Chancellor

His Grace Bishop Timothy of Hexamilion

His Grace Bishop Timothy (Bakakos) of Hexamilion, son of the late Demosthenes and late Antonia Bakakos, was born in Chicago, Illinois in October of 1952, and is the second of four sons. Along with his siblings, His Grace was raised and spent his childhood and teen years at the Assumption (Panagia) Church of Chicago, where he attended the Sunday Church School and Greek School programs, as well as serving as an altar boy and participating in the youth programs of the parish.  His Grace is a product of the Chicago Public School System, where he attended Lane Technical High School for three years before moving with his family to Park Ridge, finally completing high school at Maine Township High School South.

In September of 1970, after being nurtured by his parish priests, the Rev. Theodore Thalassinos, the Very Rev. Kallistos Samaras (later Bishop Kallistos of Zelon), and the Rev. Demetrios Treantafeles, he began his seminary studies at Hellenic College/Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology in Brookline, Massachusetts. With the blessing of His Eminence Archbishop Iakovos of North and South and South America, His Grace commenced a year of international studies at the Pierce College in Greece. He received his Bachelor of Science Degree from Hellenic College in 1973 and his Master of Divinity from Holy Cross in 1978.

Upon completion of his studies, he accepted a position with the City of Chicago as Northwest Director for the Department of Social Human Services. Through this post, His Grace assisted Greek-Americans and other Orthodox Christians secure employment, emergency food aid, dignified housing, financial assistance, and other social services from the City of Chicago. On September 14, 1980, he was ordained to the Holy Diaconate, and later, on October 5 of the same year, he was ordained to the Holy Priesthood by His Grace Bishop Iakovos of Apameia (later Metropolitan of Chicago). In 1984, he was bestowed with the rank of Archimandrite.

As a clergyman of the Metropolis of Chicago for more than forty years, His Grace has served as the presiding priest of Saint Elias the Prophet Church in Dubuque, IA (1980-1985), Saint Sophia Church in Elgin, IL (1985-1997), Saint Nicholas Church in Oak Lawn, IL (1997-2006), and Assumption Church in Chicago, IL (2006-2019). In addition to parish ministry, His Grace has served as President of the Metropolis of Chicago Clergy Syndesmos (1999-2004) and represented the clergy brotherhood on the Archdiocesan Presbyters Council from 1997-2014. His Grace has also served as a member of the Archdiocesan Benefits Committee (1997-2006).

In addition to his ecclesiastical responsibilities, His Grace has also served as Staff Chaplain for the Illinois Department of Mental Health at the Elgin Mental Health Center (1987-1997).

On September 1, 2019, he assumed the responsibilities of Chancellor of the Holy Metropolis of Chicago. As Chancellor, His Grace is a member of the Metropolis Council and the Spiritual Court of the Metropolis.

At the petition of His Eminence Metropolitan Nathanael, and by the recommendation of the Holy Eparchial Synod of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, the Holy and Sacred Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate unanimously elected him Bishop of Hexamilion on October 6, 2020. As an Auxiliary Bishop of the Church, His Grace will continue his service as Chancellor of the Metropolis and will support and extend the hierarchal and pastoral ministry of Metropolitan Nathanael of Chicago.