Metropolitan Metropolitan may refer to: Areas and governance (secular and ecclesiastical) * Metropolitan archdiocese, the jurisdiction of a metropolitan archbishop ** Metropolitan bishop or archbishop, leader of an ecclesiastical "mother see" * Metropolitan ar ...

Iakovos of Chicago (secular name Michael Garmatis, ; April 4, 1928 – June 2, 2017) was Metropolitan of Chicago under the

Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople The Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople (, ; ; , "Roman Orthodox Patriarchate, Ecumenical Patriarchate of Istanbul") is one of the fifteen to seventeen autocephalous churches that together compose the Eastern Orthodox Church. It is heade ...

until his death on June 2, 2017.

Biography

Garmatis began his higher education in Athens, Greece, and continued his studies and service in the Boston area. He was appointed Archdiocesan

Vicar A vicar (; Latin: '' vicarius'') is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior (compare "vicarious" in the sense of "at second hand"). Linguistically, ''vicar'' is cognate with the English p ...

of the Diocese of Detroit by Archbishop Iakovos in February 1968. One year later, he was elevated to the rank of Bishop by the Holy See of Constantinople. He was

consecrated Sacred describes something that is dedicated or set apart for the service or worship of a deity; is considered worthy of spiritual respect or devotion; or inspires awe or reverence among believers. The property is often ascribed to objects (a ...

Bishop of Apameia (an Auxiliary Bishop of Archbishop Iakovos) on

Christmas Christmas is an annual festival commemorating Nativity of Jesus, the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a Religion, religious and Culture, cultural celebration among billions of people Observance of Christmas by coun ...

Day of 1969, and appointed to the Diocese of Detroit as Bishop of that district. In 1971 Garmatis was appointed President of

Hellenic College Hellenic College Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology (HCHC) is a private Orthodox Christian liberal arts college and seminary in Brookline, Massachusetts. Its mission is to educate individuals for life and service in the Orthodox Ch ...

and Holy Cross School of Theology in Brookline, Massachusetts, while remaining as administrative overseer of the Diocese of Detroit. He simultaneously served as the Bishop of the New England area during his five-year tenure as President of Hellenic College and Holy Cross School of Theology. Garmatis was elected to the episcopacy of the

Greek Orthodox Church Greek Orthodox Church (, , ) is a term that can refer to any one of three classes of Christian Churches, each associated in some way with Christianity in Greece, Greek Christianity, Antiochian Greek Christians, Levantine Arabic-speaking Christian ...

by the Holy and Sacred Synod of the

in 1969. He was enthroned by

Archbishop Iakovos Archbishop Iakovos of North and South America (; born Demetrios Koukouzis (Δημήτριος Κουκούζης); July 29, 1911 – April 10, 2005) was the primate of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of North and South America (now the Greek Orth ...

of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of North and South America on May 1, 1979, as the

Bishop A bishop is an ordained member of the clergy who is entrusted with a position of Episcopal polity, authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance and administration of di ...

of Chicago at the Annunciation Cathedral. In November 1997, the Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate elected Garmatis to the active Metropolitanate of Chicago and

Exarch An exarch (; from Ancient Greek ἔξαρχος ''exarchos'') was the holder of any of various historical offices, some of them being political or military and others being ecclesiastical. In the late Roman Empire and early Byzantine Empire, ...

Ionia Ionia ( ) was an ancient region encompassing the central part of the western coast of Anatolia. It consisted of the northernmost territories of the Ionian League of Greek settlements. Never a unified state, it was named after the Ionians who ...

. In this capacity, he served the

Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Chicago The Metropolis of Chicago () is a metropolis (religious jurisdiction), metropolis of the Greek Orthodox Church, part of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, in the North-Central Midwest, United States, with its Episcopal see, see city of C ...

as its Presiding Hierarch (''

proedros ''Proedros'' (, "president") was a senior Byzantine court and ecclesiastic title in the 10th to mid-12th centuries. The female form of the title is ''proedrissa'' (προέδρισσα). Court dignity The title was created in the 960s by Nikephor ...

''). The Diocese of Chicago consists of 34 parishes in Illinois, with another 24 parishes in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, northern Indiana, and eastern Missouri. The general offices of the

are located in Chicago, Illinois. Under Garmatis' leadership the diocese has increased its efforts to assist the homeless and those in need, as witnessed in the labors of the Diocesan Philanthropy Committee. He has founded new youth programs and established various local dialogue commissions with other faith communities. Garmatis also established the Bishop Iakovos Scholarship Assistance Program, the Bishop's Task Force on AIDS, the Diocese Junior Olympics, the Diocese Dance Festival, as well as numerous programs in religion and Greek education. Garmatis died on June 2, 2017, at the Louis A. Weiss Memorial Hospital in Chicago following surgical complications at the age of 89.

References

Sources

Metropolitan Iakovos of Chicago
from the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Chicago
Metropolitan Iakovos of Chicago Falls Asleep in the Lord
from the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America

External links

on the Orthodox Research Institute {{DEFAULTSORT:Garmatis, Iakovos 1928 births 2017 deaths Eastern Orthodox metropolitans Christianity in Chicago Clergy from Chicago Greek Orthodox Christians from the United States Bishops in Illinois