Until 2008, the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople had one diocese in the regions of South and Southeastern Asia, created in November 1996 as Orthodox Metropolitanate of Hong Kong and Southeast Asia, with jurisdiction over: Hong Kong, Macao, China, Taiwan, Mongolia, Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Myanmar, and also Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, Timor, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Pakistan and Afghanistan.[2]
On January 9, 2008, the Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate decided to divide the huge area of the Metropolitanate of Hong Kong, by creating a new Eastern Orthodox Metropolitanate of Singapore and South Asia, with jurisdiction over Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, Timor, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Pakistan and Afghanistan.[3] After three years of administration, the first diocesan bishop was appointed. On November 3, 2011, the Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate elected Archmandrite Konstantinos (Tsilis) as the first Metropolitan of Singapore and South Asia. He was ordained on November 21 by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople.[5]
The Metropolitanate is divided into vicariates and parishes. The central parish in Singapore is served by Archmandrite Daniel Toyne. Father Chrysostomos Manalu is the archepiscopal vicar for Indonesia and Father John Tanveer is the only priest in Pakistan.
In 2008, the exarchate of Indonesia [fr] was included into the Metropolitanate of Singapore.