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Obituary for Emmanuel Hatziemmanuel

Emmanuel Hatziemmanuel – A Biography


A distinguished theologian and educator Emmanuel Hatziemmanuel served the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of North and South America and the Greek Education in the U.S. for almost 40 years in a most conscientious and effective way.

Born in Neo Karlovasi on the Aegean island Samos, in 1921, he completed elementary and high school in his hometown in 1937, and then he studied at the National Kapodistrian University of Athens earning his degree in Theology in 1947.

While still a student, during the Greco-Italian War in 1940, he was in charge of the “Communications Division for the Front” of the “Social Services Ministry” of the Holy Archdiocese of Athens for the Greek troops and their families fighting the Axis forces. In 1942, when the Italian forces closed the University, he went back to Samos and joined the locals who were fighting against the invaders under the supervision of the late Metropolitan Eirineos of Samos.

On November 17, 1943, following the fierce bombardment of Samos, he fled together with thousands of his compatriots – through Turkey to Palestine – where he joined the Greek Navy. Soon he was transferred to the American Allied Forces in the Middle East where he received special training under the supervision of General William Donovan and was sent to the occupied motherland on a special mission that lasted from March 20 to November 18,
1944.

For his services during World War II, he was awarded the Medal of Honor (Greek Navy), Certificate of Special Services (U.S. Government) and Diploma of Unknown Heroes (Patriarchate of Jerusalem).

In 1947 and when the war was over, he returned to Greece and taught at the 2nd Evening High School of Piraeus. He also became assistant to the professor Gregory Papamichael of the University of Athens and supervised the publication of the bulletin “Ekklesia” (1947- 1949) of the Church of Greece.

In 1949, earning a scholarship from the World Council of Churches, he traveled to England to pursue a second Degree in Theology at the Lincoln Theological College, known as the Bishop’s Hostel, and a degree in Education at the Woodbrooke College in Birmingham.

As soon as he arrived to America, in 1950, he started teaching and became director of the Greek Afternoon School of the Three Hierarchs parish in Brooklyn (1951- 1953). In 1952, Archbishop Michael appointed him as professor of History, Religion, and Administration at Saint Basil Academy in Garrison, New York. In 1960, he was promoted to the position of assistant director of the Academy as well as director of Finance & Development, because of his success in doubling the yearly income of the Institution and introducing new administrative and pedagogical improvements.

In 1968, Archbishop Iakovos appointed him as Director of Education of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of North and South America, a position he held until his retirement in 1989. At the same time, he served (1953-1958) as editor of the then monthly official magazine of the Archdiocese “Orthodox Observer.”

During his 20-year tenure at the Archdiocese, Mr. Hatziemmanuel: 1) developed an analytical “Course of Study” for the teaching of Greek as a second language for the day and afternoon schools of the Archdiocese; 2) supervised the publication of “Who Is Who” of Greek Americans who were serving as professors in American universities and colleges; 3) worked on the Regulations of Greek Education; 4) developed (1972) a curriculum for teaching Modern Greek in American High Schools (Syllabus) based on which the State Education Department/Office of Foreign Languages granted approval to the Department of Education of the Archdiocese to develop annually the Comprehensive Examination in Modern Greek (Regents). Since 1973, more than 25,000 high school students have benefitted from taking the Greek Examination.

He introduced seminars – in the U.S. and Canada – for the professional development of the Greek school teachers as well as summer seminars in Greece with the collaboration of the Greek Government; secured full pension rights for the teachers by the Greek Government; and succeeded in getting full status recognition of St. Basil Academy as equal to the pedagogical academies of Greece.

Mr. Hatziemmanuel strengthened, coordinated, and promoted the collaboration of the Archdiocesan Office of Education with the departments of education of the City and the State of New York as well as with the Greek Ministry of Education.

He published the book series “I Learn Greek”, written by his wife Athena, an educator. He also supervised the publication of a series of books on Greek culture entitled “The Minoans,” “The Mycenaeans,” and “Our Roots” and authored the book “The Golden Age of Athens.” He supervised the development of a self study program consisting of books and cassettes “I learn Greek at School/in Home” and the videocassette series “I am Learning Greek” intended for young learners.

Professor Hatziemmanuel participated in a series of national and international conventions regarding Religious and Education issues. In 1971, he participated along with Archimandrite V. Rev. Dr. Nikon Patrinakos representing Archbishop Iakovos in a special Conference on Drug Abuse hosted by the White House under President Richard Nixon.

From a very young age, Emmanuel Hatziemmanuel published numerous and various articles in magazines and religious publications of Greece. Among his many contributions are the following books: “The Church and our Children” (1947), “Men of Faith” (Bilingual – 1950), “Playing and learning” (1958), “Modern Greek for Secondary Schools” (1976), “The Golden Age of Athens” (Bilingual – 1979), “I Learn to Write Correctly” (1981).

In 1949, in England, Emmanuel Hatziemmanuel met and married his wife Athena Mylona, a Greek-American educator, whose parents were from Samos. They have three children – Michael, Alexis, and Fotini – and four grandchildren – Christina, Elena, Michael, and Casey.

In the summer of 2010, he established an Endowment Fund at the University of the Aegean in memory of his late wife, Athena, who died in 2007 at the age of 81. Athena Hatziemmanuel had served the educational system of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese as both teacher and principal of Greek schools for over 25 years. She also served as a professor in the Teachers College of Saint Basil Academy in Garrison, New York.


Following is an excerpt from a speech that Emmanuel Hatziemmanuel delivered during a formal dinner organized in his honor and in conjunction with the celebration of Greek Letters in January 1989.


“When we speak of the importance of Greek education in the American society, we are not referring simply to the survival of the Greek language but to something much broader and more inclusive. We see Greek education, in the main, as imparting to our children fundamental spiritual values, those tested by time throughout the history of Greek civilization and the Greek Orthodox Church. We see Greek education as coming into contact, through schooling, of our children with the moral and religious values found in the writings of the Great Fathers of our Church and thinkers of Greek civilization. Thus, Greek education could become a composite program of training, which, in parallel with the scientific, technological and practical career training offered in the public schools could provide our children with the foundation that will enable them to think for themselves and choose to live a responsible life.

It has been all along a hope of this kind that has stood behind my forty-year work in the service of our Church and our Greek Education and has given form to my dreams and spurred me to whatever action my personal abilities have allowed to be manifested in terms of educational planning and action.

This has stood as a kind of beacon, lighting my way through bad and good days and has finally landed me in front of you today asking for your indulgence and for your prayers for whatever our Lord will guide me to do the rest of my days.”
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