Fr. Constantine Mathews — Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America Page 1 of 3

FR. CONSTANTINE MATHEWS

Fr. Constantine Mathews

I was born in the town of Kerasia, Fokidos, Greece, on May 21, 1930. I attended elementary school in Kerasia. My father died when I was 11 years old.

Between 1947 and 1950, my family, consisting of my mother, two younger sisters and a younger brother, were self-exiled in Nafpaktos, Greece, escaping the Communist guerilla invasion of my hometown. I attended high school in both the town of Lidorikion and the city of Nafpaktos, where I received my diploma in 1949.

Upon returning to Kerasia, I served as Town Council secretary from 1950 to 1953. During my secretarial time, I was very involved in the planning and coordination of the construction of a new church, named St. George, built to replace the old one, which was destroyed by the Communist guerillas.

Also, from 1951 to 1953, I was appointed by the Governor of Fokidos to serve as a regional secretary for the Marshall Plan. In this capacity, I was involved in the construction of new roads in the district of my hometown.

In 1953, I was drafted into the Greek National Army, where I served as a Supply Manager of the 965th Military Police Company, achieving the rank of Corporal. I was honorably discharged in 1954.

On May 18, 1955, I immigrated to the U.S.A., joining my brother Michael Mathews in Middleton, Ohio. From 1955 to 1964, I lived in Middletown, Ohio working in my uncle's dry cleaning business, Head to Toe Service. In 1960, I became a partner in that business. While in Middletown, I served the local Greek community, Sts. Constantine and Helen, as a cantor (psalti) for more than nine years. I also served as an officer of both the church Sr. G.O.Y.A. and the local AHEPA. In both organizations, I participated on many committees devoted primarily to raising funds for the building of a new church in Middletown.

For three years, I served as the Editor-In-Chief of the monthly local bulletin, Town Talk, which was sponsored by the Sr. G.O.Y.A. Also, for eight years, I was the area representative of the Greek-American newspaper, National Greek Tribune of Detroit, in which many of my articles appeared in both Greek and in English. During this time, my articles also appeared in the Atlantis daily newspaper.

I attended night high school courses and received a second high school diploma from Middletown High School in 1960. Thereafter, I pursued additional studies, taking courses in Business Administration and Public Speaking from the Middletown Academic Center, an extension of Miami University of Oxford, Ohio.

In 1960, I received my U.S.A. Citizenship.

http://www.goarch.org/archdiocese/affiliates/rca/biography/mathews_constantine 10/30/2010 Fr. Constantine Mathews — Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America Page 2 of 3

My fervent zeal to study Theology and become a priest was becoming stronger in 1964 when, in consultation with my Bishop, Germanos of Synadon in Detroit, I returned to Athens, Greece, and registered at the Kapodistriakon University in Athens, Greece.

In 1969, I received my diploma in Theology and was married to Anna Christoforides, the daughter of a priest from Imbros. That same year, by the order of His Eminence Archbishop Iakovos, I was ordained a Deacon and a Presbyter in Athens, Greece.

On September 28, 1969, I was assigned by His Eminence Archbishop Iakovos as the parish priest of St. Andrew's Greek Orthodox Church in South Bend, Indiana, where I served until January 15, 1978. During my eight-and-a-half year ministry at Saint Andrew's, I helped institute several programs, including the fair-share pledge system, which was successfully implemented in 1973.

While serving in South Bend, I promoted our faith to the outside community as well, through lectures, articles, tours of our Church, and participation in the Clergy Association of the South Bend area, the Council of Churches and the United Religious Community, in which I served as a Member of the Executive Board for two years (1976-1977).

Beginning in 1974, the St. Andrew's community embarked on a relocation program, a $1,250,000 project consisting of two phases. On May 22, 1977, construction began on the new facilities, which were completed in April 1978.

During my last four years in South Bend (1973-1977), I attended the University of Notre Dame and, on August 5, 1977, I received a Master's Degree in Theology (Liturgical Studies).

On January 15, 1978, I was re-assigned by His Eminence Archbishop Iakovos as the parish priest of the Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation in Stamford, Connecticut.

My immediate goals at the Annunciation were to increase the Sunday worship, Greek School and Sunday School attendance, to reinvigorate the G.O.Y.A. and establish a G.O.Y.A.L. These were all successfully accomplished.

Several major activities have been initiated or improved upon during my service at the Annunciation, including the June Festival, the New Year's Eve Party, the "OHI Day" celebration, the Greek Letters Day celebration, and Youth Sunday.

I have prepared and published a monthly bulletin for the Annunciation since January 1978, which is printed in both English and Greek. This bulletin addresses liturgical, sacramental and traditional issues and includes the liturgical calendar, an activities calendar and the community news.

I have written numerous religious articles for use by our Sunday School and youth ministry, as well as others which have been published in the local newspaper, The Advocate, and in the Stamford Trader and Orthodox Observer. In 2007, I published a book, entitled Eastern Orthodoxy Compared: Her main teachings and significant differences with Roman Catholicism and the Major Protestant Denominations published (Light & Life Publishing Company, Minneapolis, MN). I have also had the privilege to lecture to both Orthodox and non-Orthodox audiences about our faith many times.

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I am proud to say that, since my assignment to the Annunciation, the church as reached financial stability as well as spiritual advancement. On the financial front, on November 23, 2002, the community held a "mortgage burning" celebration, marking the end of twenty- years of a substantial monthly burden related to its existing structure.

At the same time, the community moved forward with its plans to construct a new house of worship. On November 22, 1986, a Ground Breaking ceremony took place and, on August 1987, the actual construction of the cross-shaped Byzantine church began. Many significant events led to November 17, 1991, on which the community celebrated a long-awaited dream come true, the official opening (Thyranoixia), of our $2,000,000 mortgage-free church. Shortly thereafter, in November 2001, the Saint Ncetarios Chapel was completed. In November 2005, the Annunciation held an joyous event to celebrate its 100th anniversary, at which I was honored by the community.

On Sunday, February 4, 1990, two offices (Offikia) were bestowed upon me by His Grace Bishop Athenagoras of Dorylaion by the order of His Eminence Archbishop Iakovos: Father Confessor and Economos. On Sunday, November 17, 1991, at the Thyranoixia of our church, the office of Protopresbyteros was bestowed upon me by His Eminence Archbishop Iakovos himself. I have also served on the Greek Orthodox Spiritual Court of the Connecticut District since 1988.

My wife, Presbyters Anna, and I have two sons, Vasilios, an orthopedic surgeon, married with two children, and Nikiforos, a lawyer, married with one child.

I continue to be the full-time parish priest of the Annunciation in Stamford, Connecticut.

http://www.goarch.org/archdiocese/affiliates/rca/biography/mathews_constantine 10/30/2010