CHICAGO – Metropolitan Nathanael of Chicago appointed an interim parish council at the Holy Trinity parish whose which was forced to sell its nave due to financial problems. The parish has just a few weeks to vacate the premises.

The historic Church of the Holy Trinity is a Greek Orthodox community that was established 122 years ago and which recently lost its nave and all its real estate. Metropolitan Nathanael inherited the problem of the Holy Trinity Community, but he has been the Metropolitan of Chicago for the past nineteen months.

It has been reported that two icons of the Mother of God belonging to the parish are crying. One of the them, the first to cry, was taken by the Metropolitan to Chicago’s Greek Orthodox Cathedral because he wants to personally observe if the icon is indeed weeping so that he can issue his hierarchal opinion.

On November 13, 2019, the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Chicago made the following statement concerning the governance of Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church:

“On Sunday, November 10, an interim Parish Council of the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church of Chicago officially was installed. Following the celebration of the Divine Liturgy, the Affirmation of Office was administered by the Very Reverend Archimandrite Timothy Bakakos, Chancellor of the Metropolis of Chicago. The interim Parish Council will serve for a period of no more than one year and now consists of members from the Holy Trinity parish and neighboring parishes including:

• Jeffrey Chrones, St. Andrew, Chicago
• Owen Field, St. George, Chicago
• Anthony Frankos, St. Basil, Chicago
• Dimitri Haralampopoulos, St. Demetrios, Chicago
• Phillip Hatzopoulos, St. Andrew, Chicago
• George Katsambas, Holy Trinity, Chicago
• James Lakerdas, Assumption, Chicago
• Peter Mihopoulos, Holy Trinity, Chicago
• Kevin Miologos, Annunciation Cathedral, Chicago
• Spiro Pantazis, Holy Trinity, Chicago
• Sandy Rigopoulos, St. John the Baptist, Des Plaines
• Peter Stamatis, St. John the Baptist, Des Plains

While expressing his gratitude to the Parish Council members who served Holy Trinity during the difficulties of the past few years, His Eminence Metropolitan Nathanael encouraged all members of the Metropolis “to help the interim Parish Council shoulder the great responsibility to restructure and revitalize the Holy Trinity parish and contribute to its spiritual growth…The faithful of the Metropolis, along with all people of goodwill, are asked for their continued prayers and support of the Holy Trinity community.”