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Orthodox Observer - September 1996

Archbishop Spyridon's First Parish

ST. DEMETRIOS CHURCH

WARREN, Ohio — When George Papageorgiou entered the world in this small city of northeastern Ohio situated midway between Pittsburgh and Cleveland, the nation was in the midst of pursuing victory in the final year of World War II.

To that end, the industrial city of Warren performed its duty by manufacturing vital equipment needed for the war effort.

Both the city and its Greek Orthodox community thrived in that era.

Only a quarter century earlier, the church was founded by the several Greek families who had settled here, most of them islanders from Chios, and a few from Samos, and Rhodes and Fourni, the two islands from which the future Archbishop's parents emigrated. They settled in Warren in 1940, but moved to Steubenville in the late 1940's.

Some 50 years after the city's heyday, the area is in an economic depression as many of those factories closed down over the past two decades, Greek immigration has subsided, younger people leave to pursue their careers and parish membership has stabilized; a situation many parishes face in the former industrial belt of the Northeast.

According to a parish history from Fr. Michelis, in the early '20s, the immigrants raised money and purchased the Finnish Lutheran Church in Warren as their first house of worship.

Until the mid-1960s immigration from Greece helped to expand the church's numbers. By the 1940s, a larger building was needed.

A successful building campaign resulted in the purchase of a site near downtown Warren in 1947 for $13,000 and the construction of the present church edifice, architecturally an early Christian basilica, completed for use in May 1948 at a cost of $150,000. Work on the interior was finished in 1958.

Archbishop Iakovos consecrated the church on Nov. 13, 1960.

Since then, the parish has built a social center and pavilion.

Today, the parish membership consists of about half immigrant and half American-born. Fr. Michelis uses the same ratio of English and Greek in the Liturgy.

According to the priest, the parish is a close-knit one, and members take an active part in church life.

"The people love the church," said Fr. Michelis. "And they are very ethnically minded."

No wonder then that the annual Greek festival, which takes place over a five-day period and draws people from throughout northeastern Ohio and northwest Pennsylvania, plays such a great role in fostering a spirit of unity and cooperation among the parishioners.

While the festival contributes a substantial amount of revenue to the church, Fr. Michelis noted that most funds come through the stewardship program which receives strong support.

Despite the fact that parish membership has stabilized, there still are many young families with children in the community. The Sunday school has 90 students and the afternoon Greek school, 60.

Among the parish organizations, the Philoptochos plays a very active role and the Goyans through their basketball team consistently bring home sportsmanship trophies.

Many teen-agers also take part in the Greek dance group which performs at various events throughout the year, including the Greek festival.

While the young boy who became Archbishop Spyridon and his family may have left the parish nearly 50 years ago, a great sense of joy swept the community at the news of his election.

"They were elated," said Fr. Michelis.

Compiled by Jim Golding

[ Orthodox Observer - Vol. 61, No. 1118 - September 1996 - p. 21 ]