With great joy His Eminence Archbishop Nikitas of Thyateira and Great Britain announces the election of two assistant Bishops by the Holy and Sacred Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate to help in meeting the many pastoral needs of the Archdiocese. They are:

His Grace Bishop-elect Raphael Pavouris of Ilion and His Grace Bishop-elect Iakovos Savvas of Klavdioupolis

His Grace Bishop-elect Raphael of Ilion will be ordained on Tuesday, March 9, 2021, (Matins: 9:00 AM) at the Greek Orthodox Church of St. Panteleimon and St. Paraskevi in Harrow, London.

– His Grace Bishop-elect Iakovos of Claudiopolis will be ordained on Saturday, March 27, 2021, (Matins: 9:00 AM) at the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of Divine Wisdom in Bayswater, London.

His Grace Bishop-elect Iakovos (Savvas Savva) of Claudiopolis (Κλαυδιουπόλεως) is the first Orthodox Bishop in Wales in over 1000 years. This is the first election of an Orthodox Bishop in Wales since the Great Schism of 1054. He succeeded great Orthodox Hierarchs such as Saint David, the Patron Saint of Wales, Saint Teilo, Bishop of Llandaff and Saint Deiniol, Bishop of Bangor.
His Grace was born in Larnaca, Cyprus in 1963. Following graduation from high school in his birthplace, he was admitted to the School of Theology of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, from which he graduated in 1986.
His Grace was ordained to the Holy Diaconate on December 16, 1990. On March 8, 1992, he was ordained to the Holy Priesthood and was bestowed the office of Archimandrite by the late Metropolitan Bishop of Nicaea, Attica, Greece, Iakovos, whose Diocese he served for three years (St Nikolaos, Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Nicaea and Church of Panagia Vlahernon in Keratsini).
Since 1993, he has served the Archdiocese of Thyateira and Great Britain. He has been in charge, initially, of the Greek Orthodox Church of the Virgin Mary Eleousa in the greater district of Nottingham and Derby in the Midlands (Central England) and then, of the historical Greek Orthodox Church of St Nicholas in Cardiff, Wales (2000-today).
Archimandrite Iakovos presided over the Greek Orthodox communities in the Midlands for the young from 1997 to 2000 and organized three Youth Festivals in the Midlands between 1997 and 1999. He first served as Vice-President and subsequently, as President of «St Athanasios», the Clergy Fellowship of the Biblical Eparchy of the Ecumenical Throne in the United Kingdom. In this capacity, he has organised the annual clergy conferences of the Archdiocese of Thyateira and Great Britain since 2001.
During his tenure in Great Britain, His Grace Bishop Iakovos of Claudiopolis reinforced the theological and spiritual life of the two above-mentioned communities by overseeing the restoration and renovation of their Holy Temples and community centers. His contribution to the preservation of the Orthodox tradition and the revival of the Greek Letters and Civilization in the United Kingdom is highly appreciated.
On February 16, 2021, following the recommendation of His Eminence Archbishop Nikitas of Thyateira and Great Britain, the Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate unanimously voted to elevate Archimandrite Iakovos to the office of Assistant Bishop in order to assist His Eminence.
Name Day – 23rd October

Father Raphael Pouvaros was Born on Lesvos, Greece (1967) and Studied Theology in Athens and Glasgow.
Was ordained Deacon and Priest in Glasgow (2003) he Served at St Luke’s Greek Orthodox Catherdal (2003-2004) and St Andrew’s Orthodox Church in Edinburgh (2004 until present).
Elected Bishop of Ilion by the Holy and Sacred Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate on 16 February 2021.