Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral Clergy
Rev. Fr. Stamatios G. Sfikas, Cathedral Dean
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Fr. Stamatios G. Sfikas is a first generation Greek-American. He was born to Stylianos and Anastasia Sfikas on May 12, 1987. The oldest of two siblings, both Fr. Stamati and his brother George, grew up at St. Demetrios Church in Chicago. Fr. Stamatios was greatly involved in St. Demetrios, being a student in the Solon Greek School where he completed 12 years of study, and also being active in St. Demetrios’ youth groups, Sunday School program, and altar boy and athletic organizations.
He attended Stephen T. Mather High School and after graduating he went on to study at the University of Illinois Chicago, graduating in 2009 with a B.A. in Political Science. Upon graduating he enrolled at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology, graduating with his Masters of Divinity in May of 2012. While in Boston he taught Greek School at the Annunciation Cathedral of New England, St. Nicholas in Lexington and was Director of the Greek School at the Dormition of the Virgin Mary in Somerville, MA. In addition to teaching while in Boston, he was Ecclesiarch of the Campus Chapel and was also Class President of his graduating class.
He was assigned to serve as the Pastoral Assistant to Fr. John Kalomas at St. Andrew in Chicago in August of 2012. Fr. Stamatios was ordained to the Holy Deaconate on February 24, 2013 at St. Demetrios in Chicago and then to the Holy Priesthood at St. Andrew in Chicago on September 15, 2013, all by the hand of His Eminence Metropolitan Iakovos of Chicago. Fr. Stamatios served the parish of St. Andrew in Chicago from August 2012 to December 31, 2014. His Eminence Metropolitan Iakovos of Chicago appointed Fr. Stamatios as Dean of the Annunciation Cathedral on January 1, 2015.
Fr. Stamatios married Presbytera Katerina, the daughter of Fr. Apostolos and Presbytera Sophia Georgiafentis, in 2012 at St. Demetrios Church in Chicago. Fr. Stamatios and Presbytera Katerina have three daughters, Anastasia, Sophia, and Styliani.
Fr. Stamatios was elevated to the rank of Economos of the Archdiocese of America on March 25, 2022 by His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America.
Rev. Fr. Nicholas Nikokavouras, Dean Emeritus
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Fr. Nicholas Nikokavouras was born to Fr. Iraklis and Erasmia Nikokavouras (née Kapodistrias) in 1937 in Sfakera, of the Corfu island of Greece.
His father Iraklis Nikokavouras was ordained priest in 1936 by His Eminence, Metropolitan Alexander of Corfu and a former Archbishop of America. On his ordination, his eminence changed his name from Iraklis to Sebastianos in honor of his uncle Sebastianos Nikokavouras, who served as Metropolitan of Corfu between the years of 1899 and 1920.
In 1943 during the Second World War Fr. Sebastianos was executed by the German occupation forces in Greece because of his active support of the underground Greek resistance movement fighting to liberate Greece from the axis military occupation.
Fr. Nicholas began his primary school education in his home village school of Sfakera, and in 1951 continued his studies at the Ecclesiastical School of Corinth finishing it in 1958. more»
Saints and Feasts: The Holy Hieromartyr Helladius, John the Russian of Evia, Theodora the Virgin-martyr & Didymos the Martyr, Venerable Bede
Epistle Reading: Acts of the Apostles 2:1-11
WHEN THE DAY of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly a sound came from heaven like the rush of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues as of fire, distributed and resting on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. And they were amazed and wondered, saying, "Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontos and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians, we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God."
Gospel Reading: John 7:37-52; 8:12
On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and proclaimed, "If any one thirst, let him come to me and drink. He who believes in me, as the scripture has said, 'Out of his heart shall flow rivers of living water.'" Now this he said about the Spirit, which those who believed in him were to receive; for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
When they heard these words, some of the people said, "This is really the prophet." Others said, "This is the Christ." But some said, "Is the Christ to come from Galilee? Has not the scripture said that the Christ is descended from David, and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David was?" So there was a division among the people over him. Some of them wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him.
The officers then went back to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, "Why did you not bring him?" The officers answered, "No man ever spoke like this man!" The Pharisees answered them, "Are you led astray, you also? Have any of the authorities or of the Pharisees believed in him? But this crowd, who do not know the law, are accursed." Nikodemos, who had gone to him before, and who was one of them, said to them, "Does our law judge a man without first giving him a hearing and learning what he does?" They replied, "Are you from Galilee too? Search and you will see that no prophet is to rise from Galilee." Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the world; he who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."
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Rev. Fr. Stamatios G. Sfikas, Cathedral Dean