The Reverend Steven P. Zorzos, D. Min.
Protopresbyter of the Ecumenical Throne
Father Steven P. Zorzos is the Presiding Priest of Saint Sophia Cathedral.
Father Steve grew up in the Greek Orthodox Community of the Church of the Archangels, Stamford, Connecticut. After attending the University of Connecticut for two years, he transferred to Hellenic College, Brookline, Massachusetts, where he received his Bachelor’s degree in Philosophy & Religion. Upon completion of the Master in Theological Studies and Master of Divinity degrees from Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology, Brookline, Massachusetts, Father Steve was ordained to the diaconate and priesthood in 1982 and served the Greek Community of Saint Demetrios Cathedral, Astoria, New York, as assistant priest from 1982-84. From August, 1984 to January, 2011, Father Steve served Saint Sophia Cathedral as assistant priest and from January, 2011 to the present, as presiding priest.
Father Steve holds a Doctor of Ministry degree from St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary, Yonkers, New York.
The Reverend Gabriel G. Galifianakis, M. Div.
Assistant Priest
frgabriel@saintsophiadc.com
Deacon Gabriel was ordained to the Holy Diaconate by His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America on the feast-day of The Exaltation of the Holy Cross, September 14, 2023, at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology.
On Sunday, May 12, 2024 Deacon Gabriel was ordained to the Holy Priesthood by His Eminence Archbishop of America at the Dormition of the Virgin Mary Greek Orthodox Church in South Hampton, NY.
He was born and raised in Jamaica, Queens, NY, until the age of six when his family moved to the East End of Long Island, NY.
Deacon Gabriel holds a Bachelor of English from Stony Brook University and a Master of Divinity from Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology, Brookline, MA. Before matriculating as a student at Holy Cross, Deacon Gabriel studied part time at Saint Vladimir’s Theological Seminary in Yonkers, NY, where he commuted from his home town of Riverhead, NY, while at concurrently spending most of his free time shadowing his spiritual fathers at his home parish, Kimisis Tis Theotokou in Southampton, NY.
He graduated from Holy Cross in December, 2023, with high honors. While attending seminary, Deacon Gabriel was chosen to be the Chapel Ecclesiarch on account of his dedication to altar service and his great love for the liturgical tradition of the Church. His field work included instructing incoming seminarians on Liturgics, organizing chapel functions and many other facets of operating the seminary’s chapel. In addition to his role as Ecclesiarch, which continued into the summer months, Deacon Gabriel spent his summers leading the theological component of his home parish’s Faith and Culture Camp, guiding Church tours for their annual Greek festival, as well as teaching Sunday School.
Georgios Theodoridis
Άρχων Μουσικοδιδάσκαλος της Αμερκής
Archon Mousikodidaskalos (Music Instructor)
George Theodoridis is Archon Mousikodidaskalos (Music Instructor), of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, Master Chanter, Choir Master, and Director of Music Arts of Saint Sophia Cathedral.
In April 2012, Mr. Theodoridis moved to Washington, D.C., to join the Saint Sophia community.
Born in Böblingen, Germany, Mr. Theodoridis studied under many renowned teachers and chanters and has traveled extensively as part of Byzantine choirs. Prior to joining Saint Sophia, Mr. Theodoridis conducted the Students Byzantine Choir of the Theological College of the Apostolic Diakonia and the Byzantine Multi Choir of Chantors, who performed a special ceremony before Pope Benedict XVI in the Event Hall of the Vatican Palace. Mr. Theodoridis has served as master chanter (protopsaltis) and choirmaster of the Holy Shrine of Saint Barbara in Athens, Greece, as well as instructor of Byzantine music to the Students Byzantine choir of the Theological College, Apostolic Diakonia of the Church of Greece.
Mr. Theodoridis has an undergraduate degree from the University of Athens, an honors degree from the Conservatory of Egaleo in Athens, is fluent in Greek, German and English, and holds the rank of Lieutenant in the Greek army.
Parish Council
The Parish Council of Saint Sophia’s Greek Orthodox Cathedral meets on a monthly basis to guide and manage the cathedral’s affairs.
| President: | Janice Calomiris |
| Vice-President: | Diane Bochanis Cerniglia |
Secretary: Assistant Secretary: | Andrea (Dede) Colevas Alec Economakis |
Treasurer: Assistant Treasurer: | Efstratios Tsintolas Christopher Chaconas |
| Board Members: | Peter Antonoplos |
Cathedral Staff
The cathedral staff are the caretakers and stewards of the Cathedral’s facilities and daily operations.
Cathedral Administrator: Pete Panagiotopoulos (Ptpoulos@saintsophiadc.com)
Sexton: Victor Berio (Victor@saintsophiadc.com)
Facility Manager: Oscar Kosmas Montecinos (Oscar@saintsophiadc.com)
Facility Assistant: Angel Claure
Private Directory
Saint Sophia Cathedral’s private phone lines are as follows:
Office Main Line
202-333-4730
Father Steven Zorzos
202-838-1550
Deacon Gabriel Galifianakis
202-838-1551
Pete Panagiotopoulos
202-838-1553
George Theodoridis
202-838-1554
Oscar “Kosmas” Montecinos
202-838-1557
Victor Berio
202-838-1558
