Fr. Aristotle Damaskos

Reverend Aristotle Damaskos has been the Dean of Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Toledo for 10 years, this past May.  A native Midwesterner,

Farther Ari was born on December 15, 1958 in Gary, Indiana.  At the age of fifteen his family relocated to Clearwater, Florida, where he graduated from high school.

He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Pre-Theology from Hellenic College in Brookline, MA, in 1981, a Masters Degree in Theology from Holy Cross School of Theology in Brookline, MA in 1985 as well as a Master Degree in Pastoral Counseling from Holy Names College in Oakland, CA in 2000.

Fr. Ari and Presbytera Debbie Schanhals were married on June 21, 1987 in Memphis, TN.  She is a nurse practitioner, and they have two children, William 19 and Dianna 15.

On May 18, 1988 he was ordained to the Diaconate and on June 12, 1988 to the Priesthood by Bishop Anthony of San Francisco, of Blessed memory, in Oakland, CA.  On December 24, 2006 he was elevated by His Eminence Metropolitan Nicholas of Detroit to the rank of Protopresbyter.

Fr. Ari has served in 1981-1982 as Youth Director Annunciation Parish Memphis, TN; in 1985-1988 as Pastoral Assistant Annunciation Parish in Memphis, TN and also as secretary of the Memphis Ministers Association; in 1988-1990 at the Ascension in Oakland, CA; in 1990-1992 at the SS Markella and Demetrios Ft. Walton Beach, Florida; in 1992-2001 at the Ascension Cathedral in Oakland, CA as the Associate Pastor; from 2001 to the present Father is serving as the Dean of the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Toledo, OH.

He also has served as Clergy representative to MEFGOX, Metropolis Council Secretary, and has served as the Clergy Syndesmos President.  He also has served as President, Vice President and Secretary of the Greater Toledo Pan Orthodox Brotherhood.

Fr. Ari’s hobbies include decorating for Christmas and being a certified storm chaser.  He wanted to be a meteorologist but it took too much math, thus God had other plans for him.  He also has worked at various radio stations as an announcer in Memphis, TN, Oakland, CA, Ft. Walton Beach Florida, San Francisco, CA and Toledo, OH.

Father Ari believes that we are here on this earth to serve God and humanity with love and if we want to make God laugh tell Him your plans.