Pieria Pontian Union honors Metropolitan Chrysanthos Filippidis

The Union of Pontians of Pieria is honoring the memory of Chrysanthos Filippidis (1881–1949), a prominent religious, political, and national figure of 20th-century Greek history. Filippidis served as the Metropolitan of Trebizond starting in 1913 and was appointed administrator of the city in 1916 during World War I. In this role, he was noted for protecting both the Greek and Muslim populations from violence and looting.

Filippidis was a leading advocate for the establishment of an independent Republic of Pontus. In 1919, he traveled to Paris for the Peace Conference to work alongside Eleftherios Venizelos and international diplomats to promote the rights of Pontian Greeks.

To commemorate his legacy, the Union has maintained a bust of Filippidis at its Spiritual-Cultural Center since October 2023. Additionally, a proposal has been active since 1998 to rename a local street in his honor.