WEIRTON — All Saints Greek Orthodox Church will be celebrating 100 years of Eastern Orthodoxy in Weirton May 12-14, and welcoming home many sons and daughters of the church who are returning to the Ohio Valley for the centennial celebration.

The celebration weekend includes several events, including, most notably, Archbishop Demetrios, Geron of America, leading Vespers at 3 p.m. May 13 and the Divine Liturgy at 9 a.m. May 14. Both are open to the public.

Among those returning to the valley for the event include Michael Psaros, co-founder and co-managing partner of KPS Capital Partners, and John Frangakis, Reynolds Services Inc. founder. Psaros will give a speech at the celebration gala set for May 13, and Frangakis will be the master of ceremonies. Both men grew up in the church and said they were honored and humbled to be asked to participate in the “once-in-a-lifetime” event.

“I have given many speeches all over the word on professional, Orthodox and Hellenic matters, but this will be the most important speech I have ever given,” Psaros said. “This is about my family. This is about the place where my heart resides. I am not going to give a speech, but rather an exhortation about the future as a respectful son of All Saints and the church.”

Psaros resides in New York and is the Holy Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of North America treasurer and serves on the Archdiocese Executive Committee. As the celebration approaches, he admitted to nerves — not at the prospect of speaking in front of Archbishop Demetrios — and this is at least the second time Psaros has spoken before an archbishop. As a young teenager, he gave a speech when Archbishop Iakovos visited the church.

“It was almost 40 years ago, and it was the Sunday of Fathers Day,” Psaros said. “This year, I’ll be speaking the weekend of Mothers Day. It feels appropriate for a son of the church.”

His nervousness doesn’t come from speaking in front of Archbishop Demetrios, whom Psaros described as a “very holy man” and meets with regularly in his capacity as the archdiocese’s treasurer, but from speaking in front of the All Saints congregation, which is made up of his extended family and those who have known him and his family all his life.

“They knew my grandparents, and some of them knew my great-grandparents,” he said. “It’s the first time in 50 years I’ve been nervous.”

Psaros praised the church’s founders, noting many gave up much to immigrate from Greece and Asia Minor to America in search of opportunities. One of the first things those early Orthodox Christians did was seek to establish a church where they could worship as they were accustomed.

“They left everything they had known to start a better life for their families,” he said.

These early Greek-Americans created what Psaros called a “hyphenated-American” culture, in which those growing up Greek-American grew up bilingual in more than being able to speak both Greek and English, but to move comfortably between the two worlds: that of Greek traditions and American opportunities. All Saints provided a place where they could share in the constant of their lives: their Eastern Orthodox faith. More than a church, All Saints was a place where they could socialize, speak their native Greek, provide their children with recreational opportunities and begin the charity work the church has continued through its century in the city.

Psaros’ connection to All Saints is so strong that when he was made a member of the Order of St. Andrew, an Archon of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, those chosen from among Eastern Orthodox laity for service to the church by the Patriarch of Constantinople, he chose to be inducted as a member of All Saints. He noted Nick Latousakis, also a member of All Saints, is an archon as well.

“There are 300 million Orthodox Christians and there are only 800 archons,” he said. “And Weirton has two.”

Psaros is excited for the archbishop to experience All Saints’ hospitality and see the church, which is patterned after St. Sophia and recently underwent a $700,000 expansion that carefully matched the original church down to the color of the bricks.

“How many churches are growing in that way?” he said.

The church is still going strong, despite all the changes in the community, and Psaros said he looks forward to seeing what the church will accomplish in the future.

Frangakis, the master of ceremonies, is looking forward to spending the weekend with friends and family. He also had praise for the church’s founders, many of whom came to the area to work at Weirton Steel Co., and were proud to become Americans.

“There was something special in growing up together in a steel community,” he said. “My parents were proud to be here, proud to be Americans. They instilled that pride in us.”

Frangakis’ family history runs parallel to the church — efforts to bring a Greek Orthodox church to Weirton began in 1915, only a year before his father immigrated to the area as a 13-year-old. He met his wife in Weirton, and they raised their children in the All Saints community.

“The church continues to grow,” he said. “Some children leave (the area), but many come back here to All Saints and they are raising their children here as well.”

Frangakis attributed the century of Eastern Orthodoxy in Weirton to the sense of community within the church, noting that congregation members serve important roles to one another, ranging from being wedding attendants to god parents — all of which revolve around their faith — as well as to the members of Steubenville’s Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church. Although he splits his time between Pennsylvania and Florida, he noted many of his family members remain in Weirton and All Saints.

He looks forward to welcoming other Orthodox Christians and guests from the Weirton-Pittsburgh-Steubenville-Wheeling area to All Saints, noting that Archbishop Demetrios will inspire many to come to the church in order to attend one of the services he will be leading.

“It has been a very long time since someone of His Eminence’s status has come to Weirton,” Frangakis said. “He is an extremely holy man. I look forward to welcoming him to Weirton. It’s going to be very special. Not every Greek Orthodox church in the U.S. has this opportunity.”

He predicted that All Saints will continue to thrive and serve the Weirton community far into the future, noting that he can attribute his successes to the efforts of those who came before.

“I’m very proud to say that I am a member of All Saints Greek Orthodox Church,” Frangakis said.

Archbishop Demetrios and Pittsburgh Metropolitian Savas will celebrate the Mother’s Day Divine Liturgy with archdeacons and local priests, including the Rev. Frank Milanese, All Saints pastor, at 9 a.m. May 14 at the church located at 3528 West St. Other Orthodox Christians, family, friends and guests also are welcome to attend the service, although communion will be limited to those of the Eastern Orthodox faith.

Overflow seating for the May 14 liturgy will be provided in the back of the sanctuary and elevator lobby for guests’ comfort. This will leave the church’s parking lots north and south of the church, across West Street from the church and between the former Post Office building and the alley free for parking.

Church officials ask that those attending the service be courteous and park in the church’s lots.

For information, visit the church’s website at www.allstswwv.org or call (304) 797-9884.