Bodybuilding meets top security.

The Archbishops of the various Eastern Churches are usually viewed as a conservative and austere group. However, a certain guard of the Archidiocese of Athens in Plaka is making waves by displaying his well-developed physique in a 2018 bodybuilding calendar.

Although he is devoted to the Greek Orthodox church, his relationship with the church of iron long proceeded his work in service of the Archibishops. Throughout his service, Triantaphyllos Marangos never wavered from his commitment to his own physique, and in 2018 he feels the prerogative to make a calendar of himself. Despite the apparent vanity of the project, Marangos seems down to earth and humble.

Marangos has been in the Guard of the Archdiocese of Athens in Plaka for years. He is an official officer of the law and responsible for Archbishop Ieronymos. He is also a lifetime bodybuilder.

In this capacity, he made an anniversary calendar, in which he shows off an impressive physique.  According to Enikos, the year of 2018 will mark Triantaphyllos’ nineteenth year in service of the headquarters of the Church, at Aghia Filothei Street, but 20 years since the day he began to work with bodybuilding.

Speaking to the newspaper “Espresso”, he remembered the days when he was assigned to guard a previous Archbishop Christodoulos:

“Every time he saw me weak, he asked me the same question smiling:

‘Are you still doing a diet, Triantaphylle? Are you ready for competitions again?'”

Of course the Archbishops vary in value and temperament, but the Greek bodybuilder says his current charge is just as supportive.

He said of Archbishop Ieronymos:

“Mr. Ieronimos greatly appreciates both of my qualities. Many times, when he enters and leaves the building, he urges me to play in a joke fight with a co-worker!”

This is a phenomenal example of how the excellence of the human body permeates through every culture and belief system. It is truly encouraging to see a man who lives in such a serious and spiritual environment be encouraged in his physical pursuits.

For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.