MEDIA, PA – Fr. Anastasios Pantelis Bourantas born on October 15, 1963 in Tanagra, Voiotia, Greece to Pantelis and Korina Bourantas. They along with Fr. Anastasios’ sister, Evangeline and brother, John immigrated to Annapolis, Maryland in 1971, and participated in the life of the Sts. Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church in Annapolis. After graduating from the Annapolis Senior High School, Fr. Bourantas attended Arizona State University in Tempe, and received his BA in History. In September 1989, Fr. Bourantas began his studies at the Holy Cross School of Theology in Brookline, MA. In May 1993, Fr. Anastasios graduated and received his Masters of Divinity Degree with distinction.

Fr. Bourantas began his work in the Church at the Sts. Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Cathedral of Richmond, Virginia as the Youth and Christian Education Director, where he served in that position from September 1993 to August 1995.

Fr. Anastasios Bourantas, presiding priest at St. George in Media, PA, with his wife, Presvytera Nicoletta (Chickris) and their three daughters, Corina, Christina, and Gabriella. (Photo: Steve Lambrou)

Fr. Bourantas was ordained to the Holy Diaconate on September 10, 1995 at the Sts. Constantine and Helen Church in Annapolis, MD by His Eminence Metropolitan Silas of New Jersey. Immediately after ordination, Fr. Bourantas was assigned by His Eminence Archbishop Iakovos to the St. Demetrios Cathedral and St. Catherine and St. George Church in Astoria, NY. On the feast day of St. Demetrios, October 26, 1995, the then-Bishop Alexios of Troas (now Metropolitan Alexios of Atlanta) ordained Fr. Bourantas to the Holy Priesthood. He served in Astoria for two years.

In June 1997, Fr. Bourantas was assigned to the Greek Orthodox of Archdiocese of America headquarters in New York City and was appointed as the Youth and Young Adult Ministries Director of the Archdiocese. During his work at the Archdiocese, Fr. Bourantas traveled extensively throughout the United States preparing and assisting local parishes in the important work of youth ministry. He also served from July 2000-October 2002 as the North American representative to Syndesmos (the world fellowship of Orthodox Youth), and represented our Holy Archdiocese at various youth gatherings in Finland, Greece, France and the Czech Republic. Fr. Bourantas has also been a member of the Orthodox Christian Mission Center Team to Moldova in 2012, where he assisted in the training of Clergy and Youth Workers in establishing youth programs in the various Orthodox churches in the Metropolis of Bessarabia.  In 2011, Fr. Bourantas led a team of young adult to Project Mexico, where they built a home for the needy of the Tijuana region.  Also, Fr. Bourantas was selected to participate in the International Orthodox Christian Center educational team in Serbia & Montenegro, and Bosnia.

The community showed their appreciation for Fr. Anastasios Bourantas, presiding priest at St. George in Media, PA, who is celebrating 25 years of service as a Greek Orthodox priest. (Photo: Steve Lambrou)

In June 2000, Fr. Bourantas was assigned by His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios to the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Wilmington, DE, where he served until July 2004. In September of 2018, Father was appointed Vicar of the Philadelphia Region of the Metropolis of New Jersey and has also served as the Youth Commissioner of the DVYC since 2004.

Currently, Fr. Bourantas serves as the parish priest at the St. George Greek Orthodox Church in Media, Pennsylvania (for 16 years) under the jurisdiction of His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of the Holy Metropolis of New Jersey.

Fr. Bourantas is married to Presvytera Nicoletta (Chickris) who was born and raised at the St. George Church in Rock Island, Illinois. They have three daughters Corina, Christina, and Gabriella. Fr. Bourantas enjoys gardening, reading, and most of all serving as an Orthodox priest in our blessed Church. AXIOS!