Very Reverend Father Stavroforos Mamaies
Father was baptized Dean Mamaies and raised in the Chicago area by his parents Spiro and Mary Mamaies. He attended Holy Cross High School in River Grove and then Loyola University Chicago. It was in his junior year that Father felt the divine inspiration to study for, and then enter the priesthood. Dean Mamaies entered Hellenic College in Brookline MA, graduating with a degree in Religious Studies. He proceeded to Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology and completed the Master of Divinity program.
Metropolitan Iakovos of Chicago ordained Dean Mamaies a deacon monk on Sept. 14, 1986, at Holy Cross in Justice, IL. It was at that time that he took the name Stavroforos or “Cross Bearer”. On Oct. 19 of that same year, he was ordained to the priesthood by Metropolitan Iakovos at the Assumption Church of Chicago where he served as an assistant priest to Fr. George Massouras through the summer of 1990.
Father’s first parish assignment brought him to our beloved Metropolis of Atlanta. Fr. Nicholas Triantafilou, the then locum tenens, assigned Fr. Stavroforos to Saint George Church in Hollywood Florida.
With the arrival of Bishop Philip of Blessed Memory in 1992, Fr. Stavroforos left Hollywood and came to be with the people of Durham, N.C. His church was located at 1316 Watts Street and was known to many of us – it was the then location of Saint Barbara Church.
When the St. Barbara Church Women’s Club became the Philoptochos Society of today, Bishop Alexios was thrilled by this change. He saw this as a major miracle and as an expression of His gratitude, he assigned Fr. Stavroforos to the inhabitants of Miami. Upon his arrival in July of 1997, Father Stavroforos was made Dean of the Cathedral of Saint Sophia. In 1999 when Bishop Alexios was elevated to Metropolitan he elevated two priests to the rank of Archimandrite; Fr. Constantine Mersinas, and Fr. Stavroforos Mamaies.
After fifteen years of devoted ministry in Miami, during a conversation with Metropolitan Alexios, the subject of change and of Saint Barbara was raised. Saint Barbara was a parish with which Fr. Stavroforos was familiar, a parish he had known as home and a parish that he never stopped loving. On July 1, 2012, Fr. Stavroforos returned to Saint Barbara and her people.
On June 16, 2024, the then Bishop Sevastianos of Zela came to St. Barbara in order to enact the wishes of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew by presenting Fr. Stavroforos with the office of Very Reverend Archimandrite of the Ecumenical Throne.
Most Reverend Father Stavroforos Mamaies: fatherstavroforos2012@gmail.com
Liturgical Positions
Dr. Pete Marinos – Chanter
Dr. Marinos was born in Goranoi, Sparta, Greece, and immigrated to the United States of America with his father, Nicholas, mother, Stavroula, and brother Harry in 1955. He was a sophomore at the University of Athens, School of Physics and Mathematics, and upon arrival in the USA, he transferred to Clemson University where he majored in Electrical Engineering, and completed the BS and MS degrees both in Electrical Engineering. Dr. Marinos received his PhD from North Carolina State University in Electrical and Computer Engineering.
On Sept. 1, 1968, Dr. Marinos married Joan Chandler, and they moved to Durham where he began his tenure at Duke University and Joan completed her Bachelor’s degree in the Department of Education at Duke University. Peter and Joan have a daughter, Maria, who is married to Lance Barton, and they live and work in New York City.
Summary of Professional Activities:
1. Duke University (1968-2007) Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering (Teaching, Research & Administration)
• Director of Undergraduate Studies
• Director of Graduate Studies
• Associate Chairman of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
2. Duke University (2007-present) Professor Emeritus
3. Consultant to several Corporations and Governmental Agencies
4. Recipient of several professional Awards and Honors
Summary of Church Activities:
1. Peter and his wife Joan have been members of St. Barbara’s Parish since 1968
2. Peter has served as President, Vice-President and Treasurer of the Parish Council on several occasions
3. He has served on the Diocesan Board of the Diocese of Atlanta
4. He has chaired the Stewardship and Capital Fund committees of the Parish
5. He has served as a teacher in the Sunday School and Greek School programs
6. He has chaired the Construction Committee supervising the construction of our new Church complex completed in November 2009
7. Dr. Marinos is the recipient of several service Awards and Certificates of Appreciation for his services to the Church
Dr. Marinos has been the Chanter and member of the church choir for more than 30 years. He learned Byzantine chanting by ear from his father, Nicholas, who was a very accomplished chanter and also served the St. Barbara church as chanter for several years. He enjoys teaching anyone who has an interest in learning Byzantine chanting by ear.
