1. Family name

The surname Kaloktenis appears in various sources, including the commentary of the patriarch of Antioch, Theodore Balsamon, on the 16^th canon of the Council of Chalcedon, and a letter of the metropolitan of Nafpaktos, John Apokaukos.

2. Family and education

John was born to a wealthy family in Constantinople, although we do not know exactly when. His parents, Constantine and Maria, are referred to as of noble generation and virtuous in soul. We must assume that when John was appointed metropolitan in 1166, he should have been, according to the current law, at least thirty years of age.

Kaloktenis was quite well-educated and had an exceptional theological background. His parents raised him according to the Christian principles, whereas since his early age he showed his preference for divine affairs and was an excellent student.

3. Historical context

During the reign of emperor Manuel I Komnenos (1143-1180), the Metropolis of Thebes ranked 59^th in church hierarchy and had five bishoprics under its jurisdiction (Kanalon, Zaratova, Kaistorion, Trichia, Platana). When Kaloktenis was appointed metropolitan, Thebes had fallen into economic decline because of the disaster brought by the Norman invasion in 1147 while all of the dependent bishopric seats were left vacant. The thriving silk production had remained to the hands of the Jews while religious feeling had degraded.

4. Activity

4.1. John's presence in the Church

John Kaloktenis first became a monk in a Constantinopolitan monastery. Thanks to his morals and abilities he was appointed metropolitan of Thebes during the patriarchate of Luke Chrysoberges (1156-1169), an office which he kept until his death. According to the acts of the Councils of 1166 and 1170 at Constantinople, he was present at them as metropolitan of Thebes. The presence of John Kaloktenis to the metropolitan see of Thebes, probably from 1166 until 1190, gave a new impetus to the church life of the region of Boeotia. Kaloktenis appointed in 1169 new bishops in the vacant bishopric sees, a fact that disappointed emperor Manuel Komnenos since it was done without the consent of the Council of Constantinople. Little later, the Council sided with the emperor’s view and deemed the election not canonical. However, Kaloktenis defended his actions on the argument that the religious feeling of the inhabitants had degraded and, along with his powerful personality, he managed to convince the Council to accept them. Having secured the ratification of his actions, he was called to participate in the Great Council of 1170. Archaeological evidence linked with his presence in the metropolitan see was found at the site of the ancient temple of Athena Kranaia (at Elateia in Phokis) in 1884. It is a led seal of the metropolitan of Thebes John Kaloktenis; on the one side Theotokos is depicted enthroned with the abbreviation ΜΡ ΘΥ (Mother of God), while on the other side there is the the inscription: ΘΗΒΩΝ/ΒΕΒΑΙΩ/ΤΑΣ ΓΡΑ/ΦΑΣ ΙΩ/ΑΝΝΟΥ (I certify [that these are] the writings of John of Thebes).

4.2. Social and charity work

Kaloktenis did not live in luxury but was simple and humble, winning over the love of his flock. He led an ascetic life and offered his personal fortune to the poor. He supported the poor and the wronged, placing above all his love for his fellow man and the struggle against evil. His offer was many-folded and thanks to his good deeds and charity work he acquired the epithet the Young Heleimon (‘Merciful’), after the Patriarch of Alexandria John Heleimon (610-619). Kaloktenis founded monasteries and turned the male monastery of Theotokos to a female one (monastery of Dekani, from the name of its first abbess). He founded churches at Thebes, among which the church of Hyperendoxos Theotokos on the place of the old city hall. Under his own initiative a hospital, an alm-house, a poorhouse and a hospice were founded. In addition, he diverted the flow of the waters of river Ismenos to the valley, facilitating, thus, the supplying of the twenty water-mills in the region, used for irrigating the cultivated lands. For the needs of the diversion twenty arcades were built, 3 to 6 meters in height and 3,20 meters in width, preserved until the beginnings of the 20^th century. Ever since, river Ismenos was known as Agiannis, referring to Saint John Kaloktenis. He also took care for the use of other water resources still unexploited for the town’s water supply and built a three-arched bridge on the river Asopos. In the context of his efforts to upgrade the social status of women, Kaloktenis is known to have founded a school (parthenon) for the education of girls, something completely unusual in his era.

5. Assessment and appreciation