Dimitrios Holevas
Encyclopedia
Protopresbyter Dimitrios Holevas , more commonly known as Papa-Holevas (Παπαχολέβας, "Father Holevas"), was a Greek Orthodox priest
who was a notable member of the Greek People's Liberation Army (ELAS), set up by the National Liberation Front (EAM), a leftist resistance movement
against the Axis occupation of Greece during World War II.
Holevas was born in 1907 in a village of Phthiotis
, Tsouka, and grew up in Makrakomi
. He studied Literature and Archaeology at the University of Athens and the University of Thessaloniki. In 1938 he was ordained a priest. He joined ELAS in 1942, with the nom de guerre of "Papaflessas
". He became military priest of ELAS' 13th Division, and later became a deputy in the EAM-sponsored parliament of the PEEA. In 1943, he organized a council of priests at Spercheiada
. He also founded the Pan-clerical Orthodox Clergy Union, which came to number 4,000 members, and was elected as its General Secretary.
After the end of the war, he was persecuted for his collaboration with ELAS: the Synodal Court suspended him from the clergy for three years, and in 1947 he was sent into internal exile in Ikaria. As a philologist and a priest he taught in schools in Lamia
, Lavrion, Leros
, Archangelos in Rhodes
and Nikaia
. In 2001 he was honoured by the Holy Synod of the Church of Greece
with the Gold Cross of St Paul for his activity during the Resistance.
He died on 16 July 2001. He was married and had five children.
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
who was a notable member of the Greek People's Liberation Army (ELAS), set up by the National Liberation Front (EAM), a leftist resistance movement
Resistance movement
A resistance movement is a group or collection of individual groups, dedicated to opposing an invader in an occupied country or the government of a sovereign state. It may seek to achieve its objects through either the use of nonviolent resistance or the use of armed force...
against the Axis occupation of Greece during World War II.
Holevas was born in 1907 in a village of Phthiotis
Phthiotis
Phthiotis is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the administrative region of Central Greece. The capital is the city of Lamia. It is bordered by the Malian Gulf to the east, Boeotia in the south, Phocis in the south, Aetolia-Acarnania in the southwest, Evrytania in the west,...
, Tsouka, and grew up in Makrakomi
Makrakomi
Makrakomi is a town and a municipality in the western part of the Phthiotis peripheral unit in Greece. The seat of the municipality is the town Spercheiada-Geography:...
. He studied Literature and Archaeology at the University of Athens and the University of Thessaloniki. In 1938 he was ordained a priest. He joined ELAS in 1942, with the nom de guerre of "Papaflessas
Papaflessas
Papaflessas , born Grigorios Demetrios Flessas , was a Greek patriot, priest, and government official of the old Flessas Family. The word papa- in the name "Papaflessas" indicates his status as a cleric since the word means "priest" in Greek...
". He became military priest of ELAS' 13th Division, and later became a deputy in the EAM-sponsored parliament of the PEEA. In 1943, he organized a council of priests at Spercheiada
Spercheiada
Spercheiada is a town and a former municipality in the western part of Phthiotis, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Makrakomi, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit...
. He also founded the Pan-clerical Orthodox Clergy Union, which came to number 4,000 members, and was elected as its General Secretary.
After the end of the war, he was persecuted for his collaboration with ELAS: the Synodal Court suspended him from the clergy for three years, and in 1947 he was sent into internal exile in Ikaria. As a philologist and a priest he taught in schools in Lamia
Lamia (city)
Lamia is a city in central Greece. The city has a continuous history since antiquity, and is today the capital of the regional unit of Phthiotis and of the Central Greece region .-Name:...
, Lavrion, Leros
Leros
Leros is a Greek island and municipality in the Dodecanese in the southern Aegean Sea. It lies 317 km from Athens's port of Piraeus, from which it can be reached by an 11-hour ferry ride . Leros is part of the Kalymnos peripheral unit...
, Archangelos in Rhodes
Rhodes
Rhodes is an island in Greece, located in the eastern Aegean Sea. It is the largest of the Dodecanese islands in terms of both land area and population, with a population of 117,007, and also the island group's historical capital. Administratively the island forms a separate municipality within...
and Nikaia
Nikaia, Attica
Nikaia is a suburb in the northern part of Piraeus, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Nikaia-Agios Ioannis Rentis, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit.-Geography:...
. In 2001 he was honoured by the Holy Synod of the Church of Greece
Church of Greece
The Church of Greece , part of the wider Greek Orthodox Church, is one of the autocephalous churches which make up the communion of Orthodox Christianity...
with the Gold Cross of St Paul for his activity during the Resistance.
He died on 16 July 2001. He was married and had five children.