Neophytus Vamvas

Neophytus Vamvas was born on Chios Island (Χίος) in 1770. His secular name was Nikolaos but he was widly just known as Neophytus. Vamvas was regarded as a well known Greek cleric and scholar.

At the age of 20, Nikolaos was permitted to be a deacon as he entered the Holy Orders and was given the name Neophytus.
In the year 1804, Vamvas went to France to study where he met Adamantios Korais.
After coming back to Greece, Neophytus initially began a career in teaching on Chios, but after a while he shared his knowledge at the Ionian Academy on Corfu .
Later Vamvas took the chance to teach at the new established University of Athens.

Influenced by the knowledge about language from Adamantios Korais, Neophytus began to translate the bible into modern Greek. This translation was authorized in 1924 and was the trigger for his prestige.  

The translator of the bible into modern Greek and member of the Holy Orders died in Athens on January 9, 1856.