Chrusanthis was born under the name Charilaos Fillipidis. He studied in the Theological School of Halki from 1897 to 1903 and later went on to Leipzig and Lausanne for further studies from 1907 to 1911. He returned to Constantinople and became editor of the ecclesiastical journal 'Ecclesiastiki Alitheia'. He became first Bishop of Trapezounta (1913-1938) and then Archbishop of Athens (1938-1940).