Metr. Panteleimon, né Nikolaos Kontogiannis, was born on February 7, 1935, in Chios, Greece. In 1957, he successfully graduated with a Master's degree in Theology from the Theological Institute of Halki in Turkey. On November 28, 1954, he was ordained deacon by Metropolitan Iakovos of Ikonium, who also gave him the name of Panteleimon. The same metropolitan ordained him as priest on October 18, 1957.