Academic staff – Theological School of the Church of Cyprus

Protopresbyter Κyprianos Κountouris

Lecturer of History, Education and Culture, Director
Arch. Gregorios Ioannides

Ηead of the Undergraduate Programme of Studies
Olga Solomontos – Kountouri

Associate Professor in Developmental Psychology, Head of the Postgraduate Programme of Studies
Maria Pavlou

Lecturer of Ancient Greek Language and Literature
Ioannis Bekos

Lecturer of Christian Ethics
Archimandrite Nikolaos Ioannidis

Professor
Maria Sakellariou

Visiting Professor
Konstantinos Nikolakopoulos

Teaching Associate
Marios Vryonides

Visiting Professor
Metropolitan of Constantine Vasilios (Karagiannis)

Teaching Associate
Metropolitan Sasimon Gennadios (Lymouris Nikolaos)

Teaching Associate
Dr Andreas Foulias

Teaching Associate
Tofaridou Iliada

Teaching Associate
Anastasia Angelides

Teaching Associate
Chrysovalantis Kyriacou

Teaching Associate
Dina Mousteri

Teaching Associate
Dimitris Ierodiakonou

Teaching Associate

Protopresbyter Κyprianos Κountouris

Lecturer of History, Education and Culture, Director

Profile:

Protopresbyter Kyprianos Kountouris is Lecturer of History of Education and Culture at the Theological School of the Church of Cyprus. He is also the Director of the School. He has worked for three decades in Primary Education, serving as a school Ηeadmaster in the United Kingdom and Cyprus. He has been actively involved in a great number of projects and has amble experience in the implementation of innovative programs and research projects. He received his PhD from the Department of Education of the University of Ioannina, Greece (2015) with a thesis entitled “Contribution to the History of Pre-Primary, Primary and Secondary Education of Greek Community Schools in Great Britain (20^th century). A Case Study: The Greek-Orthodox School of Ayios Demetrios, North London”. He also holds an MA in Teaching History from the University of London (1995), and a Diploma in Education (1992) from the same university. He is currently conducting postdoctoral research at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, on the Codex of Ayios Andronikos Church, in Dali, Cyprus. He has presented papers at international and local conferences.

Arch. Gregorios Ioannides

Ηead of the Undergraduate Programme of Studies

Profile:

Archim. Gregorios Ioannides specializes in Liturgical studies. He teaches courses in Liturgy in the undergraduate Theology program at the Theological School of the Church of Cyprus. He is also in charge of the Library and Head of the Office of Pastoral Care. He currently acts as a Protosyngelos in the Holy Metropolis of Trimithous. He is a member of the Throne Committee and Head of the Ecclesiastical Deaconry and Enlightenment Office of the Metropolis, which is responsible for the initiatives of the Women’s Christian Association and the organization of readings of the Bible, speeches, lectures, conferences, student conferences and camps. Apart from his duties in pastoral and social work, he represents the Holy Metropolis of Trimithous in Synodic Committees and in the Committee of the Department of Antiquities for the preservation of the cultural heritage of the metropolitan area.

Olga Solomontos – Kountouri

Associate Professor in Developmental Psychology, Head of the Postgraduate Programme of Studies

Profile:

Dr. Olga Solomontos-Kountouri is Associate Professor of Developmental Psychology and Head of Research and International Relations at the Theological School of the Church of Cyprus. She teaches the undergraduate program of Theology. From 2010 to 2015 she held the post of Lecturer of Psychology and Coordinator of the Erasmus Office at the University of Neapolis in Paphos. She is the representative of Cyprus at the Council of the European Association for Research on Adolescence (EARA). She is a member of the Society for Research on Adolescence (SRA), the International Society for the Study of Behavioral Development (ISSBD) and the Hellenic Psychological Society (ELPSE). She is also a member of the Prison Council and of the “Sofia Polyzoidou – Chrysseliou Georgiou Foundation – Holy Archdiocese of Cyprus’’. She coordinates and actively participates in the research team for the implementation of educational intervention programs for young prisoners. In cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Culture, the Theological School of the Church of Cyprus and the Linz University of Applied Sciences, she introduced the Viennese Social Competence Program -ViSC in Secondary Schools in Cyprus 2012. In the context of ViSC and Comenius Regio Partnership programs, she has trained hundreds of teachers and students on interventionist approaches and action plan for the prevention of bullying. She has publications and presentations at international and local conferences.

Maria Pavlou

Lecturer of Ancient Greek Language and Literature

Profile:

Dr Maria Pavlou is Lecturer of Ancient Greek Language and Literature at the Theological School of the Church of Cyprus. She teaches at the Undergraduate Programme of Theology and is also responsible for the School’s Public Relations and Quality Assurance. Dr Pavlou read Classics at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (BA, 1997-2002) and Leeds University (MA, 2003). She received her PhD from the University of Bristol, UK (2003-2007) with a thesis titled “Time in Pindar”. She has recently received an MSc in Digital Education from the University of Edinburgh (2018). From 2005 onwards she worked as a Teaching Fellow / Adjunct Lecturer at the University of Bristol (2005-2009), the University of Cyprus (2014-2018), and the Open University of Cyprus (2010-2013 & 2018), and was involved in a number of research projects at the University of Cyprus (2010-2011) and the Open University of Cyprus (2012-2015). She has also been awarded several scholarships: Center for Hellenic Studies (Harvard University), Μargo Tytus Summer Fellow (University of Cincinnati), National Scholarship Foundation of Greece (IKY), A. G. Leventis Foundation, Αrts and Humanities Research Council (U.K.), Fondation Hardt (Geneva), J. Costopoulos Foundation. She has published several articles in peer-reviewed journals and collective volumes and is the co-editor (with Prof. Vayos Liapis and Prof. Antonis Petrides) of Debating with the Eumenides (Cambridge Scholars 2018). Currently she is co-editing (with Prof. Antonis Tsakmakis and Dr Eleni Kaklamanou) the collective volume Framing theDialogues: How to Read Openings and Closures in Plato, to be published by Brill in 2019.

Ioannis Bekos

Lecturer of Christian Ethics

Profile:

Dr John Bekos is Lecturer of Christian Ethics at the Theological School of the Church of Cyprus. He also teaches Ethics, Philosophy and Religious Education at the University of Cyprus and St Barnabas Seminary of the Church of Cyprus. He has a strong interdisciplinary academic profile (twice PhD holder in the field of Cognitive Psychology/Education and Christian Ethics) and is distinguished for his trans-disciplinary research and teaching. Since 2015 he is appointed as the Academic Supervisor for the reform of Religious Education in Cyprus. He has a good track-record of publications in top journals such as Studies in Christian Ethics, Christian Bioethics, Studia Patristica and the International Journal of Public Theology. He is also member of the Church of Cyprus Synodical Committee for Bioethics and the Cyprus National Bioethics Committee (NCBC) and substantially contributes to the publication of a series of opinions. Since 2013 Dr Bekos serves as an Ethics Review Expert in the European Commission (FP7 and Horizon 2020) and the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP). His scholarly work focuses on, among others, the most challenging socio-political issues like bioethical issues, the current financial and refugee crises in Europe and the role of religion in education and the modern societies. He is the author of ‘Which Ethics? Which Story? The Narrative of Divine Liturgy and the Transformation of the Human’ published in Greece by En Plo editions. His last book Euthanasia and Patristic Tradition: St John Damascene and St Symeon the New Theologian will be published by James Clarke & Co (Cambridge, UK) [forthcoming August 2019].

Archimandrite Nikolaos Ioannidis

Professor

Profile

Archimandrite Nikolaos Ioannidis is a retired professor of the Department of Theology of the Theological School of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. He is currently a professor of Patrology at the Theological School of the Church of Cyprus. He has participated as a speaker at numerous conferences both in Greece and abroad. He has supervised several post-graduate and doctoral dissertations and has participated in numerous three-member and seven-member supervising committees of post-graduate and doctoral dissertations, as well as in many three-member commissions and electoral bodies for the evaluation and promotion of Lecturers, Assistant, Associate and Regular Professors at PSPA, EPS and the Theological Faculty of the University of Belgrade. For a number of years he has been a member of a series of Synodal Committees of the Church of Greece (Divine Worship and Pastoral Work and Liturgical Renewal). He has served as Chairman of the Governing Committee of the Athens Higher Ecclesiastical Academy for a decade. He has been honoured by the Patriarchate of Moscow with the medal of St. Sergius and by the Church of Greece with the highest distinction, the “Golden Cross of St. Paul”.

Maria Sakellariou

Visiting Professor

Profile:

Dr. Maria Sakellariou professor of Early Childhood Education at the University of Ioannina. She was President of the Department of Early Childhood Education of the University of Ioannina from September 2013 to November 2017 and she is currently the Director of the Postgraduate Program in “Preschool Education” and Director of the Laboratory of Pedagogical and Didactic Methodology of the Department of Early Childhood Education University of Ioannina. (http://ecedu.uoi.gr). She has taught as Visiting Professor at the Department of Educational Sciences of the University of Cyprus at the Postgraduate Program of Studies “Gender and New Technologies in Education”, which is implemented by the TEEPES of the University of the Aegean. She teaches at the Master’s program “Education Sciences – Critical Pedagogy and Teacher Education” at the University of Crete and Pedagogical Theories and Pedagogy and Religious Lessons at the Theological School of the Church of Cyprus.

Konstantinos Nikolakopoulos

Teaching Associate

Profile:

Dr. Konstantinos Nikolakopoulos is a professor of Biblical Theology, with a specialization in “New Testament” studies, at the Department of Orthodox Theology of the University of Munich. He is also guest professor at the Theological School of the Church of Cyprus. From 2003 to 2011 he was President of the Orthodox Department, and from 2011 to this day is Chairman of the Examining Board of the aforementioned department of the University of Munich. Since 2006, he has been publishing the German-language scientific theological journal “Orthodoxes Forum” and since 2011 the series of theological monographs “Lehr und Studienbücher Orthodoxe Theologie”. He is a member of the Committee on Theological Dialogue between the Orthodox and the Catholic churches of Germany, as well as the Dialogue Committee between the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the German Evangelical Church. He participates in interdisciplinary research programs of European Universities and is a member of many scientific societies, foundations and committees. He has participated in Evaluating Committees of undergraduate and postgraduate programs at Greek and Cypriot Universities, following invitations from the institutions ADIP in Greece and DIPAE in Cyprus. He has published monographs, various studies and articles in the fields of Introduction, Interpretation and Theology of the New Testament, and, Byzantine Museology, Liturgy and Hymnology of the early Church. The Linguistic development in the Hellenistic and early Christian period is the main focus of his research activities and teaching, with a special interest in the “Common” language of the New Testament.

Marios Vryonides

Visiting Professor

Profile:

Marios Vryonides is Professor of Sociology, Sociology of Education and Research Methods at the European University Cyprus. He received his PhD from the Institute of Education – University of London (2003). From 2004 until 2009 he was visiting lecturer at the Institute of Education – University of London. He has taught at Anglia Polytechnic (now Ruskin) University (2001-2003) and the University of the Aegean (2004-2007). From 2008 until 2013 he was Cyprus’ national coordinator of the European Social Survey. Among the funded projects he has recently successfully completed are: EU funded project “Basic Skills Education and Training in Prisons” (2013-2015), EU funded project “Children’s Voices: Exploring Interethnic Violence and Children’s Rights in the School Environment” (2011-2013), EU funded project “Fundamental rights education in Europe” (2011-2013). He is currently the Secretary of the Research Committee on Sociology of Education (RC04) of the International Sociological Association (2010-2018). He has published widely on sociological and educational issues in international peer reviewed journals. His research interests focus on contemporary sociological theory, sociology of education and the theories of cultural and social capital.

Metropolitan of Constantine Vasilios (Karagiannis)

Teaching Associate

Profile:

Metropolitan of Constantine Basil (Karagiannis) teaches Dogmatics in the Undergraduate Theology program of the Theological School of the Church of Cyprus. He was elected Metropolitan of Constantia – Famagusta in 2007. He holds a PhD degree in “Ontological Distinction of Substance, Energy and Knowledge of God according to St. Maximus the Confessor” and a postgraduate Diploma from the Faculty of Theology of the University of Fribourg in Switzerland. He has served as a representative of the Church of Cyprus in the cross-Christian dialogue for a number of years. He has paricipated in a number of international conferences. Since 2011, he is co-organizer of the research program of the Salamis Free University of Famagusta, where, and is also the initiator of the Ayia Napa research project. He is a member of scientific associations, committees for the organization of conferences and professional services. He has a rich research resume with publications in scientific journals and many presentations in international and local conferences.

Metropolitan Sasimon Gennadios (Lymouris Nikolaos)

Teaching Associate

Profile:

Metropolitan Sasimon Gennadios (Lymouris Nikolaos) teaches Canon Law in the undergraduate program of Theology of the Theological School of the Church of Cyprus. On June 1, 1997, he was ordained Metropolitan Bishop Sassim at the Patriarchal Church of Saint George at Fanari and from November 2007 he was promoted to active Metropolitan with the same title. He graduated from the Theological Institute of Saint Sergio in Paris and completed his postgraduate studies at the University of Strasbourg. He has been awarded a Doctorate (Ph.D.) in America and holds a Ph.D. degree from Strasbourg University in France and Tubingen University in Germany. From 1984 to 1992 he was Professor of Orthodox Canon Law at the Theological School of the University of Strasbourg and from 1990 to 1997 he taught Orthodox and Universal Theology at the St Bernardino Institute of Ecumenical Studies, Venice, and Pontificio Ateneo Antonianum Pontifical University of Rome, Italy. From 1983 to 1990 he taught Orthodox Canon Law at the Institute of Canon Law of the Theological School of Strasbourg, France. He has also served as visiting Professor at various Universities in America, Europe, Africa and Asia. He is the Vice-President of the Central and Executive Committee of the World Council of Churches, Co-President of the International Theological Dialogue of the Orthodox and Lutheran churches, a member of the International Theological Dialogue of the Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church, as well as President of the Theological Dialogues of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Methodists, Baptists and Pentecostals. He is also a member of various theological societies in Europe and represents the Ecumenical Patriarchate in various missions. He wrote more than four hundred theological studies, books, articles and works in various Greek and foreign journals on Orthodox Theology and universal content, in various languages.

Dr Andreas Foulias

Teaching Associate

Profile:

Dr Andreas Foulias is Teaching Associate at the Theological School of the Church of Cyprus since 2017; he specialises in Christian and Byzantine Archaeology. In 2004/2005 he worked as an Adjunct Lecturer at the University of Cyprus, teaching an undergraduate course on the Paleo-Christian Art of Cyprus. Dr Foulias received his PhD from the Department of History and Archaeology of the University of Athens, Greece (2011) with a thesis titled Architecture and Monumental Painting in Cyprus during the Period of Arab Raids (649-965).

He has published books and several articles in peer-reviewed journals and collective volumes. He is the editor for the Publications of the second Congress, O Καθεδρικός Ναός Αγίου Ιωάννου 355 χρόνια, Ministry of Education, Church of Cyprus Theology School, 5 Μay 2017. He is also editing the Proceedings of third Congress, 150 Χρόνια από τα εγκαίνια του Καθολικού του Αποστόλου Ανδρέα Καρπασίας, Ministry of Education, Church of Cyprus Theology School, 3-4 November 2017. He is a member of the Open University advisory committee responsible for the “History of Cyprus” Module. He was a member of a team of Architects and Archaeologists which undertook the restoration of St. Mary’s Armenian Church (14^th ce.); the project was awarded with the Europa Nostra 2015.

Tofaridou Iliada

Teaching Associate

Profile:

Dr Iliada Tofaridou teaches Information Technology at the Theological School of the church of Cyprus. She teaches in the undergraduate Theology program. She has participated in international and local conferences and she has published articles in scientific magazines.

Her research interests can be classified in two areas: first, the effective use of Information Technology in Mathematics, and, second; the development of a learning models aiming to enhance learning outcomes.

Anastasia Angelides

Teaching Associate

Profile:

Dr Anastasia Angelides is visiting lecturer at the Theological School of the Church of Cyprus. She teaches English for Theology undergraduate students. She works as a literature teacher in secondary Education. She has participated in numerous international conferences and coordinated student mobility European Programs. She is currently translating and editing Victorian poetry.

Chrysovalantis Kyriacou

Teaching Associate

Profile:

Dr Chrysovalantis Kyriacou is Teaching Associate at the Theological School of the Church of Cyprus, specialising in the field of ecclesiastical history. He has taught Byzantine history as Teaching Associate at the University of Cyprus. Dr Kyriacou is Research Associate of the Hellenic Institute at Royal Holloway, University of London, the Bank of Cyprus Cultural Foundation and the European University Cyprus. He has participated in conferences in Cyprus and abroad. He is author of the book Orthodox Cyprus under the Latins, 1191–1571: Society, Spirituality, and Identities (Lexington Books: New York–London, 2018).

Dina Mousteri

Teaching Associate

Profile:

Dina Mousteri, (DESS University of Lyon), is a Clinical Psychologist, Clinical Supervisor and Systemic Psychotherapist registered with the United Kingdom Council of Psychotherapists (UKCP). She is also a member of the following registration bodies:

European Family Therapy Association (EFTA-CIM),

Association of Family Therapists (UK)

European Association of Psychotherapists (EAP)

Taos Institute (USA) – she holds the title of Professor and Supervisor in Collaborative Dialogical Practices from Houston Galveston Institute and Taos Institute (USA).

She is a founding member of the Cyprus Society of Family Therapy (CySoFT), which she served as President 2007-2013. She was also a founding member of the Movement for Rehabilitation and Promotion of Mental Health, a founding member and first President of the Pancyprian Collective (unsure) of Organizations for Mental Health, a founding member of the Cyprus Society for Systemic Study, and a founding member of the Cyprus Society of Psychologists.

Dimitris Ierodiakonou

Teaching Associate

Profile:

Dimitris Ierodiokonou is a researcher and scholar of Byzantine and traditional music at the Holy Monastery of Kykkos. Since 2016 he collaborates with the Theological School of the Church of Cyprus for the needs of curriculum design and teaching a series of lessons on Byzantine Music Performance and Byzantine Music Hymnography. He studied Harmony at the Alexandrio Conservatory in Thessaloniki, Counterpoint at the Music College of Thessaloniki and Byzantine Music at the School of Byzantine Music of the Holy Metropolis of Thessaloniki. He has also served as a psalter for a number of years in various churches in Nicosia and Thessaloniki.