The National Council of the Order of Saint Andrew the Apostle, Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, has conferred the honorary title of Emeritus upon five retired members of the National Council and Regional Commanders.
The five Archons upon whom this honor was bestowed were Christopher Stratakis, Esq., Archon Notarios, Legal Counselor, National Council; Stephen Cherpelis, Archon Dikaiophylax, National Council; Nikitas Drakotos, Archon Depoutatos, National Council; Theofanis Economidis, Archon Ekdikos, National Council; and James Kallins, MD, Archon Exarchos, Regional Commander.
His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros stated: “These men have labored for a good part of their lives in distinguished service to the Order of Saint Andrew the Apostle, the Holy Mother Church of Constantinople, and the Holy Orthodox Church throughout then oikoumene. They richly deserve the honorary title of Emeritus, in recognition of their long and tireless years of work in the vineyards of our Lord and His All-Holy Mother.”
Dr. Anthony J. Limberakis, National Commander of the Order of Saint Andrew the Apostle, Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, said: “The history of the last few decades of the Order of Saint Andrew the Apostle would have been quite different without the holy labors of these men. It is altogether fitting and proper for the honorary title of Emeritus to be conferred upon them, for the Order, the Ecumenical Patriarchate, and the entire Church has benefited from their efforts for so very long. They have done great service, and we hope that in retirement they may enjoy the fruit of their labors.”
Archon Christopher Stratakis, Esq., a member of Leadership 100, is the longtime legal advisor of the Order of St Andrew, and a member of the National Council Executive Committee. He guided fundraising efforts to build the School of the Transfiguration Church, and served as school board president for 11 years. He was also the fundraising co-chairman for the Hellenic Cultural and Educational Center of St. Nicholas Church in Flushing, NY. He was invested as Archon in 1998 and conferred with the offikion Notarios.
Archon Stephen Cherpelis has served as a Member of Leadership 100; the Archdiocesan Council; Vice President of the Direct Archdiocesan District; Archon Dikaiophylax of the Ecumenical Patriarchate; Emeritus Member of the National Council; Recipient of the Archdiocesan Medal of St. Paul; and Member of the Board of Trustees of the Archdiocesan Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, where he served as President for several years. Archon Cherpelis is a Founder of the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew Foundation. He has received the Ellis Island medal, was honored by the St. Michael’s Home for the Aged, and served as President of St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church of Flushing, NY, where the Hellenic School is named as Stephen and Areti Cherpelis School. He was invested as Archon in 2001 and conferred with the offikion Dikaiophylax.
Archon Nikitas Drakotos, also a member of Leadership 100, has been honored for his outstanding contributions to Hellenism by The James Plevritis-Joseph C. Keane New Rochelle AHEPA Chapter No. 405. He has served as president of the Hellenic American Neighborhood Action Committee (HANAC) and of St. Michaels Home, and as a member of the Archon National Council. He is a recipient of the Ellis Island Medal of Honor and the Archangel Michael and St. Spyridon Awards. He was invested as Archon in 1985 and conferred with the offikion Depoutatos.
Archon Theofanis Economides has served as the regional Commander of the Archons of the Metropolis of San Francisco, and as a member of the National Council, as well as a member of Leadership 100 and a member of the Executive Committee of the Archdiocese of America. From 2008 to 2013, he was assigned by the Order to represent the Ecumenical Patriarchate and defend its Religious and Human Rights at the annual meeting of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). Archon Economides was invested as Archon of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in 1996 and conferred with the offikion Ekdikos.
Archon James Kallins, MD had a long and successful career as a medical professional from 1959 until his retirement in 1997. He was an original founder of the Hellenic American Medical Society, and has also been a pillar in the Greek American Community of Southern California. Archon Dr. Kallins has also been an ardent supporter of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis, Archdiocese and Ecumenical Patriarchate. He has served as a Regional Archon Commander for the Metropolis, on the Metropolis and Archdiocesan Councils, and as the Supreme President of the Pan-Arcadian Federation. He was invested as Archon in 1996 and conferred with the offikion Exarchos.
Archons of the Order of Saint Andrew the Apostle are honorees by His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew for outstanding service to the Church, and are well-known distinguished, and well-respected leaders of the Orthodox Christian community. It is the sworn oath of the Archon to defend and promote the Orthodox Christian faith and tradition. His special concern and interest is to serve as a bulwark to protect and promote the Sacred See of Saint Andrew the Apostle in Constantinople, and its mission.
