FT LAUDERDALE, FL – Rev Fr Panagiotis (Peter) Zougras is celebrating a decade in the priesthood. He was born in Brooklyn, NY and baptized at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Church in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. He is the son of Dionysios and Vasiliki Zougras. When the family relocated they became members of Holy Trinity- St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church in Staten Island. 

Fr. Zougras attended SUNY Albany where he received a BA degree in Political Science in 1997. His education continued at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology where he received his Master’s in Divinity in 2001.

Fr. Zougras took on his first parish assignment in 2001 as the Youth Director and Pastoral Assistant at St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida (2001-2004).

From 2008-2011, Fr. Zougras served at St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Cathedral of Astoria as the Youth Director and at the same time, was a middle and high school history and economics teacher.

In February 2011, Fr. Zougras married Presbytera Alexa. Shortly after, Fr. Zougras received his first parish assignment as a clergyman at the Cathedral of St. Paul in Hempstead, NY. He was ordained to the Holy Diaconate in November of 2011 by His Grace Bishop Andonios of Phasiane. In January of 2012, he was ordained to the Holy Priesthood by His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios. Fr. Zougras served at the Cathedral of St. Paul from October of 2011 to September of 2014, also serving as the Spiritual Advisor to the Nassau/Suffolk Inter GOYA.

In September 2014, Fr. Zougras was assigned as the Dean of the Metropolitan Cathedral of St. John the Theologian in Tenafly, NJ. He was also appointed in 2015 as the Metropolis of New Jersey Youth Commissioner for the Northern New Jersey Greek Orthodox Youth.

The community of St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church, Fort Lauderdale was blessed to have him return to their parish as their presiding priest on February 1, 2019. Fr. Zougras and Presbytera Alexa have a son, Dionysios.