Mar Meelis Zaia is the Assyrian Church of the East

Assyrian Church of the East

The Assyrian Church of the East, officially the Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East ʻIttā Qaddishtā w-Shlikhāitā Qattoliqi d-Madnĕkhā d-Āturāyē), is a Syriac Church historically centered in Mesopotamia. It is one of the churches that claim continuity with the historical...

's Metropolitan of Australia

Australia

Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

 and New Zealand

New Zealand

New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...

. He was ordained a priest

Priest

A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...

 of the Church in 1982 in California

California

California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...

. He is an ethnic Assyrian

Assyrian people

The Assyrian people are a distinct ethnic group whose origins lie in ancient Mesopotamia...

. He was appointed Bishop

Bishop

A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...

 of the Church’s diocese

Diocese

A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...

 of Australia and New Zealand in 1984 and arrived to take up that position in March 1985, which he held until 2008 when he was elevated to His Beautitude Mar Meelis Zaia, Metropolitan of Australia and New Zealand.

He is the chairman of the Board of Trustees which controls the financial affairs of the Church. Since his arrival, as head of the Church he has steadily built up the diocese in Australia. His duties include fundraising, active pastoral work, and arranging for the purchase of property and the construction of buildings when required. In 1990 he played a central role in obtaining a donation of $1.1 million to build a cathedral in Greenfield Park

Greenfield Park, New South Wales

Greenfield Park is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Greenfield Park is located 36 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district in the local government area of the City of Fairfield...

, and in 1999 assisted in the raising of funds for the construction of a reception hall on the cathedral property. In recent times, he played an important part in raising funds from private and government sources for the construction of classrooms and an administration facility for a primary school.

His Beautitude's diocese includes all of Australia, including Sydney and Melbourne, and New Zealand. He said that there are about 19,000 registered adult members who contribute financially to the Church, and about 4,500 registered non-paying members under the age of 18 years. Of the adult members there are approximately 13,000 in Sydney/New South Wales, 3,500 in Victoria, and 2,500 in New Zealand. The Assyrian community also includes about 6,000 people who are not members of the diocese.

As Bishop, His Grace Mar Meelis Zaia was honoured by the Queen of Australia Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on the 26 January 2007 in the Australia Day Honours List and was awarded an Order of Australia

Order of Australia

The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...

(AM) medal for his community service through the Assyrian Church of the East and for his pioneering work in the field of education and the establishment of educational facilities.

His Beautitude Mar Meelis Zaia is also viewed by many in the Assyrian community in Australia and abroad as one of the pioneers of the Assyrian Church of the East in Australia, by expanding and contributing to the growth of the church and its activities. The establishment of the first Assyrian school outside of the Assyrian homeland (Mesopotamia), St. Hurmizd Assyrian Primary School in Sydney was a fulfillment of His Beautitude's vision. Mar Narsai Assyrain College, a secondary school in Sydney, is now the second school run by the Diocese of Australia and New Zealand, catering to hundreds of student in the Fairfield area and its surrounding suburbs. In 1988, as Bishop His Grace officially established the Assyrian Church Youth Group, focussing on the teaching and preaching the word of God in Assyrian, which is until present day active within the community.

In 2004 as Bishop His Grace Mar Meelis Zaia also approved and supported the establishment of the St. Peter and Paul Parish in Sydney; an English-speaking parish created to work for the benefit of Assyrian youth. The fledgling parish has grown from only 50 members to a 300+ strong congregation in less than two years. His Grace has also initiated a number of programs for troubled youth including drug and alcohol addicts.

On 7 December 2008 His Grace Mar Meelis Zaia became His Beautitude Mar Meelis Zaia, when he was elevated to the rank of Metropolitan of Australia and New Zealand. In this spectacular event he was blessed by His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV who flew from Chicago along with a further five bishops from around the world.

The event draw close to 3700 people on a raining morning at the St Hurmizd Assyrian cathedral, Greenfield Park in Sydney Australia.