NEW YORK – The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America mourns the passing of Emmanuel Hatziemmanuel, 94, former director of the Department of Greek Education, who passed away in the Lord, September 16, in Florida, where he was residing.

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.

He was born in Neo Karlovasi, Samos, in 1921, where he completed elementary and high school. In 1947, he earned a degree in Theology from the National Kapodistrian University of Athens.

During WWII, following the fierce bombardment of Samos in 1943, 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, taught at a High School in Piraeus and became assistant to professor Gregory Papamichael of the University of Athens and supervised the publication of the bulletin “Ekklesia” 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, and a degree in Education at the Woodbrooke College in Birmingham. There he met and married his wife Athena Mylona, a Greek-American educator, whose parents were from Samos.

When 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 and Development.  In 1953-1958 he served as editor of the then monthly magazine of the Archdiocese “Orthodox Observer.”

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.

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. His other published books include: “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).

He is survived by his three children Michael, Alexis, and Lucille, and four grandchildren; Christina, Elena, Michael, and Casey.

His Grace Bishop Sevastianos of Zela, the Chief Secretary of the Holy Eparchial Synod will preside at the funeral, which will take place on Wednesday September 23, 2015, 10:00 a.m., in the Greek Orthodox Church of Christ the Saviour, 2195 Westchester Ave., Rye, NY 10580.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent in his memory to the Muscular Dystrophy Association, 5 Dakota Drive, #101, New Hyde Park, ΝΥ 11042, Tel.: (516) 358-1012