His Eminence Archbishop of Crete Timotheos (Papoutsakis) was born in 1915 at Gavalomouri of Hania. When he finished high school he begun to study Theology in Athens University. Immediately after he graduated he served as sergeant in the Greek army. During the Greco-Italian war he served in the army as a preacher on the North Epiros fonts. After along time he published his memoirs of that period. During the bitter bondage, which followed the Greco-Italian war, he offered his service voluntarily to the National Organization of Christian solidarity. At the same time he preached God’s word in churches, schools and hospitals.

Shortly after the German occupation of Crete, he settled at Hania and in 1942 he became a monk in the Holy Monastery of Gouvernetou. Afterwards he was ordained deacon; then he became priest and was appointed as a Archimandrite. After his many-sided religious and national activities, he went to France in 1950, spending two more years there for further education. Upon his return to Athens he served the Church in the position of chief priest of the famous church of Chrysospiliotissa. Further more he was appointed deputy director and Spiritual father at the theological boardinghouse which was owned by the church of Greece.

On May 1956 he was elected Bishop of Gortyna and Arkadia. In his Diocese he established many benevolent societies and founded charitable foundations. In the meantime, he became very famous because he regenerated missionary work. On March the 10th 1978 he was elected Archbishop of Crete. He wrote many Theological and Eclesiological papers, articles and books. Most of them have been published. He came out with the journal “Anayenisis”. He gives rounds of lectures and speeches in the Spiritual Center of Archdiocese of Crete and interviews to many broadcasting corporations.

The ultimate lifework of Archbishop Timotheos can be described as plenty of deeds and activities. With an excellent combination of spiritual and social vividness, Archbishop Timotheos showed tremendous achievements in the live of the Church of Crete.

He founded at Heraklion of Crete, a recognized Faculty of higher Seminar studies, well-Known for its system, its students and the famous academic staff.

Also he founded the Spiritual Center of the Archdiocese of Crete, which has multiple activities; it calls congregation, organizes meetings and rounds of lectures of a high scientific level.