The Greek Orthodox Community of Sarnia

From 25^th Anniversary Yearbook of St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church

(1995) Canada was founded more than 200 years ago by European settlers who came to this new land in search of a better life. Canada’s strength was, and continues to be, the diversity of its people. Its multicultural heritage can be traced back to the 1800s and the cultural heritage of the Greek immigrants can be found in almost every community from Vancouver to Halifax. Sarnia, of course, is no exception and the influence of the Greek people in this community continues to make it a culturally rich and unique place to live.

The first known Greek immigrant to settle in the community was Mr. Andreas Konagakis (Kongas) in 1908. He was married to Maria and had seven children, and some of his grandchildren reside in Sarnia today. Two brothers, James and Michael George Harakas (Harris) from Arahova near Sparta in Greece came to Sarnia in 1910. Following the entrepreneurial spirit of many of the first immigrants, they opened the Prince Theatre on Front Street. Michael Harakas’ son, James Harris, continues to live in the Sarnia area and has served the city as an elected member of the Sarnia Hydro Commission for many years.

In 1939, Spiros George (Spiros Simeonakis) settled in Sarnia and opened the Town Restaurant at the corner of Christina and George Streets. His daughter Christina Voikos currently resides in Sarnia and is a member of the St. Demetrios Church. Mr. Costas Stathis was also one of the first known Greek settlers, arriving in Sarnia in 1948. After a brief stay in Halifax where he married his wife, Anna Paros, he returned to Sarnia and opened the Cromwell Restaurant in 1950.

In the 1950s several other families settled in Sarnia, but the greatest influx of immigrants came in the 1960s. Most of these families were relatives of Costas Stathis and his brother, Father George Stathis, and were from Argithea, Thessaly.

In the late 1960s, a common topic of discussion amongst the Greek families was their wish to form a church community. Father Stathis volunteered his services and held church services in various locations in 1969 and encouraged the idea of an Orthodox community in Sarnia. On September 20, 1969, a group of approximately twenty people met at the Star Lounge Restaurant in downtown Sarnia and discussed the need to organize the growing population of Greek immigrants in Sarnia. At the time, the Star Lounge was owned by John Chelonis and Spiros Diavolitsis. During this meeting, Paul Maroukis spoke about the need to form a Greek Community. Inspired by this discussion, everyone at the meeting agreed to begin the process of organizing the Greek immigrants in the Sarnia area.

On October 5, 1969, a meeting took place at the Embassy Restaurant, which was owned by John L. Fraggis and Nick Frangis, on Christina Street. Over 30 people attended and the main item on the agenda was the founding of a Greek Community. This meeting resulted in the forming of a temporary elected board of directors who in turn asked the Greek people of Sarnia for their help to establish a church. Robert Kasparian was elected chairman of this meeting and an election committee was formed which included Nicholas Karavidas, Manthos Karamboulas and Dionysios Balatsoukas. With the help of this election committee, a temporary board for the community was formed with the following people:

• Louis Stathis, President
• Paul Maroukis, Vice President
• Christos Simeonakis, Secretary
• Christos Karatsoreos, Treasurer
• Panagiotis Economou, Member
• John Stathakis, Member
• Haralambos Tasias, Member

Following this first meeting, the priest from London, Ontario, Father Athenagoras Anestis (current Bishop of Dorilaion) together with Anthony Demakos, the president of the London community arrived to offer their congratulations and the assistance of the London Greek community in the building of the Sarnia community. During this time London became Sarnia’s mother community with Father Athenagoras Anestis conducting the Divine Liturgy and other religious duties every Saturday until the end of 1970.

Fulfilling the dreams of the original Greeks of Sarnia, the Greek Orthodox Community of Sarnia and Vicinity purchased its first church at 207 Talfourd Street on October 21, 1969. The Greek-Canadians of Sarnia and Vicinity finally had a place to call their own. The original church was purchased from the Reorganized Church of Latter Day Saints of Canada.

Following the rules of the Greek Orthodox Church, Father Athenagoras Anestis requested the registry books for baptisms, weddings and deaths from the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of North and South America in March of 1970. The books arrived from Archbishop Iakovos on June 11, 1970 and are used to this day as the official records for our church. At the same time, the community board of directors commissioned Manthos Karamboulas to make the Iconostasis (Temple) of the new church and purchased the new icons from Greece.

On November 25, 1970, elections were held and the first official community board was established.

On January 2, 1971, the first meeting of the new board took place under the presidency of Athanasios Balatsoukas. At this time, it was announced that Father Apostolos Ananiadis would take over as the new priest of the London Community and would also service the needs of the newly founded Greek Orthodox Community of Sarnia and Vicinity. On March 6, 1971, John Stathakis was appointed chairman of the first celebration of Greek National Day to be celebrated on April 3, 1971 at the Polish Hall in Sarnia.

On April 3, 1971, the first Archieratical Liturgy took place in Sarnia with Bishop Theodosios of Agonos from the Canadian Diocese officiating at the Thoxology for the Greek Independence of March 25, 1821. Father Apostolos Ananiadis assisted in the ceremony. This celebration was highlighted by the first Greek School Program which took place under the direction of Sarnia’s first Greek School teacher, Mrs. Niki Bakos. Twenty-two students took part in that first celebration, reciting poems and historical dialogues. The event was attended by Father Ananiadis, the president of the London Community, Mr. Steve Giouroukos, the president of the London AHEPA chapter, the newly founded board of directors and the Greek community of Sarnia and area.

October 9, 1971, marks one of the most memorable periods in our church’s history. This was the date on which the new church was to be named after a Patron Saint in the tradition of the Greek Orthodox Church. An Archieratical Liturgy took place with Bishop Theodosios officiating with the assistance of Father Apostolos Ananiadis followed by a banquet in the evening.

It was during the banquet that the people of Sarnia had the opportunity to nominate patron saints. The final decision on the name for the new church was to be decided by lottery. At 7:00 p.m. that evening , a young girl drew number 856 from the basket of names. The new name for the Sarnia Church was “St. Demetrios” and was picked by Mr. Costas D. Stathis who was declared the sponsor (Nounos) of the patron saint of our new church. Mr. Stathis chose the name Demetrios in memory of his father.

The next morning, October 10, 1971, Bishop Theodosios opened the Church (Thiranixia) and the altar table (Agia Trapeza) was placed in the church. The consecrated Agia Trapeza was donated by Father Gregory Economou, Pastor of the St. Demetrios Orthodox Church of Saginaw, Michigan and transferred to Sarnia by Costas Stathis, Lazaros Stathis, and John Stergioulis .

In February, 1974, Father Andrew Karas assumed the duties of pastor of the church on a weekend basis to serve the needs of the people of Sarnia and vicinity. He was welcomed by the board under the presidency of Chris Shinohoritis. Father Karas resided with the brothers George and Louis Perdikis of Sarnia, doing his best to promote the community of St. Demetrios.

In December, 1975, a General Assembly meeting was called on the advice of Father Andrew Karas. Father Karas presented the paper of the Archdiocese and urged the members of the church to allow the Church to become a charter member in the Greek Orthodox Diocese of North and South America under the jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, the centre of world Orthodoxy. Sixty members signed a petition for charter which was submitted on January 3, 1976, by Bishop Sotirios of Constandias (now Bishop of Toronto, Canada). On March 1, 1976, an Ecclesiastical Charter was granted and signed by Archbishop Iakovos, Primate of the Greek Orthodox Church of North and South America. Since this time, our community has been bound by the rights and responsibilities of the Archdiocese. Further adding to our church’s official designation was the granting of Non-Profit Organization status by the Government of Ontario and Revenue Canada in 1976.

By December 12, 1976, another General Assembly meeting had been called to discuss the purchase of a larger church to service Sarnia and Vicinity. Father Andrew Karas reported that he had discussed the purchase of a Protestant Church on East Street with a minister who was looking to sell his church. Father Karas also reported that he had approached the Ukrainian Orthodox Church on Exmouth Street and offered the 10 families who belonged to the church the opportunity to transfer the church to the Greek Orthodox Community in return for life memberships to them and their families. The offer was rejected and the East Street location was selected as the preferred site for a new church.

In order to purchase this site a committee was appointed to raise funds from the community to purchase the new church. The committee was chaired by George Savas with Nina Vacratsis, secretary and Andreas Laskaratos, George Perdikis, Father Andrew Karas and Peter Economou as members. The committee worked hard and the community responded with generosity.

On January 19, 1977 the church, located on 204 East St., Sarnia was purchased from the Ontario District Missionary Church and became the property of our community. The Talfourd Church was subsequently sold to the Calvary Gospel Church in February of 1977. From February, 1977 until May, 1978, our community was occupied with the task of renovating the new church to make it into a Greek Orthodox Church.

In June of 1978, Father Andrew Karas announced that he was leaving the community for personal reasons. From July, 1978 until February, 1979, Fathers George Stathis and Gregory Economou served the community alternately until the Diocese appointed a regular priest. On March 1, 1979, the Archimandrite Christopher Decavallas became Pastor of our Church and was welcomed by the Church Council and the people of Sarnia. Father Decavallas spoke often of the importance of community and Christianity and is fondly remembered by all those who knew him. In August of 1980, Father Decavallas was transferred to another parish.

In September of 1980, Father Constantine Kakabelakis assumed the duties of pastor for the Sarnia and Vicinity Greek Orthodox Community. Father Kakabelakis is the longest serving priest and served the Sarnia Greek Orthodox Church until May of 1991. Father Kakabelakis is remembered for his service to the community.