Today, 26th November 2018 in the evening, first day of the deliberations of the Holy Synod of Hierarchs of the ancient Patriarchate of Alexandria and All Africa, the Holy Synod of the Patriarchate of Alexandria convened under presidency of His Beatitude Theodoros II, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa.
At the beginning of the meeting, the Patriarchal Tomes of the establishment of the Metropolis of Kananga and the five newly established Dioceses: Malawi, Gulu and Eastern Uganda, Toliara and Southern Madagascar, Goma and Kisangani.
This was followed by the filling of the vacant Holy Metropolis of Aksum, as well as the new dioceses Malawi, Gulu and Eastern Uganda, Toliara and Southern Madagascar, Goma and Kisangani.
Elected as new Metropolitan of Aksum is the Very Reverend Archimandrite Daniel Biazis, chief secretary of the Holy Synod and Metropolitan of Kananga is the Very Reverend Archimandrite Theodosios Tsitsivos.
New provincial bishops are: the bishop of Malawi is the Very Reverend Archimandrite Fotios Hatziantoniou, of Gulu and Eastern Uganda is the Very Reverend Archimandrite Sylvester Kisitu, of Toliara and Southern Madagascar, the Very Reverend Archimandrite Prodromos Katsoulis.
CURRICULUM VITAE OF HIS EMINENCE THE ELECTED METROPOLITAN DANIEL OF AKSUM
His Eminence Daniel, the elected Metropolitan of Aksum (born Dimitrios Biazis) was born in Zakynthos in 1977. Following his school education in his birthplace, he studied at the seminary in Bellas Ioannina and at the Theological Academy of the University of Thessaloniki. He was tonsured a monk at the Holy Monastery of Strofadon and Saint Dionysios in Zakynthos, ordained Deacon on 25/12/1997 and Priest on 17/09/2006 from the then Metropolitan Chrysostomos II of Zakynthos (Now Dodonis). He served as preacher of the Holy Metropolis of Zakynthos and as Abbot of the Holy Monastery of the Most Holy Theotokos Spileotissis in Zakynthos. He served as a missionary for the ancient Patriarchate of Alexandria and All Africa in the Provinces of Mozambique, Zambia and Malawi. He was seconded by proposal of His Beatitude Theodoros II, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa, to the ancient Patriarchate of Alexandria. He served as Chancellor of the Holy Metropolis of Zambia and Malawi. Invited by His Beatitude to the See of the Patriarchate in Alexandria, he served as Parish Priest of the Holy Church of the Annunciation of the Theotokos in Alexandria and from 18/01/2017 as Chief Secretary of the Holy Synod. By proposal of His Beatitude and canonical votes of the Holy Synod, he was elected on 26/11/2018 as Metropolitan of Aksum. He speaks English.
CURRICULUM VITAE OF THE ELECTED METROPOLITAN THEODOSIOS OF KANANGA
His Eminence Theodosios, elected Metropolitan of Kananga, was born in Kyparisso in the District of Trichonida Aitoloakarnania, in 1973. He completed his primary schooling in Agrinion. He is a graduate of the Ecclesiastical Academy on Athos. He holds a degree from the Theological Academy of the Aristotelian University of Thessaloniki. He also has a master’s degree from the Hellenic Open University. In 1997 he was tonsured a monk at the historic Holy Monastery Gyrokomiou in Patra. In 1997 he was ordained Deacon and Priest in 2002 by the then Metropolitan of Patra, the late Nikodemos of Patra, receiving the rank of Archimandrite on the same day. He served as preacher, Parish Priest, spiritual father and catechist in Churches in Patra. In 2016 he was numbered amongst the Clergy of the Patriarchate of Alexandria, in the Holy Metropolis of Kinshasa, as Chancellor and Lecturer of the Theological Academy of the Orthodox University of Congo. On the 30th November 2017 he was appointed by His Beatitude the Patriarch of Alexandria, as Patriarchal Vicar of Kananga. On 26th November 2018, by proposal of His Beatitude, he was elected by the Holy Synod of the Alexandrian Patriarchate as Metropolitan of Kananga.
CURRICULUM VITAE OF THE ELECTED BISHOP OF MALAWI HIS GRACE FOTIOS
His Grace, the elected Bishop of Malawi, Fotios Hatziantoniou, was born in Nicaea, Attica in 1954. Following his schooling he graduated from the Philosophical and Theological Academies of Athens. He also holds a degree from the School of Ecclesiastical Byzantine Music of the Holy Metropolis of Nicaea. He was ordained Deacon on 22/07/1980 and Priest – Archimandrite on 9/11 of the same year, by the late Metropolitan Synesios of Kassandria. In 2002 he came to know the missionary efforts of the Alexandrian Patriarchate, offering his services to the Metropolises of Cameroon and Irinopolis. In October 2016, he was invited by His Beatitude Theodoros II, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa, to Alexandria and appointed as Priest and spiritual father of the Holy Patriarchal Monastery of Saint Savvas. On the 26th of November 2018, the Holy Synod of the Patriarchate elected him as the first Bishop of the newly-established Diocese of Malawi.
CURRICULUM VITAE OF THE NEWLY ELECTED BISHOP OF GULU AND EASTERN UGANDA HIS GRACE SYLVESTER
His Grace the elected Bishop of Gulu and Eastern Uganda Sylvester (born Maximos Kisitu), was born in Kampala, Uganda in 1982 where he completed his schooling. He is a graduate of the Department of Social Theology of the Theological Academy of the University of Athens. He speaks Luganda, Greek and English. He was tonsured a monk by His Eminence Kyrillos, Metropolitan of Rhodes, at the Holy Monastery Panagias Skiadenis in Rhodes, ordained Deacon on 08/09/2013 and Priest on 08/09/2014 by the same Metropolitan. Following an invitation by His Beatitude, he travelled to Alexandria in 2015, received the rank of Archimandrite of the Alexandrian Throne and numbered amongst the Clergy of the Patriarchal Court. He served as Parish Priest of the Patriarchal Holy Monastery of Saint Savva the Sanctified in Alexandria, as well as Registrar of the registry. On 26/11/2018, following a proposal by His Beatitude, he was elected by the Holy Synod as Bishop of the newly established Diocese of Gulu and Eastern Uganda.
CURRICULUM VITAE OF THE NEWLY ELECTED BISHOP OF TOLIARA AND SOUTHERN MADAGASCAR HIS GRACE PRODROMOS
His Grace Prodromos, the newly elected Bishop of Toliara and Southern Madagascar (born Panagiotis Katsoulis), son of Stavros and Eleni, was born in the City of Sparta on 16 February 1982 where he completed his schooling. From a very young age he bonded spiritually with the Holy Monastery of the Holy Unmercenaries in Parnona at which he was also tonsured a monk in November 2005. To assist with the liturgical needs of his Monastery, he was ordained Deacon (01/07/2011) and then Priest (17/08/2011) by His Eminence Efstathios, Metropolitan of Sparta and Monemvasia. He is a graduate of the Department of Theology of the Theological Academy of the University of Athens. In November 2015, he travelled to Cameroon and served together with His Eminence Gregory, Metropolitan of Cameroon, as Chancellor of the Metropolis. At Pascha 2016, he received the rank of Archimandrite by the Metropolitan of Cameroon. During his last pastoral journey to Cameroon 23-27/11/2017, His Beatitude Theodoros II, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa, consecrated him as Abbot of the newly-established Holy Monastery of Panagia Myrtidiotissa, in Yaounde. On the 26th November 2018, by proposal of His Beatitude, he was unanimously elected Bishop of the newly-established Diocese Toliara and Southern Madagascar.
