Born: 1917
Died: January 1, 2016

"If I lost my voice, I don't know what I would do," Father Demetrios Michaelides recently said. This best expresses Father Demetrios' love for music, particularly liturgical music and chanting.  

His preparation for chanting began in the elementary school of his birthplace Larnaca, Cyprus. Demetrios' father, Fr John, who was the priest and teacher of the town, taught the students a number of church hymns as well as patriotic songs. After elementary school, Demetrios and his twin brother, Themistocles, went to Lyceum (high school), in Larnaca. During the five years at Lyceum, Demetrios attended services at the Church of St. Lazaros, (which had the best chanters in Larnaca) so that he could learn to chant. When they graduated Lyceum, they went to America, to join their father who had immigrated to Fitchburg, Massachusetts several years before.

Demetrios decided he wanted to become a priest. He was making arrangements to attend theological school in Halki, Constantinople, but the Archbishop of North and South America, his Eminence Athenagoras, announced the opening of a seminary in Pomfret, Connecticut. Demetrios changed his plans and decided to pursue his theological studies at Holy Cross Theological School, in Pomfret. At the school, Demetrios put to use his previous studies in church music by helping his classmates chant since he was one of the few students that had prior training in chanting church hymns. 

Since Demetrios had graduated from Lyceum, in Larnaca, he had already studied most of the subjects that were required of his first year at the theological school. The dean, Father Kavadas suggested that Demetrios help him with other assignments. He gave him the important task of managing the Brotherhood. This was the office that received donations from people, for the school. He had to respond to these donors by writing letters of thanks on behalf of Fr. Kavadas and the school. For five years, Demetrios handled the correspondences and records of the Brotherhood department while Fr. Kavades handled the money coming in the mail. 

In 1942, Demetrios was a member of the first class to graduate from Holy Cross Theological School, in Pomfret. That same year, he married Angeliki Cotoulas, of Boston, daughter of Demetrios and Catherine Cotoulas. They were married at The Annunciation Cathedral of Boston by his father, Rev. John Michaelides, Rev. Basil Efthimiou, and officiated by his Eminence Archbishop Athenagoras. Later, Demetrios was ordained Deacon and appointed to the Annunciation Cathedral. When Fr. Efthimiou was transferred to the Holy Trinity Cathedral, in New York, Rev. James Coucouzes was appointed to the Boston Cathedral and he took Fr. Demetrios on as his Deacon. At the request of Fr. Coucouzes, Fr. Demetrios organized and trained a youth choir at the Cathedral. 

After serving at the Cathedral as Deacon, he was ordained into the priesthood, in 1943, and was assigned to the parish, in Ipswich, Massachusetts. The following year, Presbytera Angeliki gave birth to a baby boy, John.

Fr. Demetrios was then appointed to Saint Demetrios, in Biddeford, Maine. During his years there he sought the help of several doctors for the severe back problems he was experiencing and learned that the problem was inoperable. Based on the doctor's recommendation, Fr. Demetrios contacted the Archbishop and requested a new community in a warmer climate. The Archbishop assigned him to the parish in Chattanooga, Tennessee. 

Father and Presbytera enjoyed many wonderful years there, in Chattanooga. The climate was wonderful and the people of the Annunciation Parish welcomed them with open arms. During their years there, Fr. Demetrios attended the University of Chattanooga and received a Bachelor of Science degree in Religion and Philosophy. He also took voice lessons from a private teacher to improve his chanting. During this time, Father Demetrios and Presbytera Angeliki were blessed with the birth of their two "southern belles," Catherine and Helen Joy.                

Next, Father accepted a new appointment at Saint Paul in Savannah, Georgia where he served for a few years. From there, his next assignment was Wheeling, West Virginia.

In Wheeling, he served the Saint John the Theologian Church. While there, Fr. Demetrios received calls from the local television station asking him to present programs on the "Faith of Our Valley" series addressing Greek Orthodox content. Fr. Demetrios produced the three programs involving the choir, members of the Church, altar boys, and the youth of the church. While in Wheeling, in 1959, Fr. Demetrios arranged for the first Liturgy in that Diocese to be held outdoors. It took place in the beautiful Oglebay Park Amphitheatre with His Eminence Archbishop Iakovos presiding. Father arranged to have four nearby Greek Orthodox parishes participate with a combined choir of 64 voices. 

 

In order to be closer to their families. Father, Presbytera and their children returned to the Boston area, in 1961, where he became the first full-time priest at St. Catherine in Quincy, Massachusetts. While at Saint Catherine, Father encouraged families to join the community and it grew from 70 to 130 families before he left for a new assignment.

His next parish was Holy Trinity, in Fitchburg, Massachusetts where he served for several years. He studied at Fitchburg State College where he received a Masters Degree, in Counseling. During this time, the Bishop of Boston appointed Fr. Demetrios, Chairman of the Diocese Youth Commission. Father was asked to organize a choir of 100 youth for the Diocese. He also started the first Diocese summer camp at Lake Winnipesaukee, New Hampshire.  The camp, under Fr. Demetrios' leadership, ran for several years.

In 1980, Fr. Michaelides was assigned to the Saint Nicholas Parish, in Portsmouth, New Hampshire where he served until his retirement in 1986. After retiring as a priest, Father continued to serve as chanter and choir director, at Saint John the Baptist, in Boston. He retired from this position, in 2001, so he could take care of his ailing Presbytera Angeliki. He now visits her daily in a nursing facility and sings to her, as the sound of his melodic voice seems to bring her comfort. 

On October 9, 2007, Fr. Demetrios and his twin Themistocles, of Dallas, Texas, celebrated their 90^th birthdays with their families. Their 92 year old brother Dr. Paraskevas, of New York was also able to attend the joyous birthday reunion, in Quincy, Massachusetts.

Father Demetrios currently assists at the new Saint Catherine, in Braintree, Massachusetts and Saint John the Baptist, in Boston, at the invitations of Fr. Alkiviadis Calivas and Fr. George Dragos, respectively, who so graciously welcome and encourage his participation.