Savas (Zembillas) of Pittsburgh

His Eminence Savas (Zembillas) of Pittsburgh is the Metropolitan of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Pittsburgh which includes all of Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. He was elected to the office of Metropolitan of Pittsburgh on November 2, 2011, by the Holy and Sacred Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Constantinople, and was enthroned December 8, 2011.

He currently serves as the Director of Church and Society of the Greek Archdiocese.

Life

Bishop Savas was born on June 11, 1957 in Gary, Indiana, the second of six children of Skevofylax and Stamatia Zembillas. His education included attendance at Colby College at Waterville, Maine from which he graduated in 1979 with a Bachelor's degree in Philosophy and English Literature. In 1981, he traveled to Europe to spend time at various monastic communities, including Mount Athos and Patmos and Kalymnos Islands.

Returning to the United States in 1982, he continued his education at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology, graduating in 1985 with a Master's degree in Theology with highest honors. Following his graduation from Holy Cross, he served as an assistant to the priest of Holy Trinity/St. Nicholas Church in Cincinnati, Ohio. Then, from 1987 to 1994, he continued his education, pursuing doctoral studies at Pembroke College, Oxford University in Great Britain under the supervision of Metropolitan Kallistos (Ware) of Diokleia.

He began his ecclesiastical career on November 21, 1992 when he was ordained deacon. On January 8, 1995, Dn. Savas was ordained a priest, followed by his elevation to archimandrite in 1996. In 1995, Fr. Savas was assigned as priest to the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church in Kalamazoo, Michigan. In 1997, he was transferred to St. Demetrios Church in Merrick, New York, serving there until 2000.

In December 1999, after the enthronement of Archbishop Demetrios to head the archdiocese in America, Fr. Savas was appointed chancellor of the archdiocese, a position in which he served until 2009. Fr. Savas was elected an auxiliary bishop by the Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate to a titular see as Bishop of Troas on December 11, 2001. On February 2, 2002, he was consecrated at the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in Manhattan, New York.

Bp. Savas assumed his responsibilities as Director of the Office of Church and Society on March 2, 2009.[1]

On November 3, 2011 the Holy and Sacred Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople elected His Grace as the Metropolitan of Pittsburgh to succeed Metropolitan Maximos, who retired on September 1, 2011.

Succession box: Savas (Zembillas) of Pittsburgh
Preceded by: Alexios	Bishop of Troas Auxiliary 2002-2011	Succeeded by: —
Preceded by: Maximos	Metropolitan of Pittsburgh 2011-Present	Succeeded by: —

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Sources

• Ordination of Bishop-elect Savas Zembillas
• About Bishop Savas
• Bishop Savas of Troas
• Director of the Office of Church and Society
• Bishop Savas of Troas Elected Metropolitan of Pittsburgh Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America website