The former head of the historic Community of the Dormition of the Theotokos in Jersey City, Fr. Apostolos (Paul) Panos, reposed in the Lord on Monday, August 16, 2021, at the age of 61.
His body was laid in repose in the Holy Cross Church in Whitestone, NY on August 19, 2021, at 15:00-21:00.
The funeral service took place on the morning of Friday, August 20, 2021, at 9:00 in the same church and the burial will take place in the Monastery of All Saints in Calverton, NY.
Life of Fr. Apostolos (Paul) Panos
Father Apostolos (Paul) Panos was born in Chicago, Illinois on September 25, 1959. His parents, Peter and Georgia Panos, were from the Province of Arkadia, Peloponnesos, Greece near Tripolis.
As a child, Father Paul worshiped at Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church in Oak Lawn, Illinois and graduated from their Homer Greek Language School.
Upon graduating from a Chicago public high school, he enrolled in a technical school and was later employed by General Motors.
As a counselor at the Diocese of Chicago’s Camp Fanari, Father Paul found the Holy Orthodox Faith increasingly fascinating. In September of 1982, with the Blessings of Metropolitan Iakovos of Chicago, Father Paul pursued his religious studies at Hellenic College in Brookline, Massachusetts.
He received his Bachelor’s Degree in 1986, and then began graduate studies at Holy Cross Seminary, while working for the Massachusetts Department of Youth Services System as a counselor to juvenile offenders.
On January 1, 1989, he was ordained to the Holy Deaconate at the Church of Saint Basil by Metropolitan Iakovos of Chicago.
Father Paul first served the Lord as a Deacon at the historic Annunciation Cathedral of Boston under the pastorship of Father Al Demos.
After graduating from Holy Cross in 1989, he was immediately assigned to the Holy Diocese of Toronto and all Canada and later ordained to the Holy Priesthood by Metropolitan Soterios of Canada of June 11, 1989.
Subsequently, he was appointed to serve the mission Parishes of Saint Nicholas in Sudbury, Ontario and Saint George in North Bay, Ontario.
After two years, he was assigned to the Church of the 12 Holy Apostles in Duluth, Minnesota.
Father Paul’s next call was to serve the Cathedral of Saints Constantine & Helen in Brooklyn, New York.
Father Paul’s mission there was to oversee the restoration of the Cathedral that was severely damaged by fire and make preparations for the rededication.
Archbishop Iakovos then assigned him to Saint Demetrios Church in Jamaica, New York to assist Father Nicholas Soteropoulos.
Father Paul assumed the duties of Spiritual Director of Youth Ministries and religious instructor for their schools. In addition, he was a Spiritual Advisor for many youth programs such as the Metropolitan Basketball League, New York GOYA Olympics, and Ionian Village in Greece.
On January 1, 1997, Archbishop Spyridon appointed Father Paul to the Cathedral of Saint John the Theologian in Tenafly, New Jersey to assist the Cathedral Dean, Father Ernest Blougouras to assist in Pastoral duties and assume the role of Coordinator of Youth Programs.
During his tenure at the Cathedral he re-established the Scouting Program and actively sponsored the Diocese Youth Programs. Furthermore, he was elevated to the Priestly Rank of Economos by Archbishop Spyridon and became a Naval Chaplain in the Reserves holding the rank of Lieutenant.
In May of 1999, the late Bishop George of New Jersey assigned Father Paul to Saint Athanasios Church in Paramus, New Jersey.
While at St. Athanasios, Fr. Paul saw to the completion of the church’s interior, new stained glass windows, the paying off of the mortgages of the community center and the church building.
In addition, several programs were established, the senior citizen prescription drug plan, the GOYA scholarship for graduating high school seniors from St. Athanasios GOYA, and the Hellenic Cultural Fund which is for the youth of the community to have the opportunity to embrace and experience Hellenic artistic, historical and spiritual events, programs and lectures.
Father Paul was also a “First Responder” as a Chaplain at Ground Zero, after the attack of the Terrorists on the World Trade Center.
On May 1, 2004, Father was assigned by His Eminence Metropolitan Evangelos of New Jersey, temporarily to the historic church of Saint Demetrios in Union N.J. On April 20, 2005, Father was assigned to the Church of Kimisis Tis Theotokou, Panagia of Island Park, N.Y.
On August of 2007, Father was then assigned to the Church of Saint George, in Schenectady, N.Y.
Where he was active in many programs, including Chaplain of the City Council of Schenectady, and Chaplain of the Capital District Red Knights, consultant to the Mayor of Schenectady for the Annual September 11th, City-wide Memorial Events, among other activities.
On June 1st of 2014 with the Blessing of His Eminence, Metropolitan Evangelos of New Jersey, upon the request of the Saint Anthony’s Community, Father Paul has been assigned permanently to the Community.
In the last years, Father Paul served many parishes throughout the Direct Archdiocesan District and the Metropolis of New Jersey, assisting parishes that were in need.