His Eminence Metropolitan Methodios has appointment the Very Rev. Dr. Cleopas Strongylis as Dean of the Annunciation Cathedral of Boston. Fr. Cleopas was born in Athens, Greece, on August 20, 1966. Following his primary and secondary education, he enrolled and subsequently graduated from the School of Theology of the University of Athens. Thereafter he studied at the University of Durham, England, where he earned a master of arts degree in 1992. Coming to America he studied at and later graduated from Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology earning the master of theology degree. After taking courses at Boston University and Harvard Divinity School, Fr. Cleopas earned a doctorate degree from the University of Thessaloniki in 1994. He is the author of several books, including his latest, Saint Nectarios of Pentapolis and the Rizareios Seminary of Athens (1984-1908), published in 2008. The tome was presented late last year at a special ceremony in Athens attended by the author and more than 400 clergy and laity, including His Beatitude Archbishop Ieronymos and professors from various universities and colleges. Father Strongylis, who is the Director of Greek Education of the Metropolis of Boston, has been serving the Holy Trinity Parish in Lowell, MA, since August 2004. Metropolitan Methodios is confident that Fr. Cleopas will minister the Cathedral Community with zeal and enthusiasm. He gave Fr. Cleopas a clear mandate to embrace the entire parish, especially its young adults and married couples, and reach out to the plethora of Greek Orthodox residing in the Greater Boston area.

Spiros Siaggas of Atlanta, GA, has been named AHEPA supreme athletic director. Mr. Siaggas has been a member of AHEPA for 40 years and active in Greek-American athletics his entire life. As a young man he traveled around the country playing in Greek basketball tournaments for his hometown of Milwaukee. He then coached his local Milwaukee Hellenic team and went on to coach many AHEPA all-star teams. Since 1972, Spiros has worked on and chaired numerous AHEPA athletic events. He was chairman of the national AHEPA Invitational Basketball Tournament, Secretary of the AHEPA Athletic Hall of Fame, and Assistant Supreme Athletic Director.

The Rev. Deacon George Bithos has been accepted as a member of the prestigious Orthodox Speakers Bureau. Harmonizing a reflective spirit and a scientific, he embraced theological scholarship after a successful life in healthcare as a practicing dentist. The son of a Greek Orthodox priest and a native of Dallas, TX, he was bestowed the title of Archon Exarchos of the Ecumenical Patriarchate for his service to the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese. He practiced dentistry for many years before retiring to pursue his formal education in theology. He embarked and completed his studies in theology in England at the University of Durham, where he acquired his doctorate, reflecting two disciplines: Orthodox theology and Byzantine history. Deacon George is ordained to the Holy Diaconate in the Metropolis of Denver. He served as Registrar at Hellenic College/Holy Cross, where he also taught a course on the icon, its history and theology. Additionally, he was a presenter for Internet School of Studies for the Department of Religious Education. More recently he was the Executive Director of the Texas Conference of Churches. Dn. Bithos has been married for 39 years to his wife, Presbytera Ria. They have two grown and married children and four grandchildren.

PAUL ALEXANDER SAMOUILIDIS of North Bergen, NJ, has been admitted to practice law in New York and New Jersey. Paul attended the University of Rochester and graduated from the University of Colorado in Boulder. He was awarded a bachelor’s degree in American History and Biology. Following his graduation he joined the firm of T Rowe Price in San Francisco where he managed 401(K) plans for institutional clients. He began his studies in law in 2005 at the Seton hall School of Law in Newark, NJ and graduated in 2008. he is currently employed by the Superior Court in Hackensack, NJ as a clerk to Judge Menelaos Toskos who administered the oath of office when Paul was admitted to the New jersey Bar. The son of Drs. Leonidas and Alexandra Samouilidis, Paul is also an accomplished musician having participated in his teenage years in classical performances at the Weil Recital Hall of Carnegie Hall. He is also a self taught guitar player, speaks three languages, enjoys traveling and art collecting and is an avid skier.

The Rev. Fr. Paul J. Paris has retired from the active ministry following half a century of service in the Archdiocese of America, the last 37 years of which were at the Ascension Cathedral in Oakland, CA. The community center, which he built in the 1970s, was recently renamed The Rev. Thomas J. Paris Event Center as a token of appreciation by his parishioners, many of whom have known him for their entire life. Parishioners like Manoli Sakkis, a council member, who said at the retirement banquet: "He baptized me 35 years ago. He’s a member of everyone’s family. We don’t know this community without Father Tom.… It’s going to be like when you first move away from home and everything’s different." And like Anastasia Glafkides, who said that Father Tom, as he’s known to his 1,200-family parish, baptized her three children, married two of them, baptized her four grandchildren, and provided funeral services for five of her siblings. Fr. Tom performed the service when she married her husband and again provided his services when her husband died. "He’s my whole history," said Mrs. Glafkides. "He’s very much with everybody, and gives love to us all. We’re a very big community, and he keeps us all together. That’s his specialty."

The Challenge Liturgy Group of Archangel Michael Church in Roslyn, NY, and the Association for Children with Down syndrome hosted the Blessing Ceremony recently to commemorate the opening of Hellenos House, a group home for adult Orthodox Christians with Developmental Disabilities in Wantagh, NY. Since May of 1990, on the third Saturday of each month, the Challenge Liturgy is celebrated at Archangel Michael Church. It is a special Divine Liturgy for physically and mentally challenged Orthodox Christians, their families, friends, and members of the church community. Participants are of all ages and face a wide range of challenges, including Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, autism, or blindness. Some have suffered serious injuries. Fr. Dennis Strouzas, Pastor of Archangel Michael Church since 1984, refers to those challenged as specially "gifted," with a pure and honest approach to life. (The intent of the Challenge Liturgy is not to isolate individuals, but to offer a worship environment that understands their special needs, and is patient and supportive as they approach the Chalice—often with great difficulty. In past generations families often hid away their challenged family members. The Challenge Liturgy welcomes these individuals and their families to worship, fellowship and mutual support. In fourteen years, the Challenge Liturgy has grown from four families to over forty families from eight nearby Orthodox parishes.)

THOMAS KOIKAS has assumed the responsibilities of vice president at First Western Properties, Inc. in Chicago, IL, where he will specialize in Residential and Multi-Family Sales. Prior to joining First Western Properties, Mr. Koikas owned and operated Exit Realty’s Park Ridge office and supervised 30 agents. He also has over 15 years of experience in real estate sales and appraisals. He will handle all of First Western’s in-house appraisals. Paul Tsakiris is the president of first Western Properties.

NICK MARKAKIS signed a six-year contract extension worth $66 million with the Baltimore

 Orioles last week. The deal will take Markakis, 25, through his arbitration years and keep him with the Orioles until the end of the 2014 season. Markakis was born on Long Island, NY, but he later moved to Woodstock, GA, with his family. Markakis and his wife, Christina, are awaiting the birth of their first child. The couple plans to live year-round in Monkton, MD.

GEORGE J. TSIOULIAS, MD, Ph.D, has been elected president of the Hellenic Medical Society of New York. Dr. Tsioulias is the Director of Surgical Oncology at Mount Sinai Hospital in Queens, NY, and is involved in the training of surgical residents. He succeeded Dr. George D. Dangas, who served as president of the society for two consecutive terms.

GEORGE KOKINIS, the Baltimore Ravens director of pro personnel, has been hired as Cleveland Browns’ general manager. George Kokinis, 41, began his NFL career in 1991 as an intern in the Browns’ operations department, to Cleveland’s owner, Randy Lerner. He spent 13 years with the Ravens, the past six as the team’s director of pro personnel, where his responsibilities included analyzing the free agent market and negotiating contracts for the teams draft picks. George received a master’s degree in sports management from the University of Richmond.

THE REV. FR. STANLEY HARAKAS, Th.D., Archbishop Iakovos Professor of Orthodox Theology Emeritus at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology, presented a lecture titled "The Future of Orthodox Christianity in America: A Normative Approach" last month at Fordham University. The presentation was part of the Orthodoxy in America Lecture Series sponsored by Fordham University.

GEORGE EILIAS KOUTROS of Cranston, RI, is now an Eagle Scout. George, a high school junior, hopes to attend the United States Naval Academy. His service project involved securing donations and the needed labor to build a 90-foot granite walk and patio complete with granite benches, a vinyl arbor, and full garden at the Annunciation Church in Cranston, where George is an acolyte. George is a competitive swimmer, earning an Athletic Letter from La Salle Academy. He is also a member of the Concert Band and the theater group at La Salle. George is the son of Dr. and Mrs. Elias G. Koutros.

DR. GEORGE TSOKOS was included in the Top Doctors 2008 in Boston Magazine. A rheumatologist, Dr. Tsokos is associated with the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston and the Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

PAT LYKOS of Houston, TX, has been elected district attorney of Harris County, TX, the first woman to hold the position. Pat previously served as district judge who presided over hundreds of felony trials during 15 years on the bench. The new district attorney is a steward of the Annunciation Cathedral in Houston.

SPIRO VELOUDOS, the producing artistic director of the Lyric Stage Company, has taken center state in a leading dramatic role. He plays Big Daddy, the wealthy Southern patriarch at the center of Tennessee Williams’ Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, which began on February 13 and will run till March 14 at Boston’s Lyric Stage Company. Veloudos has been honored with the 2006 Elliot Norton Prize for Sustained Excellence, Stage Source’s 2002 Theatre Hero Award, and was cited as the city’s Best Artistic Director by Boston Magazine’s Best of Boston program in 1999. He has directed over 90 productions in Massachusetts and throughout New England. He is proud to be a three-time winner of the Elliot Norton Award for Outstanding Director. He has also been honored five times as the Outstanding Director of a Musical by the Independent Reviewers of New England.

SANDY PAPADAKIS of Tarpon Strings, FL, has been elected to the Board of Trustees of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Suncoast Chapter in Tampa, FL. Sandy was named the society’s Woman of the Year in 2007.

PAUL LOTAKIS, an Alaska Airlines pilot, was presented a 25-year pin of service by the airline. Captain Lotakis is a steward at the Assumption Church in Seattle, WA, where he serves as president of the parish council. He has also served as parish council president at the Holy Transfiguration Parish in Anchorage, Alaska.