Archimandrite Iakovos Tsigounis elected Assistant Bishop

Archimandrite Iakovos Tsigounis was unanimously elected on Wednesday as assistant bishop to His Eminence Archbishop Stylianos of Australia by the Holy and Sacred Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. The newly elected bishop will bear the title Iakovos of Miletoupolis. He is 44 years old and a graduate of St. Andrew’s Greek Orthodox Theological College. He serves as Parish Priest of the Greek Community of St. Anargyroi in Oakleigh, Melbourne. His Grace was ordained by Archbishop Stylianos who named him after the late Metropolitan Iakovos of Ikonio, head of the Theological School of Halki when Archbishop Stylianos was studying there.

It is a fortunate occurrence that this February, St. Andrew’s Greek Orthodox Theological College will be celebrating its 25th anniversary in operation and also its first Hierarch graduate, Bishop Iakovos of Miletoupolis, the first Australian born Hierarch.

Two other Archimandrites were also included from the list submitted by Archbishop Stylianos: Archimandrite Nektarios Zorbalas (75 years old) and Archimandrite Eleftherios Kambourakis (35 years old).

The vote of the absent Metropolitan of Buenos Ayres (due to illness) was given to the Metropolitan of Spain and Portugal Polykarpos, while the officiator of the canonical election ceremony was Metropolitan Theoliptos of Iconium.

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Archimandrite Iakovos Tsigounis will be ordained on the 20th of February and will be staying in Melbourne.