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Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Hong Kong and Southeast Asia | |
|---|---|
| orthodox | |
| Location | |
| Territory | Hong Kong,Macao,China,Taiwan,Mongolia, thePhilippines,Vietnam,Cambodia,Laos,Thailand andMyanmar. |
| Information | |
| Denomination | Eastern Orthodox |
| Rite | Byzantine Rite |
| Established | November 1996 |
| Language | English |
| Parent church | Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople |
| Patriarch | Bartholomew I of Constantinople |
| Metropolitan Archbishop | Nektarios Tsilis |
TheMetropolis of Hong Kong and Southeast Asia (Chinese:正教會普世宗主教聖統香港及東南亞都主教教區) is ametropolis orarcheparchyof theEcumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople in theEastern Orthodox Church, and is equivalent to anarchdiocese in theCatholic Church. Centered on the city ofHong Kong, it has jurisdiction over Eastern Orthodox Christians in Hong Kong,Macao,China,Taiwan,Mongolia, thePhilippines,Vietnam,Cambodia,Laos,Thailand andMyanmar. It was established in November 1996 by the Holy Great Synod ofConstantinople.[1] The incumbent metropolitan isNektarios Tsilis.
For some years, a small community of Eastern Orthodox Christians maintainedEastern Orthodoxy in Hong Kong. Although services with a priest were infrequent, they continued to practice Eastern Orthodox Christianity. A small delegation, representing the St. Luke Orthodox Community, approached PatriarchBartholomew I of Constantinople requesting a full-time clergyman to serve the needs of the faithful and minister to the local people. With the efforts of Bishop Athenagoras (later Metropolitan of Mexico, Central America and Caribbean, with seat in Panama), a systematic plan was developed. Based on the Bishop's research and advice, the Holy and Sacred Synod of Constantinople founded the new Orthodox Metropolitanate of Hong Kong and South East Asia in November 1996, with jurisdiction over: Hong Kong, Macao, China, Taiwan, Mongolia, Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Myanmar and alsoSingapore,Indonesia,Malaysia,Brunei,East Timor,Maldives,Sri Lanka,Bangladesh,India,Nepal,Pakistan andAfghanistan.[2][3]
On December 2, 1996, ArchmandriteNikitas (Lulias) was elected as the first Orthodox Metropolitan of Hong Kong and assigned the ecclesiastical responsibilities ofSoutheast Asia. On January 12, 1997, the Enthronement of Nikitas Lulias as the first Metropolitan of the OMHKSEA took place at the Orthodox Cathedral of St. Luke, Stanley Fort, Hong Kong, with Metropolitan Athenagoras of Panama representing theEcumenical Patriarchate.
In August 2007, Metropolitan Nikitas was transferred to become Metropolitan of Dardanellia, and OMHKSEA remained vacant for a few months. On January 9, 2008, the Holy and Sacred Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate decided to split the large area of OMHKSEA, creating a newMetropolitanate of Singapore and South Asia with jurisdiction over Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, East Timor, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Afghanistan. The Metropolitanate of Hong Kong retained jurisdiction over: Hong Kong, Macao, China, Taiwan, Mongolia, Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Myanmar.[4] On the same day, ArchimandriteNektarios (Tsilis) was elected as the New Metropolitan of OMHKSEA. His ordination took place on January 20, 2008, at the patriarchal St George Holy Church of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Phanar, Constantinople (Istanbul),Turkey, and his enthronement took place on March 1, 2008, at the Orthodox Cathedral of St. Luke, Stanley Fort, Hong Kong.[5] The Davao parish, a recent addition to the OMHKSEA, first opened in 2018.