NEW YORK – In an emotional message to his congregation on the Upper East side of Manhattan that was still getting to know him, Father Nikolas Karloutsos announced that his ministry there was coming to a close. He explained that he came to the difficult decision to step down from the prestigious office of Dean of the Archdiocesan Cathedral of the Holy Trinity after deep consideration of the needs of his family.

Most of the congregation on Sunday were surprised at the news, but in the end they were deeply touched by his words. They erupted into applause joined by the Chancellor of the Archdiocese, Protopresbyter Fr. Panagiotis Papazafiropoulos, who chanced to be in attendance and wished him well.
It is known that Fr. Karloutsos commuted to the Cathedral from his home in Danbury, CT. The National Herald was informed that Father’s family is very close knit, members of his own and his presbytera’s family living in close proximity to their residence in Danbury, CT, where he had previously served as pastor of the Church of the Assumption. He makes the long commute from Danbury to Manhattan every day, with his daughter, who is a special needs child, continuously on his mind.

The situation was summed up by a man who knows Father well: “he is going always do what’s right for his family.”

TNH spoke to Community leader Theodore Klingos, member of the Cathedral’s Board of Trustees and president of AHEPA’s Delphi Chapter 25 that is linked historically with the Cathedral.

“We thank father for his service to the Cathedral for the roughly two years that he was with us,” Klingos said, adding that “he came at a very difficult time – a challenging time, in the throes of a pandemic. He had to work hard to get to know the people” under those circumstances.

Klingos said, “personally, I cannot speak on behalf of Board, but I know that my fellow Board members and I wish him and his family well.”

An announcement about a successor is expected soon – it should be noted that Archbishop Elpidophoros of America is overseas at this time. Klingos told TNH that, “we are blessed to have Fr. Elias Pappas as our associate pastor and he will be there to preside over services through the month of September.”