The Ecumenical Patriarchate issued an official communiqué announcing the repose in the Lord of the late Metropolitan Theoleptos of Iconium:
“The Ecumenical Patriarch and the Hierarchs residing in the City announce with deepest sorrow the falling asleep in the Lord of the ever-memorable
METROPOLITAN OF ICONIUM
THE LATE THEOLEPTOS
At the Patriarchate, 18 June 2026
From the Chief Secretariat
of the Holy and Sacred Synod”
Metropolitan Theoleptos of Iconium, Primate and Exarch of All Lycaonia, born Iakovos Fenerlis, was born in Therapia on the Bosphorus on 17 April 1957 to Georgios and Olga Fenerlis.
He received his primary education at the local School of his native town. He continued his secondary education at the Zographeion Gymnasium-Lyceum of Constantinople and, upon completing his studies there, pursued Theology at the Theological Faculty of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.
He was ordained to the diaconate on 27 March 1977 in the Patriarchal Church of St George at the Phanar by his Elder, then Metropolitan of Philadelphia and present Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. At his ordination he received the name Theoleptos.
He served in the Patriarchal Court as Patriarchal Deacon, Deacon of the Order, Third-ranking and Second-ranking Patriarchal Deacon. On 14 November 1995 he was appointed Grand Archdeacon, being elevated to that office by His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, and served the Church in this capacity until 18 October 1997.
He was subsequently promoted to the office of Grand Protosyncellus. On 21 November 1997, during the Divine Liturgy for the Feast of the Entry of the Theotokos into the Temple, he was ordained to the holy priesthood and immediately thereafter was elevated by the Patriarch to the office of Grand Protosyncellus.
At the session of the Holy and Sacred Synod on 4 September 2000, following the proposal of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, he was elected Metropolitan of Iconium. He was consecrated bishop on 10 September 2000 and at the same time continued to fulfil the duties of Protosyncellus of the Ecumenical Patriarchate until 30 November 2007.
He represented the Mother Church on numerous missions abroad. He accompanied the late Ecumenical Patriarch Dimitrios and Patriarch Bartholomew on their pastoral journeys throughout the world and participated in Patriarchal Exarchates to Mount Athos.
From 2001 onward, he periodically took part in the work of the Holy and Sacred Synod and served as a member of various Synodal committees.