Member Biographies

Fr. Chrysostom Selimos

Father Selimos was born in Chicago, Illinois on March 25, 1924, the son of Constantine and Mabel Selimos. From age six to sixteen, Father resided in Greece. Returning to the United States in April of 1940, he completed his high school education, graduating from Austin Evening High School in Chicago, Illinois.

World War II having begun, after graduation Father volunteered to serve his country and was inducted into the United States Navy, where he served for approximately three years in the South Pacific. At the conclusion of World War II, Father was honorably discharged from the military.

Upon returning to civilian life, in October of 1946 Father enrolled in the Greek Orthodox Theological School at Pomfret Center, Connecticut. While still a student at the seminary, the theological school was moved from Pomfret, Connecticut to it's present location in Brookline, Massachusetts. Father graduated from the seminary in June, 1951. Additionally, Father Selimos holds a Bachelors Degree in Education.

On July 22, 1951, Father married his Presvytera, Penelope Anagnostopoulos. Their marriage was blessed with two children, a son Dean who is a real estate appraiser in the Chicago, Illinois Metropolitan Area, and a daughter Vasiliki (Billie) who is today a practicing attorney in the Chicago Metropolitan Area. Vasiliki is married to James Talaganis who holds a master's degree in electrical and control engineering, and is presently employed designing and maintaining nuclear power plants.

In October of 1951, Father Selimos was ordained a Deacon on a Saturday. The very next day, on Sunday, Father was ordained as a priest by Bishop Gerasimos at the Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church in Chicago, Illinois. Immediately thereafter, Father received his first assignment to serve the needs of the Holy Apostles parish in Duluth, Minnesota.

In the winter of 1953, Father Selimos was assigned by the Archdiocese to the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Phoenix, Arizona. Here, Father organized the first youth church summer camp in Prescott, Arizona and the Junior G.O.Y.A.. His duties also included visiting the Orthodox patients at the Veterans Hospital in Whipple, Arizona, as well as visiting the Orthodox prisoners incarcerated at the State prison in Florence, Arizona. While serving the Greek Orthodox community in Phoenix, Arizona, Father Selimos was invited to, and did testify before a Federal Congressional Hearing concerning matters of immigration.

In 1958, Father was assigned to the Saint Spyridon parish in Chicago, Illinois.

Then in 1961, Father Selimos accepted an assignment, to which he would dedicate the next 19 years of his ministry. Visited by a handful of people who desired to establish a new Greek Orthodox Church in Argo-Summit, Illinois, Father learned that thirty Greek and Macedonian children were presently attending Sunday School at a local Congregational Church, for lack of a Greek Orthodox Church in the locality. Recognizing a great need, Father along with his Presvytera, accepted the invitation to found a new Church and thus, the parish of the Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Church in Argo-Summit, Illinois was founded. A building was purchased and transformed into an Orthodox Church, where services were performed, and a Sunday School established. Also a Greek School taught by Father Selimos was created for the teaching and preservation of the Greek religion, language and traditions.

In 1976, the original Holy Cross Church was destroyed by fire. All of Father Selimos' personal property, including his vestments and collection of liturgical books were destroyed by fire, smoke and water damage. The only item Father was able to personally retrieve from the burning building, was the Church Registry, a ledger that contained the vital statistics of the parish since it's inception, including the birth, baptismal and death records of the parishioners. Any and all insurance proceeds personally received by Father for the loss of his property, were donated back to the Church building fund, earmarked for the construction of a new edifice. Undaunted by the set back Father and his Presvytera persevered in their ministry, holding the community together. Church Services were performed initially in a rented school auditorium and later in the old Greek School building that was converted to a temporary chapel, until a new Church and Youth Center could be built, approximately two years later in Justice, Illinois.

Simultaneously with founding and serving the Holy Cross parish, Father Selimos also served the needs of all Orthodox patients as a part time chaplain at the Veterans Administration Hospital. Father also served as a part time chaplain at Loyola Hospital in Maywood, Illinois.

In addition to his priestly duties, Father served as President of the Saint George Kastritan, Society, and he was a member of the United Society of Pan Arcadians, and the Order of Ahepa.

During his career, the honorary titles of Economos and Protopresvyteros were bestowed upon Father Selimos by Archbishop lakovos, of late and blessed memory. Father also published a Short Question and Answer Booklet and various articles, prior to his retirement.

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