His Eminence Dionysios Archbishop of Leontopolis, known in the world as Ioannis Hatzivasiliou, was born in Alexandria in 1929. He holds a degree from the Theological School of Halkis, and received post-graduate education in Paris and Geneva. Apart from Greek he speaks English, French, Russian and Arabic. He has served as chief secretary of the Partriarchate. In 1968 he was elected Bishop of Heliopolis and served as Patriarchal Vicar in Cairo for 6 years. In 1974 he was elected Archbishop of Memphis, and in 1988 he was placed in the Archdiocese of Nouvia and in 1997 in the Archdiocese of Leontopolis. He represents the throne at various congresses and Theological Dialogues. He served in Egypt and Sudan as a teacher in High Schools and Lyceums as well as at the Higher College of Tourism in Cairo.