Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in the Metropolis of Chicago gathered on September 13 and 14, 2026, at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign to take part in the U of I’s Orthodox Christian Fellowship (OCF) Alumni Weekend. In conjunction with the event, the Archons, led by Archon Thomas Kanelos, held a plaque dedication ceremony at the NIKA House Orthodox Christian Student Living Center in memory of Archon Louis Laros, Protonotarios, and gave a presentation at Three Hierarchs Greek Orthodox Church.
The weekend began on Saturday, with Archons and current and former OCF members gathering for a tailgate party before attending the U of I football game. Afterward, Regional Commander Perry Siatis and Archons Thomas Kanelos, Wesley Stinich and Anthony Kyriakopoulos and Archon-elect Peter Patsavas joined OCF alumni and students at the NIKA House for a postgame dinner and remembrance of Archon Laros.
Archon Laros along with Archon Kanelos were among the founders of OCF at the U of I, which was established in 1983. Archon Laros was serving as President of the NIKA House at the time of his passing in 2024. The Archons in the Metropolis of Chicago commissioned a plague to honor Archon Laros for his work at the NIKA House and the OCF.
The plaque dedication ceremony was held during the OCF dinner at the NIKA House, which was filled with OCF U of I students, a truly fitting honor for Archon Lou Laros. The ceremony included a memorial service led Rev. Protopresbyter Father Michael Condos, spiritual advisor to the NIKA House and parish priest at Three Hierarchs Greek Orthodox Church. Archon Thomas Kanelos, Depoutatos, spoke emotionally about Archon Laros, his Koumbaro, recalling their years at the U of I and providing remembrances of their time at the U of I, their work to help establish the OCF at the U of I while attending the university back in the 1980s and Archon Laros’ dedication to the Mother Church.
Also present at the ceremony were members of the Laros family, including his wife Toni, son Yianni, and daughters Maria and Panayiota.
“Archon Laros understood the importance of the presence of the Church on college campuses,” said Archon Kanelos. “It is a well-known fact that large numbers of young people drift away from their faith during college years, and Archon Laros was determined to fight this trend. The rest of us involved in this ministry are grateful for his commitment and share the same dedication to our college students.”
Today, the NIKA House at the U of I is the only permanent meeting facility for Orthodox Christian college students in the United States and home to the nation’s largest student organization for Orthodox Christian college students. The Nika House is owned and operated by the Orthodox Christian Alumni in Action Inc.
On Sunday, Archon Regional Commanders Perry Siatis and James Lakerdas and Archon Thomas Kanelos gave a presentation on the Five Key Issues of Concern and hosted a luncheon following Divine Liturgy at Three Hierarchs Greek Orthodox Church. The Regional Commanders also discussed the Archon Sprout Program — a Sunday school curriculum designed to introduce Orthodox Christian youth from preschool through high school to the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Holy Mother Church of Constantinople — and the Pilgrimage of Discovery — a seven-day, all-expenses-paid annual summer program founded and funded by the Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate to connect Orthodox Christian young adults from the United States with their religious ancestral roots and meet His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. The presentation concluded with a question and answer session.
For more information about the NIKA House and OCF at the U of I, visit their Facebook and Instagram pages at OCF Illinois.
To learn more about the Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate visit Archons.org, where you can also find information about the Sprout Program archons.org/sprouts To learn more about the Pilgrimage of Discovery, visit pilgrimageofdiscovery.org
