Clergy
Rev. Fr. Anthony Cook, Presiding Priest
Father Anthony Cook was born in Flagstaff, AZ and is the eldest of eight children. He attended Hillsdale College and received his Bachelor of Arts in Classical Studies with Departmental Honors. He converted to the Orthodox faith in 2001, and upon his graduation from Hillsdale College, he received the blessing of His Eminence Metropolitan Nicholas of Detroit to attend Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology. He received his Master of Divinity degree in 2007 with academic honors and was ordained to the Holy Priesthood on July 29, 2007, by Metropolitan Nicholas.
Fr. Anthony is married to Presvytera Elisabeth, and they are blessed with two sons, Justin and Demetrios, and a daughter, Emma.
Father Anthony served as the Assistant Priest at the Assumption Church in St. Clair Shores, Michigan. He served as the Presiding Priest of the Annunciation Church in Rochester, New York; of Annunciation Church in Memphis, Tennessee; and for the past eight years, of Saint George Church in Southgate, Michigan. In all parishes, he has worked to improve the understanding and appreciation of the Church's traditional Byzantine Music, working with any interested to help them serve the Church from the chant stand and choir.
Fr. Anthony can be contacted by email: franthony@daytonannunciation.org.
Metropolitan Nicholas
Metropolitan Nicholas was born in Glens Falls, New York in 1953 to Emmanuel and Calliope Pissare. Metropolitan Nicholas' family also includes two brothers and a sister. When the family lived in Glens Falls, they belonged to the St. George Greek Orthodox Church in Schenectady, New York.
Today, Metropolitan Nicholas' family resides in Denver, Colorado.Metropolitan Nicholas worked in public health for ten years in Denver, where he was active in the life of the Assumption Greek Orthodox Cathedral. In 1983, he joined the Greek Orthodox Diocese of Denver, working as an assistant to Bishop Philip of Daphnous, who was serving as locum tenens of the Diocese. Later, he served Bishop Anthimos of Denver as an assistant. In 1990, he formally began his service in the Diocese of Pittsburgh as Administrative Assistant to Bishop Maximos.
Metropolitan Nicholas was ordained as a Deacon on July 6th, 1991 by Bishop Maximos at the Annunciation Church in McKeesport, Pennsylvania. He was ordained to the Priesthood by Bishop Maximos and co-celebrant Bishop Philip at the Assumption Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Denver, Colorado on July 13th, 1991. He was elevated to the rank of Archimandrite on the same day, based on his years of service to the Church.
He served as Chancellor of the Diocese of Pittsburgh from 1991 to 1995 and was Chancellor of the Diocese of Detroit from 1996 to 1997. Archbishop Spyridon then assigned him to the parish of Holy Cross in Brooklyn, New York in August 1997. In Brooklyn, Metropolitan Nicholas initiated innovative programs in the parish such as Fair Share Stewardship and the Inquiry Class for parishioners and engaged couples. He also started a Brownies Girl Scout Troop, started the Children's Liturgical Choir of the Dimitrios and Georgia Kaloidis Parochial School, and helped rebuild the parochial school's library.
Metropolitan Nicholas was elected as the Bishop of the Greek Orthodox Diocese of Detroit by the Holy and Sacred Synod of Constantinople on Saturday, March 13, 1999. He was consecrated as Bishop on the Saturday of Lazarus, April 3, 1999, at the Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Church in Brooklyn, New York by Archbishop Spyridon, who was assisted by Metropolitan Maximos of Pittsburgh and Bishop Dimitri of the Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese. His Enthronement took place on Sunday, April 18, 1999 at the Annunciation Cathedral in Detroit, MI.
Metropolitan Nicholas has also served the Greek Orthodox Church as a member of the Archdiocesan Council, member of the Stewardship Commission of the Archdiocese, board member of the St. Michael's Home for the Aged, and as a member of the Archdiocesan District Spiritual Court.
In 2002, His Eminence was elevated to the rank of Metropolitan by the Holy and Sacred Synod of Constantinople. This appointment came after the Holy and Sacred Synod of Constantinople elevated the Greek Orthodox Diocese of Detroit to the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Detroit. The Metropolis of Detroit has direct spiritual authority, supervision, and pastoral care over its clergy and parishes in seven states, including all of Michigan, Kentucky, and Arkansas, and parts of Indiana, upstate New York, Ohio, and Tennessee. Through his years of service at all levels to the Greek Orthodox Church, his educational background, and his deep and longstanding commitment to the Church, Metropolitan Nicholas has served, and continues to serve, a successful hierarchical ministry in the Metropolis of Detroit.
Priests who have served the Annunciation Parish:
2022-present Fr. Anthony Cook
August 2021-January 2022 Father Bill Bartz (Interim Presiding Priest)
2016-2021 Father Joseph Gingrich
2003-2016 Father Mark Emroll
2001-2002 Father Dean Nastos
1985-2001 Father Stratton Dorozenski
1975-1984 Father Jerry Tasikas
1968-2002 Father George Hiotis (Retired Associate Priest)
1950-1975 Father Philemon Payiatis
1950 Father Papagianakopoulos
1939-1950 Father Meletios Kestekides
1939 Father Nickolas Hronides
1937-1939 Father Nickolas Aslanides
1933-1937 Father John Vournakis
1932-1933 Father Nick Spiliotis
1930-1932 Father George Evrotas
1924-1930 Father Vasilios Avromopoulos
1924 Father John Pappatheofrasiou
1922 Father Lazarus Stefanou
1921 Father Germanos Papayionous