The Abyss of Non-Being – And a Cup of Tea
~By Fr. Stephen Freeman, March 17, 2025 “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” John 10:10 “Stand on the edge of the abyss and when you feel that it is beyond your strength, break off and have a cup of tea.” St. Sophrony of Athos/Essex ________ A
— WE WELCOME ALL OUR VISITORS —
On Sunday, September 20th, Father Augustine will celebrate his first Orthros and Divine Liturgy as Archimandrite of Saint Sophia Cathedral and immediately following the Divine Liturgy, the Clergy and Parish Council will hold a Welcome Reception for Father Augustine in the Atrium.
Saint Sophia Cathedral Warmly Welcomes her New Presiding Priest, the Reverend Archimandrite Avgoustinos Psomas
Brothers and Sisters,
On Sunday, September 20, Saint Sophia Cathedral will welcome her new pastor and presiding priest, the Reverend Archimandrite Avgoustinos Psomas.
Fr. Avgoustinos Psomas was born and raised in Corfu and settled in the village of the Saints Theodore in Lefkimmi, Corfu. While completing his undergraduate studies, he studied electrical engineering at the Electrical Engineering Department of the Sivitanidios Technical School in Athens. He also attended Byzantine music classes at Saint Marina in Illisia under Dr. Athanasios Vourlis.
After completing his military service in 2000, he passed the qualifying exams for admission to the School of Theology at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in 2003, from which he graduated in 2007. In 2008, he graduated from the Conservatory of Northern Greece, where he completed his Master’s Degree in Byzantine Music with courses in Speech Training, Choir Directing, Liturgical Studies, and Reciting Readings.
During his theological studies, he studied for three consecutive years in the Byzantine School of Music under the guidance of the famous Panagiotis Neohoritis. He served the Holy Analogion of the Church of St. George of Ormylia, where he had the privilege of serving as the head chanter from 2004-2012 until he arrived in the United States. From 2013 to 2019, he served at the Hellenic Community of Saint Demetrios of Astoria as head chanter until his ordination to the Holy Diaconate on Christmas Eve 2019. He was then ordained to the Holy Priesthood on September 29, 2020, and elevated to the rank of “Archimandrite” on June 21, 2021, both by the hands of His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America.
Since his ordination to the holy diaconate, he served the Greek Orthodox Community of Holy Trinity in New Rochelle, NY, and graduated from the Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology program in Boston. Since then he served as presiding priest of St Thomas Greek Orthodox Church of Cherry Hill, NJ, for nearly four years, and most recently as presiding priest of Koimisis tis Theotokou of Holmdel, NJ. We are exceedingly grateful to His Eminence, Archbishop Elpidophoros, for his assignment to Saint Sophia Cathedral of Washington, DC.
Please join the Clergy, Parish Council and entire congregation in welcoming Fr. Avgoustinos on Sunday, September 20, as he assumes his responsibilities as our new spiritual father.
The Clergy and Parish Council
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Saint Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral is incorporated as a non-profit under the DC Law and governed by its Bylaws which are available HERE or by contacting Pete Panagiotopoulos, Cathedral Administrator at 202-838-1553 or via email at ptpoulos@saintsophiadc.com.
The Bylaws incorporate the Uniform Parish Regulations and are available by clicking HERE.