Evangelos (Kurunis)

Metropolitan Evangelos Korounis, (; born September 20, 1961) is a Greek Orthodox bishop, metropolitan of Sardis and former metropolitan of New Jersey until his dethronement in 2020.

Early life and education Kournis was born to John and Magdalene and two brothers in 1961 in New York City. In 1983 he graduated from the Hellenic College in Boston, and in 1986 he obtained a Masters in Divinity from the same university. From 1987 to 1988 he lived in Geneva, Switzerland when he was ordained into the deaconate in February 1, 1987. While in Switzerland he also served as deacon to Archbishop Iakovos in a variety of roles, and also obtained a Certificate of Ecumenical Studies from the University of Geneva.

Metropolitan On April 12, 2003 he was elected as Metropolitan of New Jersey and enthroned on May 16, 2003. The position had been vacant since the sudden passing of its previous bishop, George Papaioannou, in 1999.

In October 2013 he was involved in a dispute with the Albanian Orthodox Diocese when a priest, Jose Rafael Melendez, claimed to have established a chapel in Red Bank, New Jersey with approval from Bishop Ilia. Evangelos issued an encyclical stating that the chapel was improperly established and urged parishioners and clergy not to attend its services. On November 14, 2017, Melendez sued Evangelos and the New Jersey Diocese for defamation. The case was ruled in favor of Evangelos in December 13, 2017 when the lawsuit was dismissed.

Metropolitan Evangelos was dethroned from his position in October 8, 2020 and the Diocese was suspended by Archbishop Elpidophoros, allegedly to absorb the New Jersey Diocese into the Archdiocesan District. However, this was never fulfilled as the suspension was lifted in 2022 by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and the diocese was restored. Evangelos was instead moved to the position of Metropolis of Sardis, a titular and much smaller position. In 2023, he was appointed member of the Holy Synod of the Phanar for a one year term, starting in March of that year.