80.00€
A rare commemorative publication celebrating the 30-year ecclesiastical ministry (1908–1938) of Metropolitan Iakovos of Mytilene, one of the most distinguished Orthodox hierarchs of the turbulent early twentieth century.
Published in Mytilene (Lesvos), Greece, in 1938, this substantial jubilee volume documents the life, ministry, and achievements of Metropolitan Iakovos, whose episcopal service spanned some of the most dramatic political and religious transformations in the Balkans, from the final years of the Ottoman Empire through the Balkan Wars and into the modern Greek state.
Regional ecclesiastical publications from pre-war Lesvos are increasingly difficult to obtain, making this an important acquisition for collectors of Greek Church history, Balkan history, and Orthodox studies.
Bibliographical Details
Title: Μυτιλήνης Ιάκωβος ο από Δυρραχίου: Τριακονταετηρίς (1908–1938)
(Metropolitan Iakovos of Mytilene, formerly of Dyrrachium (Durrës): Thirty-Year Jubilee, 1908–1938)
Publisher: Ο Ποιμήν (O Poimen)
Place of Publication: Mytilene (Lesvos), Greece
Year: 1938
Language: Greek (Polytonic)
Binding: Original textured paper wrappers (softcover)
Dimensions: 24 cm × 16.5 cm
Pages: 90
Historical Importance
Published in 1938 to commemorate the thirtieth anniversary of Metropolitan Iakovos’ episcopal ministry (1908–1938), this beautifully produced commemorative volume is far more than a religious publication. It serves as an extensive photographic record of one of the most influential Orthodox hierarchs of the early twentieth century.
Rather than consisting primarily of text, the volume is richly illustrated throughout with numerous full-page and half-page photogravure portraits documenting Metropolitan Iakovos’ life, ministry, travels, official ceremonies, charitable activities, churches, clergy, and the communities he served.
As such, it functions almost as an official photographic album, preserving visual documentation of Orthodox ecclesiastical life in Asia Minor, Dyrrachium (Durrës) , and Lesvos during a period marked by the Balkan Wars, the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, and the formation of modern nation-states.
Richly Illustrated
Unlike most ecclesiastical commemorative publications of the period, this anniversary volume contains an exceptional number of high-quality photographic plates.
Illustrations include:
full-page portraits of Metropolitan Iakovos
official ecclesiastical ceremonies
churches and monasteries
clergy and dignitaries
charitable and educational institutions
historical events connected with his ministry
contemporary documentary photographs of Lesvos and the Orthodox Church
The abundance of photographs transforms the book into an important visual archive of Orthodox and Balkan history rather than merely a commemorative publication.
It honors Metropolitan Iakovos (1878–1958), one of the most respected hierarchs of the Ecumenical Patriarchate during a decisive period in Balkan history.
After graduating from the renowned Theological School of Halki, he served as Grand Archdeacon of the Metropolis of Smyrna before being elected Metropolitan of Dyrrachium (Durrës) in 1911, only months before the outbreak of the First Balkan War.
As Metropolitan of Dyrrachium, he found himself at the center of profound political upheaval as Ottoman authority collapsed and new Balkan nation-states emerged. His ministry required balancing religious leadership with the complex national and humanitarian challenges facing Orthodox communities during one of the most volatile periods in southeastern Europe.
In 1925 he became Metropolitan of Mytilene, where he remained until his death in 1958. During more than three decades on Lesvos he became renowned for his extensive charitable, educational, pastoral, and social initiatives, leaving a lasting mark on the island’s religious and civic life.
Condition
Good vintage condition.
Original textured paper wrappers.
Please examine all photographs carefully, as they form an integral part of the description.
Collector’s Note
Collector’s Note
Because of its extensive photographic content, this volume appeals not only to collectors of Greek ecclesiastical history but also to collectors of:
historical photography
documentary photo albums
Balkan history
Lesvos (Mytilene)
Orthodox Christianity
Asia Minor studies
Albanian history (Durrës)
Greek provincial printing
Illustrated regional publications of this quality and period were generally printed in modest numbers and are rarely encountered outside institutional collections.
An increasingly scarce documentary record of the Orthodox Church during one of the most transformative periods in modern Balkan history.
