In a single Chicago Greek Orthodox Church, the parish priest has experienced four coronavirus-related deaths and is tending to dozens of sick parishioners who are either in the hospital or quarantined alone in their homes. In some cases, entire families are sick.
This is the reality at St. George Greek Orthodox Church in Chicago where Fr. Chrysanthos Kerkeres and Fr. Peter Sarolas spend most of their days FaceTiming and speaking to families of sick parishioners and providing spiritual support and guidance– as well as badly needed food deliveries thanks to the solidarity and support of a team of local organizations and businesses.
The feeding effort is undertaken as needed with the blessing and support of the local hierarch, Metropolitan Nathanael of Chicago, and involves a full embrace of the entire community.
The church’s Philoptochos women’s organization is funding food purchases and a grocery delivery program, while the young adults oversee a safe delivery to the homes of those who are sick and unable to help themselves.
Monetary and food donations have also come from Avli, a local Greek restaurant and the Hellenic American Leadership Council, a Chicago-based national Greek American advocacy organization.
“It’s truly an extraordinary time we are living in,” said Fr. Chrysanthos in a telephone interview with The Pappas Post.
“Instead of planning our parish festival that happens every year in June and preparing for the holiest week of our existence as Greek Orthodox Christians, we are dealing with the largest-ever simultaneous influx of sick and dying faithful and trying to keep our people, as well as other members of our at-large community, fed.”
Under Fr. Chrysanthos’ direction, a telephone tree was also mobilized from the start of the pandemic with regular phone calls from a team of volunteers to parish families asking if everyone was OK and if anything was needed.
St. George’s support goes beyond the parish community. Located in the heart of Lincoln Park, an affluent Chicago city neighborhood with close proximity to De Paul University, there are dozens of non-Greek Orthodox Christians in need which the parish is also supporting.
“These people are our neighbors,” Kerkeres said of the effort. “Christ teaches us to take care of everyone and anyone in need, regardless of faith or background,” he said.
Endy Zemenides and his son Demetri picking up food from Avli Restaurant
Fr. Chrysanthos Kerkeres, Endy Zemenides and Fr. Peter Sarolas
Demetri Zemenides and Pam Stratigakis delivering food to the local fire department
Metropolitan Nathanael of Chicago and Fr. Chrysanthos delivering food to an entire family that is sick
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