Archpriest George and Presbytera Stavroula Saitanis

Archpriest George Saitanis (1925-2014)

and

Presbytera Stavroula Saitanis (1929 -1999)

Early life

In 1925, George Saitanis was born in the Messinia Prefecture of the Peleponnese Region, in Greece. He was 1 of 11 children in the family.

George finished his primary and secondary education in Messina, and from a young age he loved the worship services of the Church, and chanting.

After World War II (1939-1945), in 1946, George moved to Athens, where he worked as an employee of the “IKA” (Social Insurance Institute). There, where he met his future wife.

Marriage

Later, George Saitanis was married to Stavroula.

In time, George and Stavroula Saitanis received from the Lord 2 children, Argyro (Iro) and Panagiotis.

Higher education

At some time during these years, George took the opportunity to study theology.

Egypt

In 1961, Patriarch Christopher II (Danielidis) of Alexandria] personally invited George to go to Alexandria, Egypt.

Ordinations, 1961

In 1961, George Saitanis was ordained to the Holy Diaconate in Alexandria, Egypt., within the Patriarchate of Alexandria and All Africa.

Deacon George Saitanis was assigned to serve as deacon in the of Saint Constantine in Cairo, Egypt.

Later in 1961, Deacon George Saitanis was ordained to the Holy Priesthood.

Pastoral service

Priest George Saitanis was assigned to continue serving, now as a presbyter, in the parish of Saint Constantine in Cairo.

In addition, there are stories told about him that in parallel with his pastoral service, Father George had a musical career. Throughout his pastoral service, he was known for the beauty of his voice as he chanted.

Emigration to the USA, 1964

With the blessing to do so, Priest George Saitanis emigrated to the USA.

There, he furthered his theological studies at the Lexington Theological Seminary in Lexingon, Kentucky.

Transfer to Canada, 1966

Toronto, Ontario

Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church

In 1966, Father George Saitanis was invited by Bishop Timotheos (Haloftis) to serve in Canada. He was transferred to Toronto, Ontario. There, he served at Holy Trinity Church for 2 years as an assistant to Father Theophilos.

Montréal, Québec

'Holy Dormition (Koimisis tis Theotokou) Greek Orthodox Church

In 1968, Priest George Saitanis was transferred to Montréal, Québec. There, he was the first and founding priest of the Holy Dormition Greek Orthodox parish. The building was purchased on 12 April, 1968, by the Hellenic Community of Greater Montréal.

Father George Saitanis was the founding pastor of this parish, and it was under his paternal and pastoral guidance that the edifice of the Church of the Dormition was transformed into a Greek Orthodox Temple.

As was their custom from the beginning, Father George and Presbytera Stavroula Saitanis worked together as a sort of pastoral team as they nurtured the portion of Christ’s flock of rational sheep which were their responsibility.

Holy Annunciation (Evangelismos) Greek Orthodox Church

On 31 October, 1975, the Hellenic Community of Greater Montréal purchased a building on Rue Saint-Roch. This building became the new Annunciation (Evangelismos) Greek Orthodox Church. This establishment was, in fact, the re-establishment of the first Greek Orthodox congregation in Montréal.

Again, Father George was the founding pastor. He continued with his wife to serve this community up until his retirement. As was later recalled, together, Father George and Presbytera Stavroula founded a Sunday School at Bartholomew-Vimont School on Saint-Roch Street ; they organised summer day camps for working families at the “Blue Church” ; they formed a young adults association named the “Junior Parish Committee” (but better known to its members as the “JPC”) ; and at their home, they organised generous house parties for youth.

This parish in particular had been, and became again, an important spiritual centre for the Greek community in Montréal.

It was written that Father George was a pivotal element in establishing the 2 communities (Dormition and Annunciation) within the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Toronto, which later became the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Canada.

Furthermore, it should be noted that the 2 temples, located in the heart of the “Greek-occupied” Parc Extension, are owned by the Greek Community of Greater Montréal.

Father George served Montreal’s Greek Orthodox community and “Evangelismos Tis Theotokou” Church with devotion and dignity, as spiritual leader for 51 years.

Bereavement, 1999

On 26 June, 1999, Presbytera Savroula Saitanis fell asleep in the Lord at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Montréal, Québec.

On Monday, 28 June, 1999, there was visitation at the Jasko Moshonas Ouimet Funeral Home, 693 Jean Talon Street West.

On Tuesday, 29 June, 1999 (the Feast of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul), at 5:00 p.m., the coffin containing the body of Presbytera Stavroula Saitanis was brought to “Evangelismos Tis Theotokos” Greek Orthodox Church (777 Saint- Roch Street). During the evening, a Trisagion of the Dead was served.

On Wednesday, 30 June, 1999, at 2:00 p.m., the Funeral Service for the Burial of a Lay-person was served at “Evangelismos Tis Theotokou” Greek Orthodox Church by Metropolitan Sotirios (Athanassoulas), along with other clergy.

Following the funeral obsequies, the body of Presbytera Stavroula Saitanis was interred at the Notre Dame des Neiges Cemetery, in Côte-des-Neiges, Montréal. Presbytera Stavroula was survived by her husband, Father George Saitanis, by her daughter Argyro (Panayiotis Theophanous), and by her grandchildren Andriani, Stavroula, and Georgios.

Repose, 2014

On Tuesday, 2 September, 2014, Priest George Saitanis fell asleep in the Lord in Montréal.

On Thursday, 4 September, 2014, from 11 a.m. until 9 p.m., at the “Koimisis Tis Theotokou” Church, the coffin containing the body of Priest George Saitanis rested in the midst of the Temple. There, the Faithful visited and prayed, and the Service of the Trisagion of the Dead Trisagion for the Dead] was offered.

On Friday, 5 September, 2014, at 8:30 a.m., the coffin containing the body of Priest George Saitanis was transported to the “Evangelismos Tis Theotokou” Church.

At 9 a.m., the Divine Liturgy was served in the Temple of the Dormition of the Theotokos.

At 11 a.m., the Funeral Service for the Burial of a Priest was served in the same place. This service was attended by all the Greek Orthodox priests and cantors of the region, as well as others.

After the conclusion of the funeral obsequies, the body of Priest George Saitanis was transported to the Côte-des-Neiges Cemetery, and interred beside the grave of his wife.

As per Father George’s wish, as well as, that of his family, it was requested that in lieu of flowers, anyone wishing to make a donation address this to the Monastery of Panagia Parigoritissa in Brownsburg-Chatham, Québec.

Reflections

In 2012, Father Goerge Saitanis received from the Governor-General of Canada the Jubilee Medal of Queen Elizabeth II

The blessed priest was a landmark for the Hellenism of the city, as he was the one who converted the Church of the Dormition into an Orthodox church in 1968 and later, in 1975, starred in the purchase of the Church of the Annunciation, where he served as archpriest until his retirement . It should be noted that the two temples, located in the heart of the "Greek-occupied" Park Extension, belong to the Greek Community of Greater Montreal.