Here stands St. John Greek Orthodox Church. It is more than just bricks and mortar. It is a living testament to faith and community.
St. John Greek Orthodox Church finds its roots in the Cathedral of St. Nicholas in Tarpon Springs. Many families who founded St. John originally settled in Tarpon Springs. They later migrated to Hillsborough County. Even today, many parishioners feel a connection to the Cathedral.
St. John Greek Orthodox Church is the second oldest Greek Orthodox community in the Tampa Bay area. Greeks had settled in Tampa long before the church was founded. In the early 1950s, services took place in the American Hellenic Center and local Protestant churches.
The cornerstone of St. John Greek Orthodox Church was laid on January 7, 1956. The church opened later that year. Thirty families formed the original parish. The story of St. John’s name is quite interesting. Many founding members were named John. Some were named for St. John the Baptist. Others were named for St. John Chrysostom. The community couldn’t decide which St. John to honor. They simply stuck with the name St. John to avoid offending anyone.
When the Iconostasion was built, the icon of St. John the Baptist was placed where the patron saint’s icon usually goes. After the church was built, a small hall and administration building followed. In the early 1980s, the Kourmolis Center was built. It housed a kitchen and gymnasium. It was named to honor Archon Peter Kourmolis and his wife Sophia.
During the 1970s, an extensive iconography project covered nearly every bit of the church walls. St. John helped found two sister parishes. These were St. Sophia in Winter Haven and St. Barbara in Sarasota.
Archbishop Iakovos consecrated St. John’s in 1987. Bishops John of Atlanta and Iakovos of Catania were co-celebrants. Patriarch Athenagoras visited Tampa when he was Archbishop of North and South America. The Archbishop of America often visits in January. This is because St. John the Baptist’s feast day is the day after Epiphany.
Father Stavros Akrotirianakis has been the Proistamenos of St. John since 2004. Today, the church has over 400 families from various backgrounds. Services are mainly in English.
The church values love, worship, community, learning, and service. St. John welcomes everyone. The church has a gifted choir and loves worshipping. The liturgical calendar is full. There are opportunities for fellowship. These include groups for seniors and young adults. There are groups for teens and children too. The church has a large Sunday school. There are also Bible studies and a book club. The Messenger is the church’s monthly magazine. Father Stavros writes a daily message called The Prayer Team.
The community is known for its generosity. A percentage of the budget is set aside for charity. St. John has an active Philoptochos. Community Outreach feeds the hungry in downtown Tampa. The church also has a food pantry. Each November, the church hosts the annual Greek Festival. St. John Greek Orthodox Day School is one of three such schools in the country and is open to non-parishioners. The religious paintings inside the church were done over a period of 25 years by a man from Greece. All worship services are done in Greek and English.
St. John Greek Orthodox Church has a rich history. It is a testament to the enduring faith and community spirit of its members. It stands as a beacon of Orthodoxy in the Tampa Bay area.