Fr. Demetrios Serfes
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 His Eminence Metropolitan Isaiah of Proikonisos Presiding Hierarch of the Diocese of Denver |
BIOGRAPHICAL PROFILE
OF His Eminence Metropolitan Isaiah of Proikonisos Presiding Hierarch of the Diocese of Denver
is Eminence Metropolitan Isaiah of Proikonisos Presiding Hierarch of the Diocese of Denver is a native of New Hampshire, having been born in Portsmouth. He is one of four children born to Dennis and Mary
(Kapsimalis) Chronopoulos who had emigrated to the United States from Olympia, Greece. After his primary and high school
education, he served with distinction in the United States Marine Corps during the Korean conflict. In the autumn of 1954 he enrolled at
Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology in Brookline, Massachusetts. Upon his graduation in 1960, he attended the Ecumencial Patriarchate Seminary of Halki in Istanbul, Turkey for graduate studies.
On 25 February 1962 His Eminence Metropolitan Isaiah of Proikonisos Presiding Hierarch of the Diocese of Denver was ordained a deacon by His Eminence Archbishop Lakovos at Saint Spyridon Church in San Diego, California, having been tonsured a monk on the previous day. He received his ordination to the holy priesthood from His Grace Bishop Demetrios of Olympus at Saint Sophia Cathedral in Los Angeles, California, on 18 March 1962. His first assignment in the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese was as assistant to the pastor at Holy Trinity Church in Salt Lake City Utah. In December of 1964 he was assigned as pastor at Saint John Church in Youngstown, Ohio. On 30 November 1969 he was raised to the office of Archimandrite by Archbishop Lakovos at the consecration services of the new church and community center in Youngstown.
Archbishop Lakovos reassigned the bishop to Hellenic College and Holy Cross School of Theology as the Director of Student Life in August of 1971. Taking a leave of absence from his duties in February 1975, he enrolled as a graduate student at the School of Theology at the University of Thessaloniki, fulfilling requrements for the recognition of his mater's degree in theology. He returned to the United States in July of that year and continued in his capacity as dean of students.
In September 1976 he was given additional responsibilities at the college-seminary as the Dean of Administrative Affairs with an overseeing position in student affairs. In October 1977 he assumed additional as the Interim Pastor at Saint Nicholas Church in Portsmouth, New Hempshire. Relinquishing all of these positions in March 1979, he was assigned as the Chancellor of the Diocese of Chicago under His Grace, Bishop Iakovos of Chicago.
His Eminence Metropolitan Isaiah of Proikonisos Presiding Hierarch of the Diocese of Denver was elected to the rank of Bishop by the Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Istanbul (Constantinople), Turkey on 10 April 1986. He was consecrated a Bishop on 25 May 1986 at Holy Trinity Cathederal in New York City, and was given the title of Bishop of Aspendos, a former Christian city in southwestern Asia Minor. In September 1986, His Eminence Archbishop Lakovos assigned him as the Chancellor of the Archdiocese in New York. Bishop Isaiah continued to function in this capacity until 23 June 1992 when he was elected Bishop of the Diocese of Denver by the Ecumenical Patriarchate, taking the new title on 24 June 1992 at special ceremonies in the Archdiocesan Chapel. He was enthroned as Bishop of Denver on 10 September 1992, at the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary in Denver, Colorado.
Source: Greek Orthodox Diocese of Denver
Let us all humbly pray for His Eminence!
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