Dear Saint Sophia Parishioners and Guests,
HAPPY SUMMER and HAPPY 250th INDEPENDENCE DAY!!! With the blessings from Father Steve and Father Gregory, the Parish Council is providing you with this update.
LITURGICAL CALENDAR: Every Sunday 8:30 AM Orthros and 10:00 AM Divine Liturgy. Please see the website, website calendar, bulletins, and emails for other services and updates.
We had a very busy Saint Sophia Spring!!!
On Saturday, May 9, we celebrated the last day of Greek School and said farewell until the fall. We want to thank Alexios
Kotsifakos (Principal, Children’s Director) and Dr. Andriana Kalopothakos (Adults’ Director) for making this the most successful
Greek School year ever! There was a record number enrolled in this year’s 2025-26 academic year. The Lower Greek School
Program had 71 students (62 in-person and 9 online) and the Online Adult Greek Language Program had 60 students. We want to
thank Pre-K, Eleni Siampli and Gloria-Anna Oikonomidis (Assistant Teacher during the latter part of the school year);
Kindergarten, Ilianna Apokotou and Nancy Liontiris (Assistant Teacher during the second half of the school year); Level 1 –
Beginner, Sevi Karaliota; Level 1 – Advanced, Eleftheria Batoglou and Georgia Liontiris (Assistant Teacher); Level 2 &
Ellinomatheia A2 Preparation, Alexandra Serpiotou; Level 3, Alex Kotsifakos; Ellinomatheia A2 Preparation, Engie Alatari;
Greek Dance Program, Lena Skiouris;
On Sunday, May 10:
o We congratulated our Sunday School Seniors. Amanda Lockhart, Sunday School Director (and Parish Council Secretary)
and Kelly Tansey, Curriculum Specialist, sent them off with Saint Sophia gifts which included a custom embroidered Saint
Sophia duffel bag, a dorm-sized icon, a prayer bracelet, a book on praying the Jesus Prayer, a Seraphim sticker, a Jesus
Prayer sticker, a “Kyrie Eleison” sticker, and a piece of the tessera mosaic tiles that was left unused when 45 years ago the
Nave mosaic program of Saint Sophia was completed. We let them know that Saint Sophia will always be here for them.
Please congratulate, John Robert (JR) Deoudes, St. John's High School attending George Washington University; Sophia
Fenzel, Quince Orchard High School attending University of Rochester; Nicholas Glekas, Good Counsel High School
attending Virginia Tech; Sophia Kelly, Georgetown Visitation High School attending University of South Carolin; Evyia
Makrodimitri, Richard Montgomery High School attending Georgetown University; and Constantine Polis, Georgetown
Preparatory School attending Fordham University.
o We recognized our devoted Sunday School Teachers and gave them a gift of appreciation. Please thank Pre-K /
Kindergarten teaching team, Amerisa Kyriazi and Phillarica Neal; 1st / 2nd grade teacher, Angelic Papacalos; 3rd / 4th grade
teacher and Sunday School Curriculum Specialist, Kelly Tanzi; 5th / 6th grade teachers, Helen Palatianos and Claire
Brainard; 7th / 8th grade teachers, Marie Thomas and Joanna Thomas; High School Teaching Staff for grades 9th –
12th , Amanda Lockhart, Elisabeth Charles, Christian Potter, and Edward Villanueva.
o The annual Philoptochos Academic Scholarship is awarded to one eligible male or female high school senior,
undergraduate or graduate student. This year there were 7 entries for the 2026 Scholarship, and Margo Anderson,
Philoptochos President (and Parish Council Member) announced that thanks to a very generous donor, all 7 candidates were
granted a scholarship of $3,000 each. Please congratulate, Tiffany Costa, John Robert (JR) Deoudes, Sophia Fenzel, Vasilia
(Lia) Frankowski, Evyia Makrodimitri, Efthimos (Themio) Panagiotopoulos, and Constantine Polis!
o The annual $1,000 academic Helen Apostolos Scholarship is awarded to a female accepted by, or enrolled in, an accredited
program of study directly related to a career in business. Congratulations to this year’s recipient Marina Quinterno!
o We celebrated Mother’s Day and recognized all the ladies in our congregation as mothers, and/or for their mothers,
grandmothers, and godmothers, etc.; we distributed a beautiful flower to say THANK YOU!
Saint Sophia Cathedral held its Annual Spring Greek Festival on May 15-17. The wonderful aromas of Greek cuisine and
sounds of traditional Greek music filled the air while patrons enjoyed watching folk Greek dance. Over the course of the three
days, we had a record of over 240 volunteers! The 8 vendors were well received and are committed to next year. We want to
applaud Pete Panagiotopoulos, this year’s chair, on a record-breaking festival and ad book. Thank you all who attended or gave
generously to the festival, participated in the ad book, and bought raffle tickets. We want to thank Archon John Alahouzos for his continued generosity with our Mercedes Raffle offering, and we want to congratulate the first time, single raffle ticket winner,
Marta Pernas from DC.
The Spring Parish Assembly Meeting was held on Sunday, May 31. Janice Calomiris, Meeting Chair (and Parish Council
President) shared the major achievements over the last 15 years under Father Steve’s leadership. These milestones included
successfully moving from a “dues” to a “stewardship giving” structure, consecrating the Cathedral, the Preserve and Protect
Campaign, which addressed over $3.3 million of deferred maintenance, surviving & thriving through COVID, and the Narthex
Project. Ms. Calomiris observed in general the new national interest in Christianity and Orthodoxy specifically, and she
challenged the Clergy, Parish Council, Ministry Leaders, and parishioners to expand our ministry offerings to engage and
embrace our new brothers and sisters in Christ. Ministry Reports included the 2025-26 exciting and innovative highlights from
Amanda Lockhart, Sunday School Director (and Parish Council Secretary); Stephanie Stratos, GOYA Co-Advisor; and Callie
Kambanis, YAL President. Father Steve reported the 2025 year-end stewardship numbers and 2026 projections through April and
stated that we are fortunate to have had three consecutive record stewardship years. Father Steve thanked the Cathedral’s
Stewards. Parish Council Treasurer Nick Margarites shared the very favorable 2025 year-end financials and the encouraging
projections for 2026. The 2026 Board of Elections was elected. Voula Tsoutsouras presented the Board of Auditors’ 2023 Report
and it was approved.
The 15th annual Saint Sophia Golf Classic was held on June 8 at Manor Country Club with a record turnout of nearly 100
golfers! Everyone always enjoys seeing Father Steve as he drives his golf cart around the course. This year, Father Gregory and
Presbytera, who took wonderful tournament photos, were also visiting with the players and volunteers. Congratulations to the
winning team of George Glekas, Charles Graham, Jack Russell, and Christopher Vondas. Thank you to all the sponsors,
volunteers, and players whose participation made this event a great success and a special thank you to tournament chair, Eleni
Planzos and assistant chair, Diane Cerniglia.
The Direct Archdiocese celebrated its 4th Annual Servant Leadership Awards Banquet on June 9 at The VIP Country Club in
New Rochelle, NY. These awards celebrate both adult and young adult leaders in their churches and communities. We are very
proud to announce that Kelly Deoudes Tanzi (adult), and JR Deoudes (young adult) are this year’s recipients. Our aunt and
nephew duo, their family, Father Gregory, and Presbytera represented Saint Sophia among over 600 participants. Congratulations
to Kelly and JR, well deserved faithful servants!
On Sunday, June 12, Father’s Day, we commemorated our Saint Sophia Spiritual Fathers. May their memories be eternal! We
also honored and celebrated our fathers, grandfathers, godfathers, etc. THANK YOU!!!
SSC GENERAL UPDATES:
Safe, Secure, and Accessible: The Parish Council is committed to a Safe, Secure, and Accessible Cathedral, EAC Building, and
Grounds. The Parish Council will be looking at different ways to achieve this end. During the summer months, we will be
reducing the number of doors accessible to the Cathedral during the Orthros and Divine Liturgies. The main Cathedral doors to
the Narthex and only the Cathedral’s basement door on the parking lot side will be open. If that basement door cannot be opened
through the handicap button, please use the call box and you will be let in. All other doors will be locked but available to egress.
Please look for future emails which will describe which doors will be open and available into the fall.
Narthex Project: The last mosaic icon, the Prophet of Isaiah, is scheduled to be installed during the month of July. Our campaign
is winding down, and if you are still interested in making a pledge/donation of love, please contact the Cathedral’s office. When
the campaign concludes and pledges are received, we will be honoring the donors and engraving their names in marble on a wall
in the Narthex Elevator Lobby.
Ministry Leaders: Will meet in August to coordinate events, outings, schedules, and the Saint Sophia 2026-2027 calendar.
SSC MINISTRIES and OTHER EVENTS: Please see the website, website calendar, bulletins, and emails for updates.
Father Gregory’s Orthodox Catechism Class – meets via zoom Thursday at 7-8 PM.
Friday Nights with Mother of God – service at 6 PM, refreshments, fellowship, and Father Gregory’s YAL Bible Study
discussions to follow. Others are welcome.
Philoptochos Food Drive – the first Sunday of the month. Place your donated dry foods and cans in the bins located in FJ Hall.
Parish Council Meetings – typically the third Thursday of the month.
Look for all ministries to reconvene in the fall.
Again… HAPPY SUMMER and HAPPY 250th INDEPENDENCE DAY!!!
The Saint Sophia Parish Council
