History - Saint Spyridon Hellenic Orthodox Church

OUR ST. SPYRIDON PARISH

Nine years, between 1914 and 1922, consists of the period in which it all began, the creation of St. Spyridon Church. During this time, there was a group of 35 Greek families in a community stretched from the North-98th Street , from the South-127th Street, from the West-Halsted Avenue, and from the

East-Langley Avenue. There was a conflict beginning in the community of Pullman: the children of these Greek families were enrolled in schools that taught only the English language. Then arose a vital need for the children to learn the Greek language. The people of Pullman, formed an association that started a Greek School. The classes were held on 114th and

Front Avenue

. Whenever there was a major holiday, there would also be religious services held at the Market Hall building in Pullman.

After a while, the association decided to purchase some property on 114th Street and South Park Avenue. Eventually, the first church of St. Spyridon would be built here. The name "St. Spyridon " was chosen because the decision to buy land for the church was made at a dinner dance on the feast day of St. Spyridon. The building of the church began and in 1928, the first service was held. From then on, the community began to grow rapidly.

However, between 1968 and 1970, the Greek people began moving to the suburbs. It was, at this time, that a piece of property was bought at 12307 S. Ridgeland Avenue , Palos Heights, the present site of St. Spyridon. The groundbreaking ceremony was held in September of 1975. In the years to follow, a community center and gymnasium were built to go along with the area designated as the site of the proposed church. So, beginning in July 1977 and lasting until April 1986, church services were held in the community center. Then in May of 1986 the new beautiful Byzantine Style Church was completed and was Consecrated on November 2 & 3, 1996 by His Eminence Metropolitan Iakovos. On Sunday, December 15, 1997 our community was blessed by the visit of the newly enthroned Archbishop of America, His Eminence Archbishop Spyridon on his first official visit to the Chicago Diocese.

Today we are proud of a growing parish of nearly 300 families. Our St. Spyridon parish has a number of programs available to its parishioners they are : Adult Greek School, Altar Boy Group, Athletics, Bible Study (English), Bible Study and Catechism (Greek), Diakonia Agapes, G.O.Y.A., Golden Years, Greek Dance Groups, Greek School, HOPE, J.O.Y., Junior Choir, Kentro of Orthodox Martyria, Orthodox Catechism (English), Orthodox Missions, P.T.A., Philoptochos, Senior Choir, Sunday School, Y.A.L.

In 2004, the Byzantine Music School of the Metropolis of Chicago - southside branch - found a home in our St. Spyridon parish. In 2005, an Orthodox bi-lingual Preschool, called the Archangels Academy, was established. In 2008, St. Spyridon began an iconography school that is open to all stewards.

For more information on the history of the parish or its ministries, please contact the church office.