Sources
Metropolitan Nicholas Antoniou
Metropolitan of Tanta (Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria)
Νικόλαος Αντωνίου
Greek Orthodox Metropolitan of Tanta (Hermopolis) in the Patriarchate of Alexandria, born in Cairo in 1944 and an engineer by first training. Author of an Arabic text on the doctrine of theosis (November 2008).
- Born
- 20 March 1944, Cairo
- Era
- 20th–21st century
- See
- Archdiocese/Metropolis of Hermopolis (Ermoupolis), seat at Tanta, Gharbia — Patriarchate of Alexandria
Life
He was born in Cairo on 20 March 1944[1][2]. He first trained as an engineer (Mechanical Engineering, Helwan University, 1974) and later took a theology degree (1988) at the St. John of Damascus Institute of Theology at Balamand, Lebanon[1][2]. He was ordained hierodeacon in 1980 and priest in 1983[1][2].
Because of his formation in Lebanon he was assigned to the Arabic-speaking flock in Egypt and, after Archbishop George (Azar) died, served as its Patriarchal Vicar[1]. OrthodoxWiki says the Holy Synod of the Patriarchate of Alexandria elected him on 18 March 2001 to succeed Archbishop George on the see of Hermopolis, whose seat is Tanta; it also records his attendance at the Council of Crete in 2016[1].
The text the site quotes, on the doctrine of theosis, is a PDF hosted on the Coptology site; its first page is signed "Metropolitan Nicholas Antoniou, Greek Orthodox Metropolitan of Tanta and its dependencies, Patriarchal Vicar for the affairs of the Arabic-speaking community in Egypt" and dated November 2008[3]. This is the basis for identifying the author as the Greek Orthodox Metropolitan of Tanta.
Where the sources disagree
The sources conflict on the date of his election: OrthodoxWiki says the Holy Synod elected him Archbishop of Hermopolis on 18 March 2001, while the Patriarchate's archdiocese page says he was elected in 1992 (OrthodoxWiki gives 1992 as the year he became archimandrite). They also differ in title (Archbishop vs. Metropolitan); the 2008 text signs as Metropolitan. The quoted wording on p. 1 was not matched line by line against the PDF.
Timeline
- 1944Born in Cairo on 20 March.[1]
- 1974Mechanical Engineering degree, Helwan University.[1]
- 1980Ordained hierodeacon.[1]
- 1983Ordained priest.[1]
- 1988Theology degree, St. John of Damascus Institute, Balamand.[1]
- 2001Elected to the see of Hermopolis on 18 March (per OrthodoxWiki; the Patriarchate's page says 1992 — see disagreements).[1]
- 2008Text on the doctrine of theosis dated November 2008.[3]
- 2016Took part in the Council of Crete as a member of the Holy Synod.[1]
Works
- The Doctrine of Theosis in the Orthodox ChurchNovember 2008
Words by topic
The Doctrine of Theosis
Contemporary Writers1
Topics cited in
Notes
Bibliography
- Nicholas II (Antoniou) of Hermopolis — OrthodoxWiki — Biography.
- Holy Archdiocese of Ermoupolis — Patriarchate of Alexandria — Official page with birth, studies, ordination.
- عقيدة التآله — Coptology (PDF) — Primary text.