Eleutherios Georgiades

Archon Lambadarios of the Great Church of Christ

Eleutherios Georgiades was born in Constantinople in 1920. He received his first lessons of Byzantine Music by his father Patroklos Georgiades, the famous Protopsaltes of the Church of Prophet Elijah of Chrysoupolis; and progressed to Domestikos chanting with him until the age of 15. Later he was taught by close friends of his father: Jakob Nafpliotes and Eustathios Viggopoulos. He also met the renowned musicians Michael Chatziathanasiou, Theodosios Georgiades, and John Palases, and finally, as he confesses, he «gained a lot» from Constantine Priggos.

He chanted in various Churches of the City: the 12 Apostles in Feriköy, St George in Macrochorion, St George at Geldenerion, St Constantine at Stavrodomion, St Nicholas at Galata, and the Church of the Holy Trinity at Peran. In 1968 he is hired from the outside as Lambadarios of the Patriarchal Church by the Ecumenical Patriarch Athenagoras, as the best and most fitting. Nevertheless, after a decade (in 1978), he left from Constantinople for family reasons and stayed in Thessalonica, where he was immediately hired at the Church of St Therapon, Thessalonica.

Eleutherios Georgiades was distinguished as an artist of the analogion. In recognition of his profound knowledge and experience, the Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriachate on the 30th of September 1975 elected him as a member of the Committee responsible for the Typikon and the Ecclesiastical Music.

The Archon Lambadarios Georgiades on arriving to Thessalonica brought with him the treasure of the traditional Byzantine Music, and continued his «professional» action. He first creates a small choir, which is quickly expanded into a thirty-member group. In parallel, he teaches music to all the cantors of Chalkediki and founds another 30-member choir, which performs regularly during the year.

Eleutherios Georgiades with tireless activity, his good voice and musical expertice, honoured the rôle of the Lambadarios of the Great Church of Christ and is rightly numbered among the great teachers of Byzantine music.