Miss Mary N. Raptou was born in Larissa. During the occupation, her father, Dr. Nikolaos Raptis, was exiled by the Italian occupying forces due to his national activities and spent three and a half years as a prisoner in concentration camps in Italy, along with ninety other honorable citizens of Larissa. Her mother, Rodothea Porsanidou (Raptou), originally from Constantinople, was an educator with rich social and philanthropic activity and was elected as a municipal councilor of the Municipality of Larissa.
Mary N. Raptou graduated with honors and as a flag bearer from the Girls’ High School of Larissa. She also attended the “French Academy” and the Larissa Municipal Conservatory, from which she obtained a diploma in advanced piano, choir, and harmony.
She successfully completed university studies in Psychology and Educational Sciences at the University of Geneva. From the same university, she received a special diploma in Early Childhood Education. Among the many top educators who gathered in war-untouched Switzerland after the war, her professor was the distinguished developmental psychology scientist Jean Piaget, who revolutionized the understanding of the child and whose influence on educational science remains decisive to this day. For many decades after her graduation, Mary N. Raptou took advantage of educational opportunities, visiting schools and participating in seminars in many European countries.
In 1957, she founded the Mary N. Raptou Educational Institutions in Larissa, which initially included Kindergarten and Primary School and later expanded with the establishment of Gymnasium (1992) and Lyceum (1997). In the 2000s, Preschool and Nursery were added. The institutions have been operating successfully for 62 years and are considered one of the significant educational establishments of Larissa and beyond. Today, about 900 students, aged from two and a half to eighteen, study at these schools! From the outset and to this day, the Mary N. Raptou Educational Institutions have imparted Christian and patriotic spirit to children. For many decades, their students and alumni have distinguished themselves in international and domestic academic competitions. Mary N. Raptou has served this work since its foundation and today serves as the head and president of the board of directors of the institutions.
From a very young age, Mary N. Raptou worked in Christian service: at the Christian Center of Larissa, Christian Student Groups, Pedagogical Academy students, and Mothers’ Circles. She herself was a member of the Greek Guiding Association, and her mother served on the guiding council. She was a spiritual child and collaborator of the late Father Anargyros Stamatopoulos, spiritual supporter of the EOKA struggle in Cyprus and later head of the Brotherhood of Theologians “Life.” She has been a member of the “Eusebeia” brotherhood in Athens since 1969. From 1960 to 1990, she served Christian groups of all educational levels at the Christian Center of Larissa. She played a leading role in creating, organizing, and running the Christian Camps in Stomio, Larissa. She pioneered the construction of the new hall of the Christian Center of Larissa, “The Apostle Paul.” She founded the Ladies and Young Ladies Association of Tyrnavos, “Hope,” in 1960 and served there for thirty years. She also contributed to many philanthropic and educational institutions in Larissa (Hellenic Welfare, Volunteer Social Workers, etc.).
In 2012, she was awarded by the French Republic as an “Officer” (Officier) of the Order of Academic Palms (Ordre des Palmes Académiques) for her contribution to education and Francophonie. She has also been honored for her work by many associations and organizations (Large Families Association of Larissa, Cypriot Association of Larissa, Eurobank, etc.).
On November 3, 2022, at the age of 88, she passed away peacefully.
