On Saturday, February 3, 2019 (O.S.), the Most Reverend Chrysostomos, Metropolitan Emeritus of Etna, reposed in the Lord, from complications of a long bout with heart disease.

His funeral service and burial took place on Tuesday morning, February 6 (O.S.), at the Saint Gregory Palamas Monastery in Etna, California, according to the Monastic Typikon, which was in accordance with his wishes. The Most Reverend Auxentios, Bishop of Etna and Portland, presided over the service, and the Abbot of the Monastery, Hegumen Akakios, and the clergy of his Brotherhood took part, along with a small number of the departed Hierarch’s spiritual children.

The Most Reverend Chrysostomos, Metropolitan Emeritus of Etna (in the world, A.E.J. González de Iturriaga Alexopoulos), was born in California in the year 1943.

He was an academic, with degrees in history, Orthodox studies, and psychology from the University of California, the Center for Traditionalist Orthodox Studies, and Princeton University.  He taught at various universities including Princeton, the University of California at Riverside, and Ashland University. He held a special appointment at the Theological Institute of Uppsala University in Sweden and served as a Visiting Scholar at the Harvard Divinity School, Oxford University, and the University of Washington. He also was a Fulbright Scholar during the academic year 2000–2001, teaching at three institutions in Romania.

Together with Bishop Auxentios, he was the co-founder of the Saint Gregory Palamas Monastery in Etna, California, and he authored many books and articles in various scholarly journals and magazines. He served as Senior Research Scholar at the Center for Traditional Orthodox Studies in Etna and as a Professor at the Saint Photios Orthodox Theological Seminary in the same city.

He was ordained a Deacon and then a Priest in 1976 by the Most Reverend Akakios, Metropolitan of Montréal of the Church of the G.O.C. He was consecrated a Bishop on January 8, 1986 (O.S.), with the title of “Bishop of Oreoi,” by the Most Reverend Cyprian, Metropolitan of Oropos and Phyle (+2013). He was enthroned as Bishop of Etna in May of 1989, and in October of 1995 was awarded the title of “Archbishop.”

 

On March 5, 2014 (O.S.), he was elected by the Holy Synod of the Church of the Genuine Orthodox Christians of Greece as Metropolitan of the Metropolis of Etna, California. On September 5, 2014 (O.S.), his petition to be numbered among the retired Hierarchs of the Holy Synod, for serious health reasons, was accepted, taking effect on December 19, 2014 (O.S.).

May the Lord place his soul among the righteous! May his memory be eternal!