The Most Reverend Metropolitan of Demetrias & Αlmyros  Ignatios (his lay name is Panagiotis) Georgakopoulos was born in Athens in 1956.

He is a graduate of the Ecclesiastical School Rizareio and the Theological School of Athens.

In 1976 he was ordained Deacon and in 1983 Priest.

He served as Head of the Youth Office of the Holy Diocese of Piraeus, and, as Canon, was Director of the newspaper «Church of Piraeus».

 From 1985 until 1990 he was in charge of a religious TV program on ΕRΑ-5 and from 1992 on has been presenting the TV program  «Archontariki» on ΕΤ-1.

He was vice-president of the World Fellowship of Orthodox Youth  «Syndesmos» from 1980 to 1995.

He published the magazines «Hopeful Youth» and «Church of Piraeus».

 He was the Press spokesman of the Holy Archdiocese of Athens from the election of His Eminence the Archbishop of Athens Christodoulos until  the day of his own election as Metropolitan of Demetrias & Almyros on 9 October 1998.