An Orthodox Journal of Cross-Cultural Theology, Dialogue and Mission

Metropolitan Gregory of Cameroon (Stergiou)

gregory_of_cameroon

Member of the Editorial Board

“The African community is now at an important stage in the process of claiming its position and identity in the world. The fact that Africa has accepted the Christian message to a great extent should not allow those responsible for the sowing of the Gospel to rest on their laurels, but rather they should constantly seek and discover new ways of communication and qualities of speech that are accessible to the African reality. If this spirit does manage to appear, Orthodox Mission can perhaps evolve and become a significant balancing factor in the course of ancient and new African societies without the mistakes made in European region. Therefore it is very significant to rethink and reflect on our strategies and methodologies and to allow theological reflection to guide our praxis.”

George Stergiou was born in 1961 in Megara. He was tonsured a monk in 1984, with the name Gregory, at the Monastery of St. Paraskeve Maziou of the Metropolis of Megara and Salamina. Gregory was ordained deacon in 1984. He was ordained a priest in 1988 and also raised to the rank of archimandrite by Metropolitan Bartholomew of Megara and Salamina. He served in the Metropolis of Megara and Salamina and studied design, drawing, iconography as well as theology at the University of Athens, receiving his degree in Social Theology in 1988.

He was assigned as director of the Private Patriarchal Office by Patriarch Petros VII, for the period of January 2001 to July 2002. Fr. Gregory served as the parish priest of the Church of St. Theodore in Rome, Italy while studying at the Pontifical Gregorian University from May 2003. During this time he also was the Archdiocesan Vicar of Central Italy of the Metropolis of Italy.

On October 27, 2004, Fr. Gregory was elected Metropolitan of Cameroon by the Holy Synod of the Church of Alexandria. He was consecrated by Pope Theodoros II on November 25, 2004 at the Church of St. Savvas the Sanctified. He was enthroned by the Patriarch in Yaoundé, Cameroon, on January 23, 2005.