Metropolis of Irinoupolis

This article is for the diocese created in 1999. For the old bishopric of 1959 which is now in Kenya, see Archdiocese of Nairobi.

The Holy Archdiocese of Irinoupolis and Eastern Tanzania and Seychelles is a diocese under the jurisdiction of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria and All Africa. Its territory includes the parishes and missions located in the countries of Tanzania, and the Seychelles Islands. Its name comes from the Greek translation of “Dar es-Salaam”, the former capital of Tanzania where the archdiocese is situated.

When the Archdiocese of Irinoupolis was originally established in 1959 with its see in Daar es-Salaam, Tanzania, its jurisdiction included that country plus Kenya and Uganda. In 1971, Archbishop Nicodemus moved the see to Kampala, Uganda, but the archdiocese maintained its name. From then on the city of Irinoupolis was never the seat of any bishop, although churches existed in Tanzania. After a long period of vacancy, in 1994 the archdiocese lost its territory in Uganda to establish the Archdiocese of Kampala and the see moved to Nairobi, Kenya.

Finally, on November 23, 1999, the Archdiocese of Irinoupolis and Eastern Tanzania was created, separated from the now-called Archdiocese of Kenya. With the election of the current Archbishop Dimitrios in 2004, the archdiocese gained also the far-away territory of the archipelago of Seychelles in the Indian Ocean, receiving its current name.

Ruling Bishops

• Philemon (Agiannanitis) 1999–2000
• Proterios (Pavlopoulos) 2001–2004
• Dimitrios (Zaharengas) 2004–Present

(lost territory to establish the Diocese of Arusha)

Sources

• Patriarchate of Alexandria Archdiocese website
• Orthodox Mission
• Orthodox Mission in Tropical Africa
• Metropolitan Philemon Kavason Falls Asleep