|
|
|
 |
1948-1972
Groundbreaking ceremonies for the third structure were held on February 12, 1948 at 74th Street and Stony Island Avenue. His Grace Bishop Gerasimos of Chicago officiated. The parish and its various auxiliaries approached the tremendous fund-raising task with many new and innovative ideas. Designed by Chicago architect Christopher Chamalis, the third edifice was an enormous structure of Indiana limestone modeled after Hagia Sophia of Constantinople. A huge dome, pierced by twenty-four windows, surmounted an elongated crucifix and half domes, in traditional Byzantine style. The interior of the church was finished with Italian Carrara marble and bronze fixtures. Serio Tonelli, designed the magnificent iconostasion, altar rail, bishop's throne and pulpit. The iconography of the church was done by Constantine Yioussis of New York in the traditional Byzantine style with huge gold-leaf painted icons, murals and mosaics. Following the relocation of the parish to South Shore, the Koraes Elementary School along with the Afternoon Greek and Sunday Schools were housed in temporary quarters adjacent to the new church under construction. In 1948, Patriarch Athenagoras urged the parish to build a new school to encourage religious an ethnic education. His wish was granted when the doors to the new school and community center opened in 1965. Pastoral leadership in the third period began with Rev. Petrakis. Pastors serving the community for the remainder of the period included: Rev. Meletios K. Tripodakis, Rev. Basil S. Gregory, Rev. Emmanuel E. Bouyoucas, Very Rev. Eusebius A. Stephanou and Rev. Byron Stylianos Papanikolaou. Assistant pastors included Rev. Constantine Karkazis, Rev. Basil Gregory, Rev. John G. Kutulas, Rev. Byron Stylianos Papanikolaou, Rev. Nicholas Elias and Rev. Alexander Karloutsos. Niketas Nomikas served his third term as parish president. He was followed in turn by James Papageorge, Van Nomikos and George Manta. These men set in motion the monumental task of building the third structure with the persistent attention of Pierre A. DeMets who served as Building Committee Chairman. Mr. DeMets energetically served the community as parish president for fifteen years, the longest tenure in the history of the congregation. He saw the church building and school move from blueprint to completion, from exterior to interior, with much attention to detail and finance. All of the existing church auxiliaries that served the community at the end of the second period continued to develop based on their goals and needs. The church choir, founded in 1927 under the direction of Rev. Mark Petrakis, flourished in the third church period. George Dimopoulos, protopsaltis, composed Byzantine ecclesiastical hymns that are still used today to glorify God. The youth of SS. Constantine and Helen joined the Orthodox Youth Movement in Chicago by organizing their chapter in 1946. Later, under the leadership provided by the parish chapter, the O.Y. Movement evolved into the Greek Orthodox Youth of America (GOYA), with the parish chapter becoming a charter member in 1951 with senior and junior divisions. The Senior GOYA (over 18) chapter was revitalized under the leadership of Very Rev. Eusebius Stephanou. In accordance with the mandate of the Archdiocese, the youth groups were restructured into a tripartite organization as follows: Young Adult League, over 18 years of age; G.O.Y.A., 14-18 years of age; Junior G.O.Y.A., 12-14 years of age. Rev. Alexander Karloutsos, then assistant pastor, led the restructuring of the youth programs in the parish. These groups today continue to be an active segment in the community engaging in religious, athletic and social activities. By the 1960's South Shore underwent a dramatic demographic change and once again the question was raised whether or not the parish should relocate. There was a great deal of reluctance to do so in view of the enormous investment made by the community. Nonetheless, after much discussion, the decision to sell the property was reached at a General Assembly meeting early in 1972. After removing all the religious artifacts from the church in the spring of 1972, a temporary home for the parish and school was found in the First Church of the Nazarene at 8345 South Damen Avenue for the next three years. This article is adapted from the 90th Anniversary Commemorative Album “SS. Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church Ninetieth Anniversary 1909-1999 With Faith With Love”
|
|
CONTACT THE CHURCH
| SITE MAP |
