Saint John NB Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church 1952

Saint John, New Brunswick, Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, 1952

Prehistory

People of Greek descent do live and have lived in other parts of New Brunswick, Canada (especially in Fredericton and Moncton), but the largest Greek community in the province has been that in Saint John.

Michael Marcus (Anglicised from Mercuriou) arrived in Saint John in 1905, and he came to be called the “Old Man” (“Gerontos”) of the Greeks in the city. He was known also as “Dr. Asclepios” (Asclepios is the Greek god of medicine) because of his knowledge and skill with herbs. Mr. Marcus was a long-time president of the Greek Orthodox community in Saint John. Other long-term Greeks in Saint John include : Harry Stevenson (Anglicised from Charalambos Stavrakos), George Stevenson, and Peter Pappas who were co-owners of the Riviera Restaurant on Charlotte Street.

Harry Stevenson was the principal force in organising New Brunswick’s help to Greece during the time of World War II and the subsequent Civil War (1946-1949). He was chair of the local chapter of the Greek War Relief Fund, as well as liaison officer between the headquarters of that Fund in Montréal, Québec, and the Swedish freighters sailing from the port of Saint John with relief supplies for Greece.

George Maniatis was one of the founding members of Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church in Saint John in the 1950s. Having arrived in Canada in 1946, he was originally from the southern Peleponnesus of Greece, and nephew of Harry Stevenson. Instead of continuing his legal studies, he studied business, and he became the manager of several restaurants, to which he brought other Greek-speakers for work. For him, the development of the new Temple of Saint Nicholas was a priority.

From the early years of his life in Canada George Maniatis made Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church a major part of his life. The Greek community raised money locally in order to build the Temple, with supplements from Halifax, Nova Scotia, and Montréal, Québec. As a consequence, the smallest Greek Orthodox community in Canada (40 members) had their own Temple and a house for the priest.

The parishioners, who understood the difficulties of maintaining their Orthodox Christian Faith and way of life, were determined to provide a nurturing environment for their children.

As is generally the case, Mr. Maniatis was concerned about the future of the Greek language in New Brunswick. He said : “It’s important to have a priest who speaks both Greek and English. The priest’s English can bring people in, and then we give them Greek in the church”. He was grateful that younger people, such as John Likourgiotis were taking up responsibility in the local parish and community leadership. He was a person who recognised the importance of the family in forming people as Greek Orthodox Christians. He recognised the priority of Canadian citizenship, but living as such without neglecting or abandoning the inherited Greek Orthodox legacy. He did recognise (as do others) the difficulty in maintaining fluency in the Greek language in the Anglophonic or Francophonic environment in Canada. This is made the more difficult when a spouse is neither Greek nor Orthodox, and not at all Greek-speaking.

Nevertheless, after the end of World War II, there had arrived enough families in Saint John that it became possible to organise the Greek-speaking community and to prepare seriously for the acquisition of land with the construction of a Temple adequate for the number of Greek Orthodox people living in Saint John.

Construction of the Temple, 1952

In May, 1952, the construction of the Temple of Saint Nicholas at 33, Dorchester Street, Saint John, New Brunswick, was completed.

Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church 1953

The founding Parish Council was chaired by John Coloris. Other members included : Harry Stevenson (president of the Greek Society) ; Alex Demerson ; George Pittson ; George Maniatis.

When the construction was completed, the parish had a clear title to the land and the building, and there was no mortgage. The funds raised from the local Faithful (supplemented by contributions from various Greek communities across Canada) proved to be sufficient.

The small Temple could accept as many as 100 persons, and there was from the beginning a complete basement space for social occasions and other purposes. From the first, the parish was served by priests who travelled there from Halifax, Nova Scotia, in particular from Saint George Greek Orthodox Church there.

Lesser sanctification, first services, 1953

The first services in the Temple were on Sunday, 8 November, 1953. First, the Temple was blessed with Holy Water, and the Divine Liturgy was served by Priest Antonios Mavromaras of Halifax. Following the services, a repast was offered to all in the basement.

In the evening of the same day, Vespers was served in the Temple. Afterwards, there was a formal gathering in the Temple basement for the presentation of various speeches by the local leadership of the Greek community, and by local dignitaries.

The gathering was attended by guests from Moncton, New Brunswick ; and from Halifax, and Springhill, Nova Scotia.

In the course of time, the Greeks of Saint John developed a Greek Community Centre in a portion of a larger building at 140, Union Street in Saint John.

Establishment of a Canadian Pastoral District (Ninth Region), 1960

In 1960, it was decided by Patriarch Athenagoras (Syprou) to establish an episcopal region for Canada, of which the assigned bishop would be "Episcopal Commissioner" for Canada. The region was a preparation for a future diocese ; the "episcopal commissioner" was the preparation for a future ruling bishop.

Canada Ninth District named a diocese, 1979

In 1979, following a re-structuring of the Archdiocese of North and South America, the Ninth District of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of North and South America was elevated by the Patriarch of Constantinople to be the Greek Orthodox Diocese of Toronto (Canada), and Bishop Sotirios (Athanassoulas) of Constantia became Bishop Sotirios (Athanassoulas) of Toronto (Canada).

In 1979, Bishop Sotirios (Athanassoulas) of Constantia was elevated to be the Bishop of Toronto (Canada), in Ontario.

The Diocese of Canada becomes a Metropolis, 1996

On 30 July, 1996, the Patriarchate of Constantinople divided the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of North and South America into 4 parts : the USA, Canada, Central America, and South America. The Diocese of Canada was elevated to the status of a metropolitanate.

At the same time, the Metropolis of Toronto (Canada) was detached from the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, and placed directly under the authority of the Patriarchal Throne in Constantinople.

On 24 September, 1996, Bishop Sotirios (Athanassoulas) was elevated to the dignity of metropolitan, and he was given the title and responsibility of Metropolitan Archbishop of Toronto (Canada), and Exarch of all Canada.

Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Canada and All the Arctic, 2019

In 2019, the Metropolis of Toronto (Canada) was elevated to the dignity of Archdiocese. Thus, the official title of the diocese became “Holy Archdiocese of Canada and All the Arctic”, and alternatively, “[https://goarchdiocese.ca/ Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Canada”.

Thus, Metropolitan Sotirios (Athanassoulas) was elevated to the dignity of Archbishop, with the title “Archbishop of Canada and All the Arctic”, and alternatively, “Greek Orthodox Archbishop of Canada”.

Parish news

From the beginning, the parish began to be served by priests from Halifax, Nova Scotia on the basis of one Sunday per month. Periodically, the frequency was greater. Sometimes, a priest was resident in the city.

Other parts of New Brunswick (such as Fredericton) seem to have or to have had Greek Orthodox communities of some sort, but until 2023, it is only this parish of Saint Nicholas in Saint John, New Brunswick, that has ever had its own building and regular services.

Priest Theodore Efthymiadis

In 2013, Priest Theodore Efthymiadis had already been serving in the parish of Saint Nicholas for some time. At this time, Deacon John and Constantina Palmer were amongst the parishioners. Moreover, they were both raised in Saint John.

Deacon John Palmer serving

Saint Nicholas Church, 2013

From November, 2014, until August, 2018, Priest Andrew (Andreas) Allain and Presbytera Panagiota served in the parish of Saint Nicholas. In services, he used Greek, English, and Slavonic.

During an interview, Father Andrew commented that the difficult and depressed economic situation that developed in Saint John contributed to a decline in the population of Greek Orthodox believers in the city and region. Most of the younger Greek families had moved away for various reasons. He added, however, that recent immigration had made a difference in the community. Besides some Greeks, there had arrived also immigrants from Russia, Ukraine, Serbia, and Ethiopia.

Service in Great and Holy Week

During the following year (2018-2019), the parish was served by Priest Matthew and Presbytera Catherine Penney.

Public procession of the Epitaphios (Shroud), Great, Holy Friday

Father Matthew, Presbytera Catherine Penney, 2019

In 2019, they established a mission parish in Fredericton.

Particular parish information

This parish is a part of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese Canada, of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Constantinople. The bishop is Archbishop Sotirios (Athanassoulas). The Vicar-Bishop is Bishop Athenagoras (Salmas). The patriarch is Patriarch Bartholomew (Archontonis).

This parish follows the New (Revised Julian) Calendar.

The Divine Services are offered in Greek, English, and other languages.

In 2026, the pastor of the parish is Priest Matthew Penney.

Address :

Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church

33, Dorchester Street

Saint John, New Brunswick

E2L 3H7

Telephone : 506-642-1258

Web-site : stnicholaschurch.webs.com

Facebook

Directions :

Saint John, New Brunswick, may be approached by land, by water, and by air.

By railway :

VIARail passenger railway service reaches Moncton, New Brunswick, after which a bus or car is necessary.

By bus :

Maritime Bus provides bus service throughout the Maritime Provinces.

By air :

Saint John International Aeroport receives flights from various parts of Canada, and abroad.

By road :

Saint John may be approached from other parts of Canada to the west by driving on the Trans-Canada Highway (#1) and then by driving south on Highway #2 to Fredericton, and Highway #7 to Saint John.

From Nova Scotia, drive eastwards on Trans-Canada Highway #104 West. Continue on to Trans-Canada Highway #2 West to Moncton. Take exit #423 on the left to merge onto Route #1 West towards Petitcodiac, and Sussex. Take exit #123 towards Saint John Centre, Route #100.

From the west on Saint John Throughway (Highway #1), take the exit at Main Street. Drive south to Union Street, and turn left onto Union Street. Drive 3 blocks until Dorchester Street. Turn left. Drive 1 block, and the Temple is on the left before Carleton Street.

From the east on Saint John Throughway (Highway #1), take exit #123 to Winter Street. Continue on Winter Street to Somerset Street. Turn left on Somerset Street, and drive southwards. Somerset Street becomes Dorchester Street. After Carleton Street, the Temple is on the right.

By ferry :

There is regular ferry service between Saint John, New Brunswick, and Digby, Nova Scotia.

Priest Matthew Penney

References

Greek Orthodox Archdiocese listing

Pappaioannou, Priest George, ‘The Historical Development of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of North and South America’ in “A Companion to the Greek Orthodox Church”, ed. Litsas, F K (New York, NY : Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of North and South America, 1984).

Parish history

Tarasar, Constance J, ed., “Orthodox America 1794-1976 : Development of The Orthodox Church in America” (Syosset, NY : The Orthodox Church in America Department of History and Archives, 1975). ASIN : B000ZLZAUE.

Additional information :

Orthodox World reference to Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church in Saint John, New Brunswick

Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Canada web-site

Wikipedia article about the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Canada

Orthodoxwiki article about the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Canada

1996 Special Regulations and Uniform Parish Regulations Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America

Uniform Community Regulations of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Canada, 2021

Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople web-site

Orthodoxwiki article about the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople

Saint Nicholas of Myra

Patriarch Demetrios I (Papadopoulos)

Patriarch Bartholomew (Archontonis)