Holy Metropolis of New Zealand

His Eminence Metropolitan Dionysios Psiachas was the first Archbishop of the Holy Metropolis of New Zealand. He was elected in 1970, following the separation of the Metropolis from the Holy Archdiocese of Australia, where he had previously served as the Auxiliary Bishop of Nazianzos. He was born in Chalcedon, opposite Constantinople, in 1916. In 1941, he graduated from the Holy Theological School of Halki. As a clergyman, he served as a deacon in Kurtuluş, Constantinople, and later as an Archimandrite at the Theological School of Halki, where he also served as its steward. He also ministered at the Cathedral of Hagia Sophia in London.

In 1956, he was consecrated Bishop with the title of Bishop of Nazianzos and served as Auxiliary Bishop to Archbishop Ezekiel of Australia and New Zealand. In 1970, when New Zealand was separated from the Holy Archdiocese of Australia and established as an independent Diocese of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, he was elected its first Bishop with the title of New Zealand and Exarch of India, Korea, and Japan, later also assuming responsibility for Hong Kong, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Singapore.

Metropolitan Dionysios was distinguished for his devotion to the Holy Ecumenical Patriarchate, his humility, willingness to serve, and the strength with which he fulfilled his duties in New Zealand and throughout the countries of the Exarchate.

He consecrated many churches and ordained deacons and priests throughout the region, particularly in Korea and India, which were primarily missionary territories. He also left to the capital of New Zealand the Holy Metropolis of Saint Andrew, together with an endowment through which the financial stability of the Holy Metropolis continues to reflect its standing and recognition within New Zealand.

On 21 July 2003, he was elected Bishop of Prusa, and for this reason he remained at the Cathedral of Saint Andrew until his repose on 6 January 2008.

His Eminence Joseph Harkiolakis was born in Sitia, Crete, in 1955. In 1978, he graduated from the Theological School of the University of Athens. In 1979, he was ordained a deacon and served as a preacher appointed by the Holy Synod of the Church of Greece in the Metropolises of Lefkada and Ithaca.

He was ordained to the priesthood in 1981 and served as preacher and Protosyncellus of the Holy Metropolis of Ierapetra and Sitia. He later served in various positions within the Archdiocese of Australia, where in 1989 he was elected and consecrated Bishop of Arianzos as Auxiliary Bishop to Archbishop Stylianos of Australia.

In July 2003, he was elected by the Ecumenical Patriarchate as the second Metropolitan of New Zealand.

He is a well-educated clergyman with broad learning and a command of the English language. He is widely respected as an accomplished preacher and a prolific author.

During his two-year tenure, he reorganized the liturgical life of the Church and became more actively involved in preaching the Word of God and in catechetical instruction. He established the Church of Saint Andrew the Apostle as the Metropolitan Church and designated the Church of the Annunciation of the Theotokos as the Cathedral. He also renovated the roof of Saint Andrew’s Church and restored the adjoining residence, furnishing it with the necessary furniture, utensils, and other items so that it would be both habitable and suitable.

He resigned from the office of Metropolitan of New Zealand for personal reasons. In June 2008, he was elected by the Ecumenical Patriarch as Metropolitan of Proikonnesos, and in 2009 he became a member of the Holy Synod.

During the two-month period between the resignation of His Eminence Metropolitan Joseph and the enthronement of his successor, Metropolitan Amphilochios, the Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate appointed His Eminence Metropolitan Sotirios Trambas of Korea as Locum Tenens. With zeal and love, he cared for the faithful of the Holy Metropolis, supporting it in many ways, including beautifying the lobby of the Holy Metropolis of Saint Andrew.

The third Metropolitan of New Zealand was Bishop Amphilochios Tsoukos of Erythrai, formerly Auxiliary Bishop to Metropolitan Kyrillos of Rhodes. He was elected in 2005. By the grace of God, he continues his ministry in this distant Diocese, which, by decision of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, was expanded in 2006 to include the South Pacific islands of Fiji, Tonga, and Samoa.

His Eminence Metropolitan Amphilochios, now Metropolitan of Ganos and Chora (born Adamantios Tsoukos), was born in Lardos, Rhodes, in 1938. He completed his primary and secondary education in his hometown. He studied theology at the Patriarchal School of Patmos and at the Holy Theological School of Halki, where he was ordained deacon in 1962 and priest in 1963 by its Dean, the late Metropolitan Maximos Repanellis of Stavroupolis.

He served as steward of the School, chaplain of various monasteries, preacher for Patmos and the surrounding islands, and professor at the Patmian Ecclesiastical School (1964–1972 and 1978–1989). Between 1968 and 1978, with intervals, he devoted himself to the work of the Orthodox foreign missions in Africa, particularly in Kenya and Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo).

During the visit of the late Patriarch Nicholas VI of Alexandria to Lubumbashi in Katanga in 1974, he was elevated to the rank of Archimandrite.

From the summer of 1989 until 2005, he served in his native Rhodes as preacher of the Holy Metropolis, Abbot of the Monastery of the Archangel Michael at Tharri, which he restored and reorganized, and also assisted in the renewal of the Convent of Panagia Ypseni, with the blessing of the then Metropolitan Apostolos Dimelis of Rhodes.

On 15 June 2005, he was unanimously elected by the Holy and Sacred Synod as Bishop of Erythrai, serving as Auxiliary Bishop to Metropolitan Kyrillos of Rhodes. On 13 October of the same year, he was again unanimously elected Metropolitan of New Zealand.

On 30 May 2018, he was unanimously elected by the Holy and Sacred Synod as Metropolitan of Ganos and Chora.