Parish information
General Information
General Information
Church History
The establishment of a community on Long Island was first nurtured on April 21, 1944 when sixteen people attended a meeting in Mineola, New York and formed an interim committee. On June 13, 1945, The Orthodox Greek Catholic Community of Nassau and Suffolk Counties, New York, Inc. was founded. Father George Papadeas was sent here by the Archdiocese to serve as its priest in 1950.
A parcel of land was purchased on Greenwich Street in Hempstead, New York and the first Saint Paul's Church was erected. On December 23, 1950 services were conducted even though the building was not yet completed. On April 15, 1951, Archbishop Michael blessed the cornerstone of the new edifice and that evening the name of Saint Paul was voted upon to become the Patron Saint of the Church.
An influx of Greek Orthodox Christians to Long Island made it necessary to build a larger Church and Complex in order to meet the growing needs of the faithful. In 1955, the Cathedral property was purchased for $60,000. The ground breaking ceremony took place in the summer of 1957. His Eminence Archbishop Iakovos officiated in the laying of the cornerstone in 1959.
On March 16, 1960, the icon of the "Lamenting Mother of God" was seen to tear in the home of Peter and Pagona Catsounis in Island Park. The Phenomenon attracted world wide attention and thousands from near and far came to witness and to venerate the icon. The Ecumenical Patriarchate proclaimed it to be a "Sign of Divine Providence". The icon is permanently enshrined in our Cathedral.
On May 1, 1960, Father Nicholas J. Magoulias was ordained to the priesthood in the new church. He served three years as an assistant. In 1963, he assumed the pastoral helm of the Community and officially retired in January 2006 after 46 years of dedicated service.
On October 17, 1971, His Eminence, Archbishop Iakovos, consecrated the Church. The holy relics of the Christian Martyrs and Saints George, Tryfon, and Parthenios were interred in the Holy Alter Table. Father Joakim Valasiadis was assigned to the parish on this day and faithfully served our Community for 35 years.
In 1974, the mortgage of the Church was burned. In the same year a vast parcel of land was purchased contiguous to the parking lot which gives access to Hilton Avenue. Later, the corner house on Cathedral Avenue was bought and is presently being used as an educational building named in honor of Constantine and Carol Cassis.
His Eminence officially proclaimed Saint Paul's Church as the Cathedral of Long Island on Palm Sunday, April 3, 1988. At this time Father Nicholas J. Magoulias was appointed Dean of the Cathedral and Father Joakim Valasiadis Ecclesiarch of the Archdiocese.
The Parishioners were deeply honored and blessed with the historic visit of His All Holiness Dimitrios, Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, and the Holy Synod on July 17, 1990. Evening Services were conducted and a reception and dinner was hosted by the Community.
After many years of tireless, dedicated service, the Cathedral of St. Paul said thank you and farewell to Fr. Nicholas Magoulias and Fr. Joakim Valasiadis.
Fr. Luke Melackrinos was assigned in 2003 to the Cathedral of St. Paul and Fr. Andreas Vithoulkas in 2008.
Clergy office hours are Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. However, during these hours they are frequently out of the office performing visitations or other pastoral ministries. It is, therefore, best to schedule an appointment if you wish to meet with them.
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Clergy
Father Luke Melackrinos is a graduate of the Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology class of 2003. He was ordained to the Diaconate on March 31, 2002 by Metropolitan Gerasimos of San Francisco at the Greek Orthodox Church of St. George in Bethesda, Maryland. Fr. Luke was ordained to the Holy Priesthood on the feastday of St. Kosmas of Aitolos in 2003 (August 24) by Metropolitan Gerasimos at the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of St. Paul.
He is married to Marusia (Podhurec) the daughter of a Ukrainian Orthodox priest. Marusia has a Master’s Degree in Guidance and Counseling and is full time mother to Eleni (born in July, 2001) and Magdalena (born July 2005).
Under the guidance of Fr. Luke, many vibrant, Christ-centered ministries were initiated and re-initiated at the Cathedral of St. Paul, including, the St. Paul's Nursery School, Vacation Church School, the Little Angels Program and regular service at the Mary Brennan Inn, a soup kitchen serving the local Hempstead community. The entire Melackrinos family rejoices at being part of the community of St. Paul.
Fr. Andreas Vithoulkas
Fr. Andreas was born on February 27, 1972 in Flushing New York. He is the first of five children of Nicholas and Panagiota Vithoulkas. Both his parents immigrated to the United States in the 1960’s. His father is a native of Pireaus and his mother a native of Kos, Greece. Upon graduation from St. Nicholas’ William Spyropoulos School in Flushing, New York, his family moved to Manhasset Long Island where he attended Manhasset High School and Archangel Michael Greek Orthodox Church in Roslyn. Upon graduation from Manhasset High School in 1988 he enrolled in Queens College University. Fr. Andreas transferred to Hellenic College in Brookline, MA and graduated in 1994 and subsequently graduated with a Masters of Divinity from Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology in May 1998.
Fr. Andreas was ordained by His Grace Bishop Savas to the Diaconate on June 1, 2007 and to the Priesthood on July 1, 2007. After his ordination he worked as an assistant to His Grace Bishop Savas the Chancellor of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America.
On April 29, 2001, at St. Irene’s Monastery in Astoria New York he was joined in Holy Matrimony to Anthoula Hatzimihalis and now live in Whitestone with their twin boys, Nikolas and Petros. Presvytera Anthoula was born in Bayridge, Brooklyn. Her parents emigrated from Kos, Greece during the 1960’s. She has one brother, Steve. Anthoula was a Theatre major at Queens College and went on to have a professional career in the Arts. Currently on a hiatus as an actor, she works as a Senior Human Resources Recruiter. Her passion, hobbies and goals are geared toward humanitarian causes. Her desire is to provide for those in need and feels privileged that she has been in a position to do so.
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Church Office Staff
Nicole Rousakis
Cathi Efstathios
Hermea Drivas (Stewardship)
Church Office Hours
The Church Office is open from Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. except for holidays. You can contact the office by phone at (516) 483-5700 (messages may be left 24-hours a day), fax at (516) 564-8355 or e-mail Church Office
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Schdule of Sunday Services
|
Orthros
|
7:45 AM |
| 1st Divine Liturgy |
9:00 AM |
| 2nd Divine Liturgy |
10:45 AM |
Other occasional services (Paraklesis, Salutations, etc.) are scheduled as announced in the weekly Sunday Bulletin and on the Church Web site.
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CHURCH PUBLICATIONS
The Epistle is produced and mailed five times a year (every two months except summer).
The Sunday Bulletin is published each week and provides each worshiper with Scriptural references, announcements, articles, church organization contacts and the upcoming schedule of Parish events and programs. Copies are available on Sunday in the Narthex as you enter the Cathedral. Articles and announcements must be submitted to the Church office no later than Wednesday 12:00 noon.
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