chrysostomos of Smyrna

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Chrysostomos of Smyrna (birth name Kalafatis, in Greek Καλαφάτης), was a Metropolitan of the Greek Orthodox population of Smyrna (now İzmir in Turkey). He was born in Triglia of Bithynia in 1867. In 1902 he was elected Bishop of Drama by Ecumenical Patriarch Joachim III of Constantinople.

Drama is located in Eastern Macedonia, a land with a predominant Greek population, part of a fabling Ottoman Empire at that time. Chrysostomos as a Greek Orthodox bishop functioning under Ottoman rule, faces yet a more significant problem, due to the Bulgarian campaign at that time to take a stronghold in the region. His work in the region is notable: he encourages the Greek population, builds schools and churches, takes back churches occupied by the Bulgarians, builds athletic centres, hospitals, nursery schools.

His actions lead to his exile on 30.08.1907 by the Turkish authorities. On 10.05.1910 the Ecumenical Patriarch sends him to Smyrna (İzmir) as a Metropolitan Bishop. He again encourages the Greeks of Smyrna of this time to keep their ethnic identity. During World War I and the persecution of the Greeks of Anatolia by the Ottoman Empire, he tries to help the Greek population in whatever way he can, either helping them to take refuge to the Greek islands of the Aegean or through informative actions to the press. The German ambassador in Istanbul writes for him that he "stands to the best of living clerics". His actions result in a second exile on 20.08.1914 when he leaves İzmir and is led to Istanbul.

After the end of the World War he returns to İzmir. On 02.05.1919 the Greek army occupies İzmir following the Treaty of Sèvres. He now helps not only the Greek population but also the Turkish and Armenian population of İzmir.^{citations needed}

He was notable for his charity work and for having been deeply involved in the politics of his day ^[1] After the defeat of the Greek Army in Anatolia and the liberation of İzmir by the Turkish army, Chrysostomos refused to leave the city and abandon the Greek population. The Metropolitan Bishop was lynched and brutally murdered by a Turkish mob incited by Nureddin Pasha in Smyrna, on 9 September 1922, soon after the Turkish army regained control of the city:

"In the early afternoon, Smyrna's new military commander, Nureddin Pasa, sent for Archbishop Chriysostomos. Nureddin explained calmly that a military tribunal had already sentenced the Greek Metropolitan to death:
"The Prelate was walking slowly down the steps of the Konak when the General [Nureddin] appeared on the balcony and cried out to the waiting mob, 'Treat him as he deserves!' The crowd fell upon Chrysostomos with guttural shrieks and dragged him down the street until they reached a barber's shop where Ismael, the Jewish proprietor, was peering nervously from his doorway. Someone pushed the barber aside, grabbed a white sheet, and tied out the Prelate's beard, gouged out his eyes with knives, cut off his ears, his nose, and his hands. Then they carried him to the Turkish neighborhoods, where they tore apart its body and fed the dogs with it..." [ibid, p. 133-4, a contemporary account]"

Chrysostomos was also honorary chairman of the sports club Panionios, owing to his important contributions to the club. ^[2]

Chrysostomos has been declared a martyr and a Saint of the Eastern Orthodox Church.

[edit] Footnotes

^ The former US Consul to Smyrna, George Horton, who was married to Greek-American spouse Catherine Sacopoulo, wrote a book, The Blight of Asia, which is not particularly pro-Turkish; Horton writes that he "was there [in Smyrna] up until the evening of 11 September 1922, on which date the city was set on fire by the army of Mustapha Khemal" (the fire had started on 13 September). Horton refers to "Metropolitan Chrysostom" several times. The first time is: "on one occasion I was present at an important service in the Orthodox Cathedral, to which the representative of the various powers, as well as the principal Greek authorities had been invited. The [Hellenic] High-Commissioner [for Ionia, Aristidis Stergiadis, which Horton spells Sterghiades] had given the order that the service should be strictly religious and non-political. Unfortunately, Archbishop Chrysostom (he who was later murdered by the Turks) began to introduce some politics into his sermon, a thing which he was extremely prone to do. Sterghiades, who was standing near him, interrupted, saying: "But I told you I didn’t want any of this." The archbishop flushed, choked, and breaking off his discourse abruptly, ended with, "In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, Amen," and stepped off the rostrum." [1] Marjorie Housepian (Hovsepian) Dobkin, another source not known for advocating Turkish causes remarks in her book, The Smyrna Affair that, "The Archbishop's murder was reported to Admiral Dumesnil aboard the French flagship."[2]
^ Panionios website Greek: {{{1}}}