Meeting on Wednesday 28th January in Heraklion, the Holy Synod of the Church of Crete elected two new metropolitans to fill the vacant seats in the Regional Units of Chania and Rethymnon. Titus Tabakakis, Protosyncellus of the Metropolis of Petra and Hersonissos, is the new Metropolitan of Kydonia and Apokoronas, and Ioachim Karandinos, Protosyncellus of the Metropolis of Gortyna and Arkadia, is the new Metropolitan of Lampi, Syvritos and Sfakia.

Commenting on the election of two new Metropolitans, the Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis spoke of a “new era” for the Church of Crete, which has come after a period of tensions and uncertainty. It may be remembered that the election of the Metropolitan of Kydonia and Apokoronas had been postponed at the first attempt in May 2025, having run into problems relating to the principle of non-transferability which threatened to cause a rift between the Church of Crete and the Ecumenical Patriarch. That conflict seemed to have been resolved with the current election of Titus Tabakakis.

The Prime Minister’s message
Speaking to Haniotika Nea, the Prime Minister said: “A new era is beginning in the ecclesiastical history of the Metropolis of Kydonia and Apokoronas and that of Lampi, Syvritos and Sfakia. And it is beginning under the best possible conditions for our proud island, for the Church of Crete and the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the mother church of them all. Congratulations are due to the Archbishop of Crete, the Metropolitans of the Church of Crete and of course to the Exarchate of the Ecumenical Patriarchate for the message of strong unity and just hope which they have transmitted today. I salute the newly elected Metropolitans.”

Consecration of the new metropolitans
The new Metropolitan of Kydonia and Apokoronas was elected unanimously, while the new Metropolitan of Lampi, Syvritos and Sfakia was elected with an 8-1 majority. As soon as the names were announced by Archbishop Evgenios, the bells on the Cathedral of Agios Minas in Heraklion rang out and the crowd of the faithful who had gathered outside cried “Hail, Hail!” . It was announced that the consecration of Titus will take place on 7th February and of Ioachim on 15th February.

Inside the Archiepiscopal Mansion in Heraklion, the Archbishop had warm words of welcome for the two newly elected metropolitans, expressing his conviction that they would prove worthy of their mission and would meet the expectations of the clergy and the people. He also made special reference to their predecessors, emphasising the continuance and the depth of the ecclesiastical ministry.

Both of the newly elected Metropolitans, in the customary Short Address (mikro minyma) accepting their election, paid tribute to the metropolitans they had hitherto been serving under, and emphasised their devotion to the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Patriarch Bartolomeos. Messages of congratulation were received from local government representatives, MPs and organisations in Chania and throughout Crete.

The new Metropolitans
The new Metropolitan of Kydonia and Apokoronas, Titus Tabakakis, birth name Emmanouil, was born in Neapoli, Lasithi, on 10th August 1976. He studied at the Rizarios Ecclesiastical School and subsequently at the Theological School of the University of Athens, from where he graduated in 1998. He became a monk in 1996, taking the name Titus, and in the same year was ordained a deacon, while in 2002 he was ordained as presbyter and later archimandrite.

He served for a number of years in the Holy Metropolis of France, with important administrative and pastoral responsibilities in Paris, while at the same time he attended academic seminars at the Sorbonne for a period of four years. He has a postgraduate diploma in Ecclesiastical History, on the subject of Venetian-occupied Crete, and speaks fluent French and English.

Also born in 1976, the new Metropolitan of Lampi, Syvritos and Sfakia, Ioachim Karandinos, is known for his energetic social work and his close collaboration with the Reverend Metropolitan of Gortyna and Arkadia, Makarios. He has been a key collaborator of the Metropolitan, providing vital assistance in the support of vulnerable groups and the social work of the Metropolis.

He is characterised as a man with principles, giving, good-hearted and polite – qualities which make him particularly well loved by the faithful. His work as a whole has received favourable reports in local public discourse, while many consider him a worthy priest with prospects of further service and responsibilities in the Church of Crete.
(Haniotika Nea, 29/01/26)