Metropolitan Timotheos of Corfu, who took part in landmark Greek Orthodox talks at the Vatican this week, died of a heart attack Friday, church officials said. He was 63.

Born Timotheos Trivizas on the Ionian Sea island of Corfu, he was ordained a deacon in 1962 and studied theology in Greece, Britain, the United States and Italy.

He served as head secretary of the Holy Synod, the Greek Orthodox Church's governing body, for three years before his election as metropolitan, or bishop, of Corfu in 1984.