Demetrios

Archbishop Demetrios and Metropolitan Savas will celebrate Vespers at 3 p.m. Saturday and the Mothers Day Divine Liturgy, with the Orthros beginning at 9 a.m. and Liturgy beginning at 10 a.m., Sunday at the church located at 3528 West St. The Sunday Liturgy will include participation by archdeacons and local priests, including the Rev. Frank Milanese, All Saints pastor.

Parish President Nick Latousakis said the congregation has been working diligently to ensure all goes smoothly for the upcoming celebration, especially the worship services, from Milanese down to the youngest acolyte, which includes boys as young as 9.

“A lot of work has gone into this,” Latousakis said. “Lamone Glyptis, (Centennial Committee chair), and her committee has been working on this for two years. They are an outstanding group. Mary Ann Psaros put together our celebration yearbook, composing our 100 years of history. I’ve seen several (such yearbooks) and I have to say, ours is the nicest I’ve ever seen.”

Other Orthodox Christians, family, friends and guests are welcome to attend the services, although communion will be limited to those of the Eastern Orthodox faith. Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church of Steubenville, All Saints’ sister church, will close for the day, with their congregation and choir joining All Saints for the service. The Rev. Nicholas Halkias, Holy Trinity pastor, will join Milanese among the local priests participating in the worship service under Archbishop Demetrios’ and Metropolitan Savas’ guidance.

Savas

Archbishop Demetrios leads more than the 1.5 million practicing Greek Orthodox Christians across the country. This is the third time an archbishop has visited All Saints. Archbishop Iakovos visited in 1967, and Archbishop Athenagoras visited in 1947.

Archbishop Demetrios graduated with distinction from the University of Athens School of Theology in 1950 and was ordained as a deacon in 1960 and a priest in 1964. Latousakis noted that Archbishop Demetrios accompanied Archbishop Iakovos on his 1967 visit, and, in discussing his impending trip to Weirton, remembered well the Greek Orthodox community here.

Archbishop Demetrios was elected Bishop of Vresthena in 1967, an auxiliary to the Archbishop of Athens whose primary responsibility was the theological education of the clergy. He later attended Harvard University’s School of Arts and Sciences, where he obtained a doctorate degree in New Testament and Christian Origins, and the University of Athens, where he obtained a second doctorate degree in theology.

Archbishop Demetrios has taught much of the American Greek Orthodox clergy, teaching at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology and Harvard Divinity School.

He later returned to Greece as the Metropolitan of Vresthena, where he continued to write on theological issues, publishing hundreds of articles and essays and eight books on religion.

Milanese, who was a student of Archbishop Demetrios’, said his theological knowledge is deep and wide and his perspective unique, enabling his students to look at the New Testament in new ways.

Archbishop Demetrios was elected Archbishop of America in 1999 and has served in that office for nearly 20 years, frequently meeting with both religious and political world leaders.

Metropolitan Savas graduated from Colby College with a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and English literature in 1979 and from Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology with a master’s degree in divinity with highest honors in 1984, where he was the student of Archbishop Demetrios.

He researched early Byzantine monasticism at Oxford University from 1987 to 1994, was ordained a deacon in 1992 and a priest in 1995.

Archbishop Demetrios appointed Metropolitan Savas Chancellor of the Archdiocese in 1999, where he served for 10 years, during which time he became Bishop of Troas, until being named Director of the Archdiocesan Office of Church, Society and Culture in 2009. He was elected Metropolitan of Pittsburgh in 2011.

Throughout All Saints’ celebration weekend, “a walk through history” will be available at the Old Post Office building adjacent to the church. Several photos, videos and displays highlighting the church’s history, including its Boy and Cub Scouts and Campfire Girls groups, the American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association, the Philoptochos Society, Daughters of Penelope and church choir. Some of the photos are on loan from the Weirton Area Museum and Cultural Center, which also will be hosting parishioners and guests on a special tour Saturday.

Additional seating for Saturday’s and Sunday’s services will be available in the back of the sanctuary and adjacent elevator lobby. Parking is available in the church’s lots north and south of the church, across West Street from the church and between the former Post Office building and the alley. Church officials ask those attending 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.