His Most Reverend Ioannis born in Thessaloniki in 1958. He is a graduate of Εcclesiastical Teacher’s college in 1979 and of the Faculty of Pastoral and Social Theology of the University Aristotelio of Thessaloniki in 1982.
In 1982 he was ordained Deacon in the Metropolis of Thessaloniki and he took over the administration of the youth office as well as he participated in the proceedings of the youth conference of the Holy Synod of church of Greece.
In 1983 he was ordained Presbyter, promoted to Archimandrite and he was appointed as hieratic Head of church of Saints Cyril and Methodios department in which he served till 1994. During his leadership the consecration of the church of Saint Kyrilos and Methodios took place with pomp and circumstance in which they presented besides a number of bishops, the President of the Republic, the Council of Ministers, the representatives of opposition and many people.
Since 1983 he serves as Counselor of Monastery Board at the Monastery of Saint Theodora. Since 1994 he serves as Abbot in the Monastery of Saint Theodora until today. This Monastery in addition to the monks of the Monastery, offers hospitality to clergymen who come from foreign countries in order to learn the Greek language and study in the School of Theology postgraduates and doctoral studies.
In 1994 he was appointed Head of the church of patron saint Demetrius and meanwhile he undertakes the duties of Protosygelos of the Metropolis of Thessaloniki.
The bishop Panteleimon II who ordained him and placed him in the demanding post of Protosygelos entrusted him with the duties of the chairman of charities foundations of the city. Specifically, from 1992 until 2004 in the ‘’Papafeio’’ Orphanage and from 1994 until 2004 in the ‘’Chariseio’’ old people’s home, to the spiritual and charity foundation of all the Saints in Thessaloniki, to the School board of the Higher ecclesiastical School, to the Council of Byzantine music School of Metropolis of Thessaloniki as well as to the charitable foundation Papadimopoulos.
He wrote articles and essays of theological content. Moreover, he took part through presentations in theological conferences. He taugh in Sunday Schools as well as in the school of clergs training of Metropolis of Thessaloniki. He has presented TV and radio broadcasts with constructive and confessional content of orthodox faith for 20 years.
He has taught as a professor at the Higher Ecclesiastical School of Thessaloniki and he gave a series of lectures having Hagiological content not only in Metropolis of Thessaloniki but also in other Metropolis. He headed a series of lectures “Academic Debates” in the hall of ceremonies of the Holy Metropolis if Thessaloniki for 18 years.
In 1994 he established a holy hermitage of Saints Cyril and Methodios. He serves until today as a director of the center of Orthodox Hagiology under the chairmanship of His Holiness the Metropolitan of Thessaloniki Anthimos.
He was declared a doctor of Theology in the Theological Academy of the historic city Uzhgorod in Ukraine where he teaches as a guest professor issues of biblical Theology and Hagiology. He is responsible for setting up and operating a teaching department of Greek language in the Theological School which belongs to the University of the Carpathians. In this effort, essential role played the professor Ioannis Kazazis of the School of Philosophy of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki through the program “Iason”.
Parallely to his scientific work, he developed prototyp work in the field of philantropy with the operation of mess for the homeless people and the migrants of the city with the slogan “ Noboby hungry at night in Thessaloniki” as well as the creation of clothing station offered free to our brothers in need.
He was elected on 10 May 2010 by the Holy Synod of the Greek Church as Metropolitan of Lagada. He was ordained Bishop in the 16 May 2010 by the Archbishop Ieronimos at the church of Saint – Demetrius of Thessaloniki.
His works:
“Saint – Demetrius”
“The basilica of Saint – Demetrius”
“Saint George”
“ The church of Saint – George Rotonda”
“The Monastery of Latomou”
“The Monastery of Saint – Theodora”
“The church as a communion of Saints”
“The meaning and content of the festivities of the old Tastameny”
“The exiles of Athanasios the Greek”
“The 59th Psalm in Saint – Maximus the Confessor”
“The holy water of Thessaloniki”
"He edited the versions of the two – volume “Hagiology of Thessaloniki"
“Hymological Spiritual Meadow of Saint – Demetrius”
“Complete works of Saint – Demetrius in the middle Byzantine period of Symeon Paschalidis”
“You are champion all over the world” (Anniversary edition of Saint Demetrius church).
Visit Us (Anniversary edition of the Holy Metropolis of Thessaloniki regarding the visits of the Patriarch).