On Saturday, April 18, 2026, the Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in the Metropolis of Chicago held their 11th Annual Business Meeting at the Saint Iakovos Retreat Center in Kansasville, Wisconsin.
Archon Regional Commanders Perry C. Siatis, Esq., and James G. Lakerdas, Esq., kicked off this year’s meeting with a formal changing of the guard, recognizing the efforts of Archon National Secretary Gus M. Pablecas and Archon National Treasurer John G. Manos, who recently stepped down as Archon Regional Commanders in the Metropolis of Chicago after almost 11 years of service in that position, and now serve as Regional Commanders Emeritus. Archon Regional Commanders Siatis and Lakerdas presented icons to Pablecas and Manos and thanked them for their service and leadership.
“Amplify Our Impact to Protect the Future of Faith,” was the theme for this year’s business retreat. Regional Commander Siatis noted that a lot of parishioners actively participate in their parishes and at the metropolis level; however, they don’t know a lot about the Ecumenical Patriarchate, so the goal is to further raise awareness on the issues impacting the Ecumenical Patriarchate and our Mother Church.
“Our vision for the Archons in Chicago is to use our time, talent and treasure to make a significant positive impact for our Ecumenical Patriarchate and protect the future of faith,” said Siatis. “When we do this, we will continue to be examples to other Archons and amplify our impact throughout the nation and around the world.”
To that end, Archon Regional Commanders Satis and Lakerdas highlighted specific actions that Archons in the Metropolis of Chicago can accomplish. These include:
- Educating parishes on the key issues affecting the Ecumenical Patriarchate by giving presentations on Archon Sunday and throughout the year;
- Educating youth about the Ecumenical Patriarch, by informing parishes about the Sprout Sunday School program—a global educational initiative—and reaching out to college students at the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana’s NIKA House;
- Lending our voice to National Archon efforts by participating in one or more of the Archon Diakonia Ministries and attending Archon Weekend; and
- Using our treasures to support the Archons and its programs, which include the Exarch Appeal, Pilgrimage of Discovery, and the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew Foundation.
The Regional Commanders also noted key Archon activities over the past year, both nationally and locally. Nationally, this included His-All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew’s Apostolic visit to the United States last September to receive the Templeton Award, and the meeting of His All-Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew and His Holiness Pope Leo XIV in the ancient city of Nicaea, the site of the First Ecumenical Council in 325 AD, last November to commemorate the 1700th anniversary of that historic gathering. Within the Metropolis of Chicago, this included the Annual Commemoration of the Fall of Constantinople, co-sponsored by the Archons in Chicago, the Hellenic Society of Constantinople and the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Chicago, which took place at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church in Oak Lawn, Illinois, and highlighting Archon presentations that took place at area parishes throughout the Metropolis. A complete list of Archon endeavors on the National and Local levels was also provided to those present.
A core component of the meeting was a brainstorming and ideation session where Archons offered suggestions on what can be done locally to increase awareness of the issues facing the Ecumenical Patriarch.
During the meeting Regional Commanders Siatis and Lakerdas also recognized recently invested Archons Paul Loupakos and James Nickolas, who both spoke to attendees about their involvement in the church locally and why they wanted to become an Archon.
A moment of silence was then observed for Archons James Thomas and John Marks, who Fell Asleep in the Lord since the last meeting.
After the meeting, Father Nicholas Greanias, BA, JD, LLM, and Protopresbyter at Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church in Kankakee, Illinois, gave a lecture on how American foreign policy is made and its potential impact on the Ecumenical Patriarchate, offering suggestions on how we can make it better, leveraging his career experiences which span law, the military, international diplomacy, university teaching and religious ministry.
