Announcements

The first day of Sunday School is SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2026

All students attend Divine Liturgy at 10:00AM and proceed to their classes after Holy Communion.

2026-2027 Saint Sophia Cathedral

Sunday School Parent Letter 2026/2027
Sunday School Registration Form to be printed and sent to office
Sunday School Registration

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2026-2027 Saint Sophia Cathedral
Sunday School GOYA Membership Application

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2026-2027 Saint Sophia Cathedral
GOYA Health and Emergency Form

Sunday School Schedule Calendar (please click here to view our community calendar)

The Cathedral’s Sunday School program is the oldest in the DC-metropolitan area. Spanning generations, this program nurtures our most precious resource, our children. Children raised in this program are taught the spiritual values of Greek Orthodoxy, and are given a moral compass to guide them for the rest of their lives.  The goal of our program is simple: we wish to share the message of Christ’s love with our children and for them to live that message every day of their lives as they grow into the adults who will shape our world.

Our Sunday School, equipped with the latest and best teaching aids, a sound yet flexible curriculum, and staff by qualified teachers, has the following three goals:

• 1. Educate
  To educate our children spiritually and morally, in accordance with the teachings of Jesus Christ and the faith and traditions of the Greek Orthodox Church

• 2. Develop
  To develop in our children the habit of attending church regularly, studying the Scriptures, and participating conscientiously in the worship and sacramental life of our church

• 3. Cultivate
  To cultivate in our children a Greek Orthodox conscience and devotion to our ideals and to prepare them so that they become faithful and devoted dynamic members of our church, our community, and our country.

St. John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival

CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW TO GET STARTED!

https://www.saintsophiadc.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/SJCOF-TipsResources_Manual_2026.pdf 

Grades and Teachers

Pre-K / Kindergarten:          Amerisa Kyriazis & Phillarica Neal

1^st / 2^nd Grade:                       Angelic Papacalos

3^rd / 4^th Grade:                       Kelly Tanzi

5^th / 6^th Grade:                       Helen Palatianos & Claire Brainard

7^th / 8^th Grade:                       Joanna Thomas & Marie Thomas

9^th/12^th Grade:                      Amanda Lockhart, Elisabeth Charles  & Edward Villanueva

Sunday School Registration

To register your child, please click on the link below. Sunday School is free for all Saint Sophia Stewards in good standing. Not a steward? Please contact the church office to enroll: CLICK HERE 

Sunday School Location and Times:

All Sunday School classes are held on the second floor of the Frosene Center, connected to Saint Sophia. You can access the classrooms via the Frosene Center elevators or by walking through Father John Hall and the atrium—classrooms are down the hall on the left.

Arrival:

Please bring your children to church and have them sit with the Sunday School teachers in the reserved pews on the left side of the nave. The Divine Liturgy begins at 10:00 AM—we ask families to arrive by 10:30 AM.

Class Time:

Sunday School begins immediately after communion. Teachers will walk the children from the pews to their classrooms. Drop-off is also available—please ensure your child is registered and we have your contact information.

Dismissal:

Classes end at 12:00 PM.

• 6th grade and younger: Parents must pick up children directly from their classrooms after liturgy.
• 7th grade and up: Students will be dismissed at noon and may join their families at coffee hour in Father John Hall.

Talks with Our Clergy: 

We are honored to have a series of three different sessions where our clergy share wonderful, age-appropriate lessons with our Sunday School students. 

Teen Talk:     7^th – 12^th grade

Faith Time:    3^rd – 6^th grade

Face Time:     Pre-K – 2^nd grade

Holy Communion:

Per Father Steve, “make an effort to limit food immediately before communion or if your child needs food but feed them but keep the meal light (skip the bacon, eat the toast).” Also, we know that children burn calories quickly so every classroom will have snacks in the classroom for all to enjoy after communion. 

Special Programs:

Acolyte Altar Boy Program: Our 9th grade boys (ages 13 and 14) depart from the traditional Sunday school curriculum to partake of our Acolytes (Altar boy) program. Through active participation in the Divine Liturgy on Sundays and holidays, the program instructs the boys on the meaning of the Divine Liturgy, other services, and the fundamental sacraments of the church. To participate, please contact sexton Victor Berio (victor@saintsophiadc.com)

Myrrh Bearers: Our 3^rd grade girls (ages 9 – 10) are invited to serve as Myrrh bearers (Myrofores) during the Good Friday service of Holy Week. The girls’ participation serves as a living reminder of the women who followed and served Christ, and who were the first to witness and announce His Resurrection.  To participate, please contact Kelly Tanzi (kellytanzi@msn.com).

Saint John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival: The Cathedral’s teenagers (7^th – 12^th grade) are invited to participate in the annual Saint John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival. The Saint Sophia team will compete against Sunday School students from across the Archdiocese during three rounds of competition at the district, regional and national levels. To participate, please contact Amanda Lockhart (amanda.k.lockhart@gmail.com). 

Again, we are thrilled to welcome you all back to Sunday School on September 14^th and know we will have a wonderful year to come.

Yours in Christ, 

Amanda Lockhart, Sunday School Director                                           Fr. Augustine Psomas, Presiding Priest

Kelly Tanzi, Sunday School Curriculum Specialist                                Fr. Gregory Gatanas, Assistant Priest

                                                                                                                 Fr. Steven P. Zorzos, Dean Emeritus 

EXCUSED ABSENCE LETTERS

DUE TO ORTHODOX HOLY WEEK

+ EXCUSED ABSENCE LETTER (Sports Early Dismissal, 2026)

+ Early Dismissal Holy Wednesday (April 8, 2026)

+ EXCUSED ABSENCE LETTER DUE TO ORTHODOX GOOD FRIDAY (April 10, 2026)

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