Clergy

Parish Clergy
Father Simon Thomas Present

    Father Paul Paris 2002 - 2006

        Father James Adams 2002

        Father Constantine Zozos 1980 - 2002

Father Leon Pachis 1980

Father Nicholas Manousakis 1975 - 1979

Father George Tsompanas 1973 - 1975

Father George Hadjis 1972 1973

Father Stephanos Vlahopoulos 1971 - 1972

Father Peter Ballan 1970 - 1971

Father Constantine Palassis 1968 - 1970

Father Demetrios Leon 1966 - 1968

Father Lambros Vakalakis 1963 - 1966

Father Peter Rellos 1962 - 1963

Father Anthony Sipsas 1957 - 1962

Father Constantine Palassis 1955 - 1957

Father Constantine Mitsopoulos 1952 - 1955

        Father Ambrosios Mandelaris 1946 - 1951

Father Constantine Genis 1943 - 1945

Fr. Simon Thomas was born in Fresno, CA on June 11, 1975, but three years later moved to Modesto, where he spent most of his childhood. He was raised in the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church in Modesto, where he served as an Acolyte, dancing and directing in the Greek Dance Program, all the while participating in JOY and GOYA.

Upon graduation from high school in 1993, Fr. Simon attended UC Davis as a Pre-Med student. While there, he realized that he truly did not want to be a doctor. His priest and Spiritual Father, Fr. Jon Magoulias, would often say, “Instead of being a physician of the body, why don’t you become a physician of the soul?” As it turned out, after two years at UC Davis, he left for Hellenic College in Brookline, MA, and the seminary.

At Hellenic College, Fr. Simon completed two more very busy years (since there are not too many classes that will transfer from science to religion), receiving his B.A. in Religious Studies in 1997. After three more years at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology, he graduated with an M. Div. in 2000.

During his time at the seminary, Fr. Simon kept in touch with a young lady from his home parish. A relationship began that spanned 3,000 miles from Boston to Modesto, which culminated in an engagement in the summer of 2000. As she was still in college, and had planned to spend a year studying abroad in Florence, Italy, Father Simon decided to spend a year in Thessaloniki, Greece. While there, he spent time learning the language, the culture, and the services of the Church.

When Fr. Simon returned to America, he accepted the position of Youth Director and Lay-Assistant under Fr. Peter Salmas at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Church in Belmont, CA. While there, he married his fiancée, the former Stephanie Ronson, on June 16, 2002. He was later ordained to the Deaconate on Saturday, March 22, 2003, and to the Priesthood the next day, Sunday, March 23. Both ceremonies were moving and very humbling experiences.

After only two years in Belmont, Fr. Simon was assigned as the Assistant Priest under Fr. Steven Tsichlis to St. Paul’s Greek Orthodox Church in Irvine, CA. From September until December of 2005, he was asked by His Eminence, Metropolitan Gerasimos, to temporarily serve the community of the Assumption in Long Beach.

On August 16, 2006, Fr. Simon and Presvytera Stephanie began their ministry at Saint Barbara’s Greek Orthodox Church. They came as a loving couple, but were shortly joined by their daughter, Elpinike Eleni, on October 12. Additionally, they have two beagle dogs, Trinity and Vasili, who happen to be little four-legged extensions of their growing family.

A biography of Father Paul Paris
Pastor, 2002-2006

Father Paul was born in 1963 to Father Thomas and Presbytera Vaso Paris in Savannah, Georgia, where Father Tom served as the parish priest. The family moved to California when Father Tom was transferred to the Ascension Cathedral in Oakland where he currently serves as Dean.

Father Paul graduated in 1984 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Hellenic College and in 1991 obtained a Master of Divinity Degree from Holy Cross Theological Seminary in Brookline, Massachusetts. He subsequently obtained a Master of Arts Degree in Youth Ministry from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in South Hamilton, Massachusetts in 1992.

Returning to the west coast, Father Paul was appointed Youth Director for the Diocese of San Francisco from 1992-1995. In June of 1995 Father Paul was ordained into the Priesthood by Metropolitan Anthony at the Ascension Cathedral. During the next three months, he served as the priest for the Convent of the Theotokos of the Living Spring at Saint Nicholas Ranch and Retreat Center in Dunlap, California.

In September 1995 Father Paul was assigned to the Saint Sophia Cathedral of Los Angeles assisting Reverend John Bakas, Dean.

Presbytera Stephanie Buhler Paris hails from Portland, Oregon and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communications from Oregon State University in 1992. Father Paul and Presbytera Stephanie were blessed with their daughter Grace in 1998 and two sons, Nicholas Thomas in 2001 and Lucas Paul in 2003.

Fr. Paul was reassigned in August of 2006 to St. Mary’s Greek Orthodox Church in Minneapolis, MN, where he is currently the pastor.

Father James was born and raised in Oakland, California. He attended the Holy Cross School of Theology in Brookline, Massachusetts. Following his studies, he was married to Evelyn Spallas and together they went to Greece where Father James continued his studies. On May 14, 1954, he was ordained a deacon in Athens and served at the Transfiguration Parish in Kallithea outside Athens.

After returning to the United States, Father James was ordained a priest by His Eminence Archbishop Michael on August 15, 1955. He served as a missionary priest in the small parishes of Ely and McGill, Nevada. He also served in Salt Lake City, Utah and Anchorage, Alaska. He was the first permanent priest at St. John the Baptist in Las Vegas and the Nativity of Christ in Novato, California. Father James served as Chancellor of the Diocese of San Francisco and concluded his active priesthood as Dean of Saint Sophia Cathedral in Los Angeles. He retired in 1995 and now lives with Presbytera Evelyn in Novato, California. They have three grown children and five grandchildren.

Father Constantine was born in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania to Eleftheria and Anestis, both now deceased, who had immigrated from Chios Greece. He received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Sociology from Hellenic College, Brookline, Mass, as well as a Master's Degree in Theology with Honors from Holy Cross Seminary. Married to Mona (Dowd) formerly of Worcester, Mass, in September of 1974, they have one teenaged son, Michael. Father Constantine was ordained to the Diaconate on March 28, 1976 in Greece by His Grace Bishop Germanos of Synadon, and to the Holy Priesthood on August 8, 1976 in Harrisburg Pennsylvania by His Grace Bishop Philotheos of Meloa. His first assignment was to the St. Sophia Cathedral in Los Angeles, CA where he served for 4 years, and was assigned by Bishop Anthony of San Francisco to the parish of Saint Barbara in Santa Barbara, California on May 1, 1980. He served honorably as our parish priest for 22 years. He was reassigned by Bishop Anthony in March 2002.

In November of 1952, I was ordained as a deacon in New York City. A few weeks later, I was assigned to the Church of Saint Barbara. My ordination as a priest was held at Saint Barbara Church in Castillo Street in December 14, 1952 by the Bishop of California, His Eminence Athenagoras Kokkinakis. I was then assigned as the first full-time priest of the Church. I performed the first baptism, the first wedding and the first funeral as the priest of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese. Our son Nicholas was born and baptized there.

The Church of Saint Barbara holds a special place in our lives. In 1997, we were honored to come to Santa Barbara at the invitation of the parish from Florida as the first assigned priest of the Saint Barbara Greek Orthodox Church.

We now live in Boca Raton, Florida close to our daughter and son-in-law and our six grandchildren. Our daughter is the wife of Father Christopher Metropoulos, priest of the Saint Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

The Greek Orthodox Church of Saint Barbara in Santa Barbara, California will always hold a special place in our hearts. We pray that Saint Barbara will always be a protector of the Church in Her Name.

Father Ambrosios Mandelaris was born in Thourias, Greece in 1872 and was a graduate of the Greek Orthodox Seminary on the Island of Syros, and the University of Athens. He came to the United States as an Orthodox missionary in 1904, the year he was ordained a priest. His first missionary assignment was in Chicago, where he served the Church for 30 years. During his tenure there he saw the completion of St. Constantine Church in 1910. Later he served in Vancouver, British Columbia and San Francisco where he retired. He was called out of retirement to be a temporary pastor in Santa Barbara. Often called the "builder of churches" Father Mandelaris is credited with building seven churches in the U.S., including one that friends said he built with his own funds. In Santa Barbara he was responsible for the building of the original church at 1124 Castillo Street. He fell asleep in the Lord in 1960.