Fr. Tom Parthenakis

Fr. Athansios was born on August 4, 1941, in Cincinnati, OH to Zaphira Orphanos and George N.

Father received his high-school education from Hughes High-School in Cincinnati, OH and earned a B.A. from Heidelberg College, and took a M.A. and Ph.D. in History from Kent State University.  He taught Math and Social Studies and coached (football and wrestling) at the high-school level for four years, and History at the college and university levels for 36 years.  “Retired” as an Associate Professor of History from Gannon University in May 2007, father entered St. Vladimir Orthodox Theological Seminary in August and received a M.Div. degree in May 2010.

His dream and aspiration to serve the Holy Orthodox Church became reality when His Eminence Metropolitan Nicholas of the Greek Orthodox Diocese of Detroit ordained him into the Holy Order of the Diaconate in November 2010 at the Annunciation Orthodox Church in Buffalo, NY.  Then he apprenticed under the very patient Rev. Fr. Christos Christakis, Ph.D.  Metropolitan Nicholas ordained him to the Holy Order of the Priesthood on January 2, 2011 at St. Catherine Greek Orthodox Church in Ithaca, NY where he currently serves as Proistamenos.

Father Tom is married to Presbytera Catherine for 47 years.   As an educator and administrator for 35 years and mother of two children, John and Elena (both high-school teachers), Presbytera Cathy (the daughter of a United Church of Christ pastor) has wholeheartedly embraced her new role in serving the Holy Orthodox Church.