Charilaos Filippidis, studied at the Theological School of Halki 1897-1903. Having a great aptitude for letters, he was distinguished for his cultivation, his ecclesiastical ministry and his national activity. He continued his postgraduate studies in Lausanne and Leipzig (1907-11). In 1913 he was elected Metropolitan of Trebizond (1913-38). During the First World War he was appointed commander of Trebizond by both the Turks and the successive Russian rulers. After the war, he fought a great struggle and participated in national missions to promote the rights of the Hellenic people in France, Italy and England (1918-20).

After the Asia Minor catastrophe he was forced to come to Athens, where he served from 1926, as an Apocryan of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. In 1938 he was elected a member of the Academy of Athens for his great contribution and activity in the national struggles. In the same year he was a co-candidate for the Archbishopric of Athens with Damaskinos of Corinth. Damaskinos is elected by a margin of 1 vote (31 to 30!) An objection is filed against Damaskinos’ election to the Council of State and Chrysanthos wins the Archbishop’s throne.

He is very active in ecclesiastical and national affairs. The German occupation comes and Chrysanthos refuses to swear in the appointed government of Tsolakoglu in 1941. This will result in his expulsion and withdrawal from the priestly offices. He remains active and writes excellent studies. The question of the Black Pontos, The Trabzon Church, the General Regulations of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, etc. He was involved and organized the Pontian community of Athens , in N. Smyrna and wrote for the magazine Archaeon Pontos.