For many years now it has been an established practice for the Metropolitan of Nafpaktos, Hierotheos Vlachos, to visit the city’s Gymnasiums and Lyceums (Middle Schools and High Schools) at least twice a year, as well as on other individual occasions, and to discuss with students and teachers issues that concern them. One visit takes place at the beginning of the school year on the occasion of the sanctification of the water services (agiasmos) of the schools. The other occurs during the month of January on the occasion of the cutting of the Vasilopita. This also takes place at other times with individual classes.
During these meetings, His Eminence begins with an example, a saying, or an event drawn from ancient Greek philosophy or from more recent times, and then relates it to the present age, enriching it also with elements from the ecclesiastical tradition. Afterwards he invites the students to ask him questions — “the more difficult, the better,” as he says — and an extensive discussion follows. Many times the discussion exceeds an hour and a half. What follows is a brief summary of the introduction to his talk during his recent visits to the schools, after he had first blessed the Vasilopita. In each school he conveyed a particular message.
At the First General Lyceum of Nafpaktos (January 22, 2026)
He referred to the saying of Alexander the Great: “If I were not Alexander, I would wish to be Diogenes.” He presented the life and conduct of Diogenes of Sinope, who was a Cynic philosopher and was satisfied with what was necessary, seeking inner fulfillment. Indeed, when Alexander the Great met him and asked whether he desired anything from him, Diogenes replied: “Remove my darkness,” that is, take me out of darkness, show me the Light, the truth; according to others, he told him to move aside so as not to block the sun from him: “Do not take away from me something which you cannot give me.” He then stressed the great importance of understanding the value of simple things: a simple life, inner freedom, and the meaning of life. We should set high ideals as well as small daily purposes that transcend the material and the sensory.
During these meetings, His Eminence begins with an example, a saying, or an event drawn from ancient Greek philosophy or from more recent times, and then relates it to the present age, enriching it also with elements from the ecclesiastical tradition. Afterwards he invites the students to ask him questions — “the more difficult, the better,” as he says — and an extensive discussion follows. Many times the discussion exceeds an hour and a half. What follows is a brief summary of the introduction to his talk during his recent visits to the schools, after he had first blessed the Vasilopita. In each school he conveyed a particular message.
At the First General Lyceum of Nafpaktos (January 22, 2026)
He referred to the saying of Alexander the Great: “If I were not Alexander, I would wish to be Diogenes.” He presented the life and conduct of Diogenes of Sinope, who was a Cynic philosopher and was satisfied with what was necessary, seeking inner fulfillment. Indeed, when Alexander the Great met him and asked whether he desired anything from him, Diogenes replied: “Remove my darkness,” that is, take me out of darkness, show me the Light, the truth; according to others, he told him to move aside so as not to block the sun from him: “Do not take away from me something which you cannot give me.” He then stressed the great importance of understanding the value of simple things: a simple life, inner freedom, and the meaning of life. We should set high ideals as well as small daily purposes that transcend the material and the sensory.
At the Second General Lyceum of Nafpaktos (February 5, 2026)
He referred to the ancient robber of mythology, Procrustes, who killed his victims by a particular method. He had an iron bed on which he placed his victim; if the victim was short, he stretched his legs until they were torn out, and if he was tall, he cut them off. Procrustes was eventually killed by Theseus using the same method, cutting off the parts that protruded. He said that the “bed of Procrustes” is connected with the “Procrustean method,” when we arbitrarily and violently try to force others to conform to our own ideology. From this arise tyrannical regimes and selfish behaviors among people. Education, however, broadens the horizons of our thinking; we accept the gifts of others and give them space to develop. This should characterize human relationships: not to try to dominate, but to cooperate.
At the Evening Lyceum of Nafpaktos (January 28, 2026)
He began with the proverb from ancient Greece: “I grow old always learning many things” (Solon the Athenian, one of the seven Sages of Greece). He said that as we grow older we are always learning, either from books or from life itself. Young students learn first from books and later from life, whereas those who attend the Evening Lyceum and are older in age first learned from life and now learn from books. He stressed that studying or learning a craft often functions in a therapeutic way, helping people overcome the problems of life. We must always find ways to transform bad thoughts and harmful desires and become better people.
He referred to the ancient robber of mythology, Procrustes, who killed his victims by a particular method. He had an iron bed on which he placed his victim; if the victim was short, he stretched his legs until they were torn out, and if he was tall, he cut them off. Procrustes was eventually killed by Theseus using the same method, cutting off the parts that protruded. He said that the “bed of Procrustes” is connected with the “Procrustean method,” when we arbitrarily and violently try to force others to conform to our own ideology. From this arise tyrannical regimes and selfish behaviors among people. Education, however, broadens the horizons of our thinking; we accept the gifts of others and give them space to develop. This should characterize human relationships: not to try to dominate, but to cooperate.
At the Evening Lyceum of Nafpaktos (January 28, 2026)
He began with the proverb from ancient Greece: “I grow old always learning many things” (Solon the Athenian, one of the seven Sages of Greece). He said that as we grow older we are always learning, either from books or from life itself. Young students learn first from books and later from life, whereas those who attend the Evening Lyceum and are older in age first learned from life and now learn from books. He stressed that studying or learning a craft often functions in a therapeutic way, helping people overcome the problems of life. We must always find ways to transform bad thoughts and harmful desires and become better people.
At the Second Gymnasium of Nafpaktos (February 5, 2026)
Aesop lived in the 6th century BC and is known for his fables; he introduced the literary form of allegory. One of his fables tells of a prodigal young man who squandered all his property and was left only with his thick outer cloak. One day he saw a swallow and thought that winter had passed and spring had arrived, so he sold his cloak. But the cold returned, and so he said: “One swallow does not bring spring.” This means that we should not be careless or hasty, and also that we need other people beside us so that we may cooperate and achieve a goal. We are not alone.
At the Third Gymnasium of Nafpaktos (January 19, 2026)
He referred to the great personality of Basil the Great, who studied in Athens, coming from Caesarea (Cappadocia). At that time this was more difficult than it would be today for someone to go to America. He did it and learned the nine sciences of his era. He said that we learn human knowledge, but there is also another, greater knowledge — that of God. When we learn many things, we gain confidence and thus we are not fanatical nor one-sided.
At the Kotronis Modern Educational Institutions (January 26, 2026)
He analyzed the work of the Three Hierarchs, who united the two great cultural currents that met in their time: the current of Jewish thought, as expressed by the Prophets and the Apostles, and the current of ancient Greek thought and philosophy, as expressed by philosophizing theologians and heretics. Thus the Three Hierarchs used terms of Greek philosophy to express the teaching of Christ and the Apostles; in this way they Christianized Hellenism rather than Hellenizing Christianity. He then spoke about the intellectual traditions that exist today — humanism, sensualism, rationalism, and existentialism — and said that we must know the boundaries between them and how they can cooperate. This led to a substantial discussion lasting nearly two hours, during which many questions were raised about contemporary problems.
In all the schools, after the events concluded, His Eminence also had the opportunity to converse with the teachers about particular issues concerning education, as well as contemporary problems of society.
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
Aesop lived in the 6th century BC and is known for his fables; he introduced the literary form of allegory. One of his fables tells of a prodigal young man who squandered all his property and was left only with his thick outer cloak. One day he saw a swallow and thought that winter had passed and spring had arrived, so he sold his cloak. But the cold returned, and so he said: “One swallow does not bring spring.” This means that we should not be careless or hasty, and also that we need other people beside us so that we may cooperate and achieve a goal. We are not alone.
At the Third Gymnasium of Nafpaktos (January 19, 2026)
He referred to the great personality of Basil the Great, who studied in Athens, coming from Caesarea (Cappadocia). At that time this was more difficult than it would be today for someone to go to America. He did it and learned the nine sciences of his era. He said that we learn human knowledge, but there is also another, greater knowledge — that of God. When we learn many things, we gain confidence and thus we are not fanatical nor one-sided.
At the Kotronis Modern Educational Institutions (January 26, 2026)
He analyzed the work of the Three Hierarchs, who united the two great cultural currents that met in their time: the current of Jewish thought, as expressed by the Prophets and the Apostles, and the current of ancient Greek thought and philosophy, as expressed by philosophizing theologians and heretics. Thus the Three Hierarchs used terms of Greek philosophy to express the teaching of Christ and the Apostles; in this way they Christianized Hellenism rather than Hellenizing Christianity. He then spoke about the intellectual traditions that exist today — humanism, sensualism, rationalism, and existentialism — and said that we must know the boundaries between them and how they can cooperate. This led to a substantial discussion lasting nearly two hours, during which many questions were raised about contemporary problems.
In all the schools, after the events concluded, His Eminence also had the opportunity to converse with the teachers about particular issues concerning education, as well as contemporary problems of society.
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
