St. Demetrios Orthodox Church

John Afendoulis
Priest

Fr. John Afendoulis was raised in Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Grand Rapids, MI. He spent his summer months at the St. George Greek Orthodox Church Bloomfield Hills, MI. His paternal grandparents were from Ordu, Pontos; his maternal grandparents were refugees from Semendre, Cappadocia. Father John was rooted in the faith by his grandparents and mother. After high school, he spent some time at Holy Transfiguration Monastery, where he worked extensively in Byzantine music and translations, iconography and bread-making. In 1986, he started working as a pastoral assistant and chanter at St. George in Bloomfield, MI; and from there moved on as a pastoral assistant to the communities of Holy Trinity Cathedral in New Orleans LA, the Assumption Church in Long Beach CA; St. Anthony Church in Pasadena; and St. George Church in Downey, CA. He completed a double major at UCLA in Ethnomusicology and Byzantine/Ottoman History. After receiving his degree in 2003, he moved on to Thessaloniki Greece for two years where he conducted independent research in Byzantine Music and History at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. Fr. John completed his Master in Divinity in 2011 and while at Holy Cross Seminary, he served as a Chant Group Leader; was a Teacher’s Assistant in New Testament Greek, and taught classes in the Introduction to Byzantine Chant. Father John was ordained a Deacon in St. Spyridon Greek Orthodox Church San Diego on December 12, 2010 by Metropolitan Gerasimos of San Francisco; and to the Holy Priesthood on August 7, 2011 in Holy Trinity Church in Grand Rapids Michigan. His first assignment was St. John the Baptist in Monterey County California, and from there moved to Assumption Greek Orthodox Church in San Angelo, TX. Presently he is the presiding priest of St. Spyridon Greek Orthodox Church in Newport Rhode Island. While in Greece, Fr. John met Presbytera Adina who was a student from Iasi Romania. They were married in Iasi Romania, in St. Nicholas Church of the Crowning. They have two sons, Auxentios (2011) and Orestes (2014), being named for the patrons of the village in Cappadocia, the Holy Five Martyrs who celebrate on December 13.