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Alan Reginald Eades was born on [[November 18]], 1946, to the family of an Anglican priest, Rev Reginald and Mrs Joan Eades. While training as nurses at Tauranga Hospital, Alan met and his future wife, Mary Joyselyn Coate (b. 14 Oct 1950)met, and they were married on [[August 30]], 1970. In 1973, Angelina was born (now married with three children); , soon followed by Nicholas (~1976). On [[November 23]], 1977, his Alan's father reposed.

On the 26th of 26 March, 1978, Alan's and family was were received into the Orthodox Church by Fr [[Jack Witbrock]] in Auckland, and attended Orthodox services at either the Antiochian and or Greek Orthodox churches, depending on when they services were scheduled.

During 1984, Alan accepted the call to the priesthood, and commenced supervised study and preparation. He was ordained by [[Bishop]] [[Gibran (Ramlawey) of Australia and New Zealand|Gibran]] - to the [[deacon|diaconate]] on 26 September 1987, and to the as [[priest]]hood on the 27th - and was given . Bp Gibran gave him the name Ilyan, after St [[Ilian of Homs]], Syria. Later, he would change changed his official name to Ilyan. Fr Ilyan's moved with his family moved from Te Awamutu, Waikato, to be the rector at St Ignatius, Auckland.

During his rectorate, the community began a charitable trust to legally administer the financial affairs of St Ignatius, and then secured a tenure of lease on the Hall parish hall of St Christopher. This was a former Anglican Sunday School hall that Rev. Reginald Eades had started in 1953, but now became the Orthodox Church of St [[Ignatius of Antioch]] in 1988, and was purchased outright in 1990. To support himself, Fr Ilyan worked part-time at Mercy Hospital, while [[Presvytera|Kh]] Joan worked at the local Anglican Geriatric Hospital.

Fr Ilyan's initial congregation was of some converts, and some New Zealand-born Lebanese and occaisional occasional Greeks or Serbiansand Serbs. Relations with the [[Greek Orthodox Metropolis of New Zealand]] became most amicable out of after difficulties in the Greek Orthodox Church of the Holy Trinity, Auckland, and caused Metropolitan [[Dionysios (Psiahas) of Proussa|Dionysios]] approached to approach Bp Gibran to find some accommodation for Fr Michael Balafas at St Ignatius when he wanted to serve. Some more Greek Orthodox would begin then began attending St Ignatius services. Met Dionysios then made an arrangement reciprocal arrangements with Bp Gibran where for Fr Ilyan could go to attend Holy Trinity Church to conduct [[matrimony|weddings]], [[funeral]]s and [[baptism]]s when needed.

After need was expressed from congregants of St Michael Orthodox Church, Dunedin, and after consultation with consultations between Bp Gibran and Fr Jack, Fr Ilyan left Auckland for Dunedin in late October 1992. After being billeted for 2 weeks, Fr Ilyan was able to rent, then buy, the house directly behind the church. Soon after this, Met Dionysios requested Fr Ilyan's help in looking after the Greek Community in Christchurch, who were currently priestless; so, without a priest. So until mid-1996, Fr Ilyan made monthly trips to Christchurch , and, until 2004, to care for other centres (Auckland, Napier, Wellington) as requested.

Due to being the only Orthodox church in Dunedin & Southland, Fr Ilyan uses English, Greek and Slavonic in his services; and the . The lack in of priest's salary means that Fr Ilyan continues to work for the IHC, caring for people with an intellectual disability; . Kh. Joan, since changed to being a veterinary nurse, nursing and teaches at the Otago Polytechnic College.

Since 2004, due to a request from the Multi-Nations Council, Invercargill, for monthly [[Divine Liturgy]] there, Fr Ilyan has been so liturgising also celebrates liturgy there in a borrowed Anglican Church, near the airport. In May 2005 Met Paul has ordained [[Andrei Grenfell ]] to the sub-diaconate, and . He is being prepared for the diaconate by Fr Ilyan to assist with Dunedin and Invercargill. Andrei is also studying externally at St Sergius Orthodox Institute Paris.