Greek Orthodox Metropolis of New Zealand

The Greek Orthodox Metropolis of New Zealand, headquartered in Wellington, is an eparchy of the Church of Constantinople. Its current primate is His Eminence Metropolitan Amphilochios (Tsoukas) of New Zealand.

Greek Orthodox Metropolis of New Zealand
Jurisdiction	Constantinople
Diocese type	Metropolis
Founded	1970
Current bishop	Met. Amphilochios
See(s)	Wellington
Headquarters	Wellington, New Zealand
Territory	New Zealand
Liturgical language(s)	Greek
Musical tradition	Byzantine Chant
Calendar	Revised Julian
Population estimate	9,588 (2001 Census, all Orthodox included)
Official website	Greek Metropolis

History

In 1924, the jurisdiction of New Zealand was transferred to the Church of Constantinople, who sent Christoforos to be the first metropolitan of Australia and New Zealand. He served until 1929 when he returned to Samos, his homeland. The next metropolitan was Timotheos, and he arrived in 26 January 1932, serving until he was elected metropolitan of Rhodes in 1947. He was replaced by Theophylactos, who served until his death in a car crash on 2 August 1958. Ezekiel, then assistant bishop of America, was elected metropolitan of Australia and New Zealand in February 1959, and arrived on 2 April 1959.

On 1 September of that year, the Metropolitanate of Australia and New Zealand was elevated to Archdiocese, and Ezekiel to Archbishop. Later, in 1970, the Holy Synod of the Church of Constantinople separated New Zealand from Australia, leaving the Archdiocese of Australia and the Metropolitanate of New Zealand, electing Dionysios to be the first metropolitan of New Zealand and exarch of Korea and Japan.

In 2003, Dionysios was promoted to the Metropolis of Proussa, promoting Joseph to be the second metropolitan of New Zealand. In 2004, the decision was made to separate the exarchate of Korea from New Zealand and to make it a metropolis of its own, leaving Metropolitan Joseph the sole hierarch of New Zealand. In August 2005, Metropolitan Joseph resigned from his see, and has left New Zealand to reside in Greece. In October 2005, Amphilochios was promoted to Metropolitan of New Zealand.

Recent History

In recent years, there has been great tension between the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia and the current Ecumenical Patriarch, Bartholomew I, concerning the elevation of one of the auxillary bishops of Australia, Joseph, to the metropolis of New Zealand. While some letters were exchanged and published through the Archdiocese-owned Greek newspaper, To Vema, the elevation of Metropolitan Joseph remains in effect and unchanged.

Organization

The Greek Orthodox Metropolis of New Zealand is a single metropolis with six churches.

(No other information as yet.)

The Episcopacy

Current Episcopacy

• Metropolitan Amphilochios of New Zealand, Oct 2005-present.

Previous Bishops of the Metropolis

• Dionysios (Psiahas), Metropolitan of New Zealand, 1970-2003; Exarch of India, Korea and Japan, 1970-1996; Exarch of Korea and Japan, 1996-2003.
• Sotirios (Trambas) of Zela (auxiliary bishop in Korea), 1993-2004.
• Metropolitan Joseph (Harkiolakis) of New Zealand, 2003-Aug 2005.

See also

• List of parishes in New Zealand

External Links

• Official Website of the Metropolis
• Official Website of the Orthodox Patriarchate of Constantinople
• To Vema official site