CHICAGO — His Eminence Metropolitan Athenagoras (born George Aneste), former Metropolitan of Mexico and Vize, fell asleep in the Lord on July 1, 2025, at the age of 84. A lifelong servant of the Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Athenagoras was known for his pastoral dedication, missionary vision, and steadfast leadership across the Americas and beyond.
Born in Chicago on September 17, 1941, to Greek immigrant parents Evangelos and Dimitra (Della) Anastasiadis, he grew up in a home steeped in Orthodox faith and Hellenic culture. He attended the Socrates Greek School and worshiped at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, living on Polk and Ashland near St. Basil’s.
He traveled to Greece to study theology at the University of Athens, graduating in 1965. That same year, he was ordained a deacon by Bishop Meletios and received the ecclesiastical name Athenagoras—a name that would become synonymous with decades of Orthodox service.
Early Ministry in North America
In 1967, Fr. Athenagoras was assigned to Toronto, Canada, where he served under Bishop Timotheos and was ordained a priest at St. George Greek Orthodox Church. He later ministered in Ann Arbor, Michigan, before returning to Chicago in 1973 as Chancellor of the Diocese and Archimandrite at Panagia’s Church.
Throughout his ministry in America, he held numerous leadership roles, including Chancellor of the Diocese of Chicago, Director of Youth for the Archdiocese of America, General Secretary of the Office of Bishops of SCOBA, Director of Inter-Orthodox Relations, and Supervisor of St. Basil Academy. In 1975, he founded the Young Adults League (YAL), fostering Orthodox faith and fellowship among new generations of Greek-Americans.
Episcopal Service in the United States
On August 22, 1982, he was elected Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of America with the title Bishop of Dorylaion. For 17 years, he served the Archdiocese from New York, providing spiritual guidance and supporting ministries that nurtured Orthodox life in America.
Missionary Leadership in Latin America and the Caribbean
In 1996, at the direction of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, he traveled to Hong Kong to establish the new Metropolis of Hong Kong and Southeast Asia, personally delivering its charter to the Patriarch. Later that year, he was elected Metropolitan of Panama and enthroned in Panama City in January 1997.
The Metropolis of Panama was renamed the Metropolis of Mexico in 2005. Over nearly three decades of leadership, Metropolitan Athenagoras guided the Church’s remarkable growth across Central America and the Caribbean. Under his leadership, the Metropolis expanded from a few thousand Greek families and three priests to over 450,000 faithful served by 58 native-born clergy.
His pioneering work included establishing the first Greek Orthodox Church in Cuba under the authority of then-President Fidel Castro—a historic achievement that reflected his diplomatic skill and pastoral vision. His ministry extended to Mexico, Colombia, Venezuela, Panama, Belize, Honduras, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Puerto Rico, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and Cuba.
Final Service in Turkey and Return to Chicago
In 2024, Metropolitan Athenagoras was transferred to the Diocese of Vize in Turkey, where he continued his ministry despite declining health. He returned to Chicago in 2025, where he passed away peacefully in the city of his birth.
Remembering His Words and Legacy
In a 2022 interview with The National Herald, Metropolitan Athenagoras reflected on his life and calling:
“Whatever I am, I owe to Hellenism in America and to the opportunity that America gave to the children of immigrants.”
Metropolitan Athenagoras is survived by his siblings Fotini Ann and Stratis and was a beloved uncle to many nieces and nephews, with whom he shared his wisdom, faith, and love for Orthodox tradition. He will be remembered as a dedicated spiritual father, a tireless missionary, and a steadfast leader who nurtured the Orthodox Church across continents.
Funeral Arrangements
Visitation will be held on Tuesday, July 8, 2025, from 4:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., with a Trisiagon service at 7:00 p.m., at St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church, 2350 W. Dempster St., Des Plaines, Illinois 60016.
On Wednesday, visitation will continue at 8:00 a.m. followed by Divine Liturgy from 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. and the funeral service at 11:00 a.m. Interment will follow at Elmwood Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to the Greek American Rehabilitation and Care Center, 220 N. 1st Street, Wheeling, Illinois 60090.
Arrangements are entrusted to Nicholas M. Pishos Funeral Director, Ltd. (Hellenic Funeral Service). For information, call 847-833-9522.
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