Bishop Vasileios of Dryinoupolis ( el, Βασίλειος Δρυϊνουπόλεως; 1858-1936; born Vasileios Papachristou, Βασίλειος Παπαχρήστου) was Greek metropolitan bishop, scholar, important figure of the

Northern Epirus sq, Epiri i Veriut rup, Epiru di Nsusu , type = Part of the wider historic region of Epirus , image_blank_emblem = , blank_emblem_type = , image_map = Epirus across Greece Albania4.svg , map_caption ...

movement and member of the

provisional Government of Northern Epirus The Autonomous Republic of Northern Epirus ( el, Αὐτόνομος Δημοκρατία τῆς Βορείου Ἠπείρου, translit=Aftónomos Dimokratía tis Voreíou Ipeírou) was a short-lived, self-governing entity founded in the aft ...

(1914) that struggled against annexation of his homeland to the newly established

Principality of Albania The Principality of Albania ( al, Principata e Shqipërisë or ) refers to the short-lived monarchy in Albania, headed by Wilhelm, Prince of Albania, that lasted from the Treaty of London of 1913 which ended the First Balkan War, through ...

Scholar and religious figure

His family originated from the village of Hormovë which was destroyed by the Ottoman Albanian ruler Ali Pasha at the end of the 18th century. Vasileios was born in Labovë e Kryqit (Labovë of the Cross) in

Gjirokastër District Gjirokastër District () was one of the 36 districts of Albania, which were dissolved in July 2000 and replaced by 12 counties. It had a population of 55,991 in 2001, and an area of . It contained a large Greek ethnic minority. It is in the sout ...

(in present-day southern Albania) at 1858. He studied theology at the

Halki seminary The Halki seminary, formally the Theological School of Halki ( el, Θεολογική Σχολή Χάλκης and tr, Ortodoks Ruhban Okulu), was founded on 1 October 1844 on the island of Halki ( Turkish: Heybeliada), the second-largest of the ...

. Later he was appointed professor at the

Zographeion College Zographeion College ( el, Ζωγράφεια Διδασκαλεία) was a Greek educational institution that operated from 1873 to 1891 in the village of Qestorat, Ottoman Empire, in modern southern Albania. It was named after its sponsor Chris ...

in Qestorat where he taught Theology, Greek, Turkish, Latin and French. During the same time he was appointed at the local metropolitan bishopric of Argyrokastron and Dryinopolis. In 1888 he was appointed professor the Greek Gymnasium in

Serres Sérres ( el, Σέρρες ) is a city in Macedonia, Greece, capital of the Serres regional unit and second largest city in the region of Central Macedonia, after Thessaloniki. Serres is one of the administrative and economic centers of Northe ...

, Macedonia and in 1890 in Adrianople. In 1895 he ascended to the post of Megas

Protosyncellus A protosyncellus or protosynkellos ( el, πρωτοσύγκελλος) is the principal deputy of the bishop of an eparchy for the exercise of administrative authority in an Eastern Orthodox or Eastern Catholic church. The equivalent position in t ...

of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. In 1897 he was appointed metropolitan bishop of Belegrada (based in

Berat Berat (; sq-definite, Berati) is the ninth most populous city of Albania and the seat of Berat County and Berat Municipality. By air, it is north of Gjirokastër, west of Korçë, south of Tirana, and east of Fier. Berat is located in ...

), where he contributed to the foundation of several Greek schools and the one religious seminary in Berat. Vasileios also offered on annual base scholarships to students that came from poor families, with complete coverage of their living costs. Later in 1909 he was appointed metropolitan bishop of Argyrokastron (full title ''Argyrokastro, Dryinopolis, Delvino, Himara and Pogoni''; encompassing modern southwest Albania), centred in

Gjirokastër Gjirokastër (, sq-definite, Gjirokastra) is a List of cities and towns in Albania, city in the Republic of Albania and the seat of Gjirokastër County and Gjirokastër Municipality. It is located in a valley between the Gjerë mountains and th ...

. There he continued his activity with the foundation of various educational, religious and cultural institutions in the area.

Northern Epirus struggle (1913-1916)

He became one of the protagonists and a local hero during the struggle against annexation of the area to the newly established

(1913-1914). In February 1914 Vasileios together participated in the declaration of the

Autonomous Republic of Northern Epirus The Autonomous Republic of Northern Epirus ( el, Αὐτόνομος Δημοκρατία τῆς Βορείου Ἠπείρου, translit=Aftónomos Dimokratía tis Voreíou Ipeírou) was a short-lived, self-governing entity founded in the aft ...

and signed the declaration of Autonomy as a member of the provisional Government under

Georgios Christakis-Zografos Georgios Christakis-Zografos ( el, Γεώργιος Χρηστάκης-Ζωγράφος; 1863–1920) was a Greek politician, minister of foreign affairs and president of the Autonomous Republic of Northern Epirus (1914). Life Studies and ear ...

. In the following months he was named Minister of Justice and Religion. In September 1916, Italian troops entered the region, closed down all Greek institutions to expelled Vasileios to Greece.Vasileios protested to the Greek Prime Minister, Eleftherios Venizelos, against his unprovoked expulsion.Albania's Captives.
Pyrrhus J. Ruches. Argonaut, 1965. p. 103. Following the Greco-Turkish War, Northern Epirus was acquired by

Albania Albania ( ; sq, Shqipëri or ), or , also or . officially the Republic of Albania ( sq, Republika e Shqipërisë), is a country in Southeastern Europe. It is located on the Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea and shares ...

in 1921, further preventing his return.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Vasileios of Dryinoupolis, Bishop 1858 births 1936 deaths Greek bishops Northern Epirus independence activists Bishops of the Church of Greece 20th-century Eastern Orthodox bishops People from Libohovë