Bishop Petros of Astoria (English)
Monday, 17 July 2006 11:35
The Ever Memorable Bishop of Astoria Petros (whose secular name is Stefanos Astyfides) was born in 1915 in the area called Hora on the island of Chios. His parents, Maria and Dimitris, were pious and deeply and conscientiously ingrained in the Orthodox Christian Faith. They were simple individuals who lived a rather frugal lifestyle with prudence and were deeply devoted to the Faith and the traditions of the Orthodox Church. As virtuous and faithful as they were, they guided both their sons, Stefanos and Nikolaos, to an analogous spiritual lifestyle bounded by the Holy sacraments. A characteristic evidence of their Love towards God is the fact that when his most beloved wife passed, Mr. Dimitris followed the path to monasticism which led him to Mount Athos where he was renamed to father Damaskenos.
From a very young age, both brothers were inclined towards the Sacrament of Priesthood. Slowly but firmly they were initiated into the spiritual lifestyle under the spiritual guidance of Geronta father Anthimos (Vaggianos).
When he reached 18, young Stefanos along with his brother depart for Mount Athos were they passed their life at the Skete of Saint Anna in the Cell of the Holy Ascension. Ten years later, the monks, Petros and Nephon will be ordained by the struggler Bishop, Germanos (Varikopoulos), as Deacons and then priests in order to service as parish priests the spiritual needs of the GOC branch of Thessalonica. The people there will embrace them and reinforce their work and struggle for the Old Calendar. This struggle, of course, will come with a price, for they will be persecuted.
Later on they will offer their services to the Church of the Old Calendar of Chios and Tinos which will lead them to a position as parish priests at two holy churches in Athens: Saint Andrew in the area of Peristeri and the Transfiguration of the Savior in the area of Kypseli.
In 1951, they follow separate paths and Archimandrite Petros Astyfides departs for the USA after an invitation by the current, at the time, Archbishop of America Arsenios (Saltas). He becomes the supervisor of the Holy Church of Saint John the Baptist on 17th Street in Manhattan. He will also service the historical church of Saint Nikolaos (near the former Twin Towers) which was destroyed on September 11, 2001. In 1954, he founds the parish of Saint Markella and begins the rebuilding of the Holy Church of Saint Markella in Astoria, NY. Saint Markella becomes the center of this pastoral activities as well as the spiritual starting place for the development of his spiritual endeavors. Later on, once people began to embrace his work and his titanic struggle in the parish of Saint Markella, he advances with the establishment of the historic Greek school of Saint Markella from which it is estimated that about 7500 Greek-American students have graduated. The school?s administration was (and still is) under the supervision of the nuns of the Holy Orthodox Convent of Saint Syncletice, under the abbacy of the Prioress of the Convent, Mother-Superior Syncletice. In 1962, he is consecrated a Bishop by Archbishop Leontios of the Supreme Russian Orthodox Church in Chile (S.A.) and by the Bishop of Venezuela-Caracas, Seraphim. As a Bishop, he saw that the Bishops of the GOC in Greece be consecrated as well. They were under the same Russian Orthodox Church which happens to be completely recognized on a Pan-Orthodox level. After being consecrated a Bishop, he becomes very active and swiftly surrounds himself by monks and nuns. He establishes churches in Montreal and the Holy Monastery of Saint Anna (in 1986) for women. Ten years later (1996), he founds the Holy Church of Saint Mark the Noble in Canada. Furthermore, he expands his activities in America from Long Island to Florida.
After 10 years of full activism and of major contributions, many other churches of the GOC become part of his jurisdiction (Saint Spyridon in Detroit, Saint Nektarios and the Saint Unmercenaries in Chicago). During his Episcopacy, he ran a radio program (The Voice of Orthodoxy) and published a biweekly magazine The Torch of Orthodoxy. By his Blessings and his guidance, there was a 12 year weekly television program which addressed the entire Greek community in America. In 1986, he participated in the election of the current Archbishop of the GOC of Greece, His Beatitude, Chryssostomos. During his Episcopacy, he ordained numerous priests and tonsured numerous monks and nuns. According to the vast majority public opinion, his contributions became the lighthouse of Orthodoxy for all Greeks and that is it gained full support and was embraced by everyone.
When he turned 80, he is inflicted by the disease of leukemia which became the cause for his passing in 1997. He was buried according to his wishes in the Holy Monastery of Saint Mena in the area of Athoussis in Attica, Greece, where he lays alongside with his long-departed blood brother, Nephon. His work which was left behind and was begun 50 years ago here in Astoria, is being unstoppably carried on by his close colleagues and his spiritual children and everyone who is inspired by Him.
A legacy with deep roots in the True Orthodox tradition and faith in the Old Calendar. Today, his endeavors have been condensed to an organized Metropolis with eight parishes all over America, two monasteries, which he himself founded (the third monastery was founded by the current Metropolitan Pavlos) a school which slowly brings to light his research and study of life, his activism and his contributions. It is expected that many things will be presented during the Jubilee of the 50 year Anniversary in October of 2004.