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After the resignation
of Reverend Papanikas, the following
priests served temporarily as pastors
of the community; Reverend Alypios
Petrakis, Reverend Chariton Panagopoulos,
Reverned John Papadopoulos, and Reverend
Agathangelos Galatianos, Reverend
Jerotheos Stavrou, who is at present
serving as pastor of the community
at the beginning of 1921 and remained
as such until 1924. He is a native
of Epirus, and after a successful
service of 15 years in the jurisdiction
of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, Reverend
Stavros undertook his first pastorship
in American here in Worcester.
During his pastorship,
a ledger for births, baptisms, weddings
and deaths was inaugurated. At that
time a committee for the erection
of the church was chosen. Due to the
fact, however, that there were still
many objections about the suitability
of the land on Orange Street, it was
necessary "to hasten slowly"
as he puts it, in order to keep the
unity of the community and at the
same time prevent any unpleasant consequences.
At any rate, the idea for erection
of a new church was stabilized during
this period. At the general meeting
of July 10, 1923, a committee composed
of George Andreson, Nicholas Karcasinas,
Peter Chepas, and Andrew Bell was
instructed to find a most suitable
site for the new church within thirty
days. However, the committee did not
find a more suitable site at the expiration
of the thirty-day period, and it was
decided to build the church at Orange
Street. The Architect, Hachadoor Demujian,
was called to make necessary plans
for the church. George Labovites served
as president of the community from
May 1920 to December 1925. Alexander
Demans, who has been serving the community
for over thirty years as sexton, was
appointed as collector.
Reverend Stavrou
resigned as pastor in March, 1924
after plans for the erection of the
new church were already laid out.
These plans became a reality during
the pastorship of Reverend Vasilos
Lokis, another native of Epirus, who
served the community from 1924-1928.
(During his short absence, Reverend
Christopher Kontogeorge served temporarily.)
During the pastorship of Reverend
Lokis the St. Spyridon Church at Orange
Street was erected. With the great
efficiency and energy which characterized
the man, he succeeded in erecting
the church. William Patterson and
later Theodore Stevens were the Chairmen
for the collection of funds for the
church. It was also decided in the
general meeting to borrow fifteen
thousand dollars from the Five Cents
Savings Bank for the construction
of the church.
At the time, political
differences wich arose from the elections
in Greece, brought a disastrous disunity
in many communities in America. This
dispute, plus the continuous objections
as to the suitability of Orange Street,
brought about the separation of some
families from the community and the
establishment of another community,
"The Assumption of the Virgin
Mary," whose members held services
at Front Street near Trumbull Street.
Pastors of this newly found community
were Reverend Dionysios Demissianos
and Reverend Germanos Tzoumanis.
The erection of
the new church began in 1924, and
the consecration services were held
on May 3, 1925. The construction fo
the church cost about 65 thousand
dollars, from which over 30 thousand
dollars was in mortgage. Ernest Whitehead
and Company were the contractors.
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