Augustinos Andrew Kantiotes

His Eminence Metropolitan Augustinos Kantiotes was the Bishop of the Holy Metropolis of Florina, Prespai and Eordea in Northern Greece, renowned as a defender of traditional Orthodoxy both in Greece and abroad, and a prolific writer of spiritual literature, publishing eighty two books, several of which have appeared in English and in other languages. Born Andrew Kantiotis in Paros, an island in the Cyclades, Greece, on April 20, 1907, he graduated from the Theological School of Athens in 1929. In 1935, he was tonsured monk, taking the name Augustine, and in the same year he was ordained deacon by Metropolitan Ierotheos Paraskevopoulos of Akarnania. He was ordained presbyter by the Metropolitan of Edessa and Pella Panteleimon in 1942. He served as chancellor of the Metropolis of Aitolia, as military chaplain from 1947 until 1950, and as a preacher in Athens between 1951 and 1967. He issued dozens of periodicals, founded boarding schools, was the founder of "The Cross" ("O Stavros") Theological Brotherhood, and was most noted as a fiery preacher throughout Greece. On June 25, 1967, he was enthroned as Metropolitan of Florina. On January 14, 2000, he retired due to old age after serving the Metropolis for 33 years. Metropolitan Augustinos passed away on August 28, 2010, at around 5 am., aged 103, of renal failure after suffering a stroke. In accordance with his wishes, following the funeral service that took place at the Cathedral of St. Pandeleimon, he was buried at the Holy Women's Monastery of St. Augoustinos of Florina.