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St. John Prodromos Greek Orthodox Church
Amarillo
TX
79106
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Who we are
We are a small, humble parish nestled in beautiful Amarillo, Texas. We gladly welcome all newcomers and invite you to experience the timeless traditions and services of the ancient Orthodox Christian Faith.
The Orthodox Church has her origin with Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, not with a human teacher, nor group, nor a code of conduct or religious philosophy. Orthodoxy believes that the Church has her origin in the Apostolic Community called into being by Jesus Christ, and enlivened by the Holy Spirit. The Feast of Pentecost, which is celebrated fifty days after Easter, commemorates the "outpouring'' of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and marks the beginning of the mission of the Church to the world.
We are Orthodox because our tradition of prayer and worship is rooted in the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic undivided Church.
The Orthodox Church was founded by Christ through the Apostles and has maintained a living, historical connection with the Apostolic Church through the ordination of its clergy. The bishop that ordains an Orthodox priest today can trace his ordination historically all the way back to the Apostles, and through them to Christ. For this reason we are “apostolic” – rooted in the first Apostles – the disciples of Jesus.
We are also apostolic because we believe our calling is to go out and share our faith with others. For this reason, we welcome you to visit the Orthodox Christian parish in your neighborhood or town.
Although our parishes may carry a designation of Greek Orthodox or Russian Orthodox or some other ethnic identity, this does not imply that you need to be of a certain ethnic origin to join us in worship or to consider becoming an Orthodox Christian.
The Orthodox Church has her origin with Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, not with a human teacher, nor group, nor a code of conduct or religious philosophy. Orthodoxy believes that the Church has her origin in the Apostolic Community called into being by Jesus Christ, and enlivened by the Holy Spirit. The Feast of Pentecost, which is celebrated fifty days after Easter, commemorates the "outpouring'' of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and marks the beginning of the mission of the Church to the world.
We are Orthodox because our tradition of prayer and worship is rooted in the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic undivided Church.
The Orthodox Church was founded by Christ through the Apostles and has maintained a living, historical connection with the Apostolic Church through the ordination of its clergy. The bishop that ordains an Orthodox priest today can trace his ordination historically all the way back to the Apostles, and through them to Christ. For this reason we are “apostolic” – rooted in the first Apostles – the disciples of Jesus.
We are also apostolic because we believe our calling is to go out and share our faith with others. For this reason, we welcome you to visit the Orthodox Christian parish in your neighborhood or town.
Although our parishes may carry a designation of Greek Orthodox or Russian Orthodox or some other ethnic identity, this does not imply that you need to be of a certain ethnic origin to join us in worship or to consider becoming an Orthodox Christian.
Location of worship / Church Address
1101 Bell St
Amarillo,
TX
79106
United States
Phone: (806) 355-0683
Download St. John Prodromos Greek Orthodox Church vCard with Service Times
Church Pastor
Fr. Peter A. DeFonce
Priest
1101 Bell St
Amarillo,
TX
79106
United States
Phone: (806) 355-0683
Download Priest Fr. Peter A. DeFonce vCard with Bio
Quote of the Day
2 Corinthians 5:7
For we walk by faith, not by sight
For we walk by faith, not by sight
Denomination
Orthodox Church in America
Orthodox Church in America churches in Amarillo, Texas, United States
Orthodox Church in America churches in Texas, United States
Orthodox Church in America churches in United States
All churches in Amarillo, TX
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Fr. Peter A. DeFonce
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Reverend Father Peter A. DeFonce, born and raised as a Roman Catholic in Upstate New York, was received by the Sacrament of Holy Chrismation into the Orthodox Church of America by His Beatitude Metropolitan +THEODOSIUS (Lazor) on December 5th, 1993, at the Cathedral of St. Nicholas in Washington, DC. He graduated from Georgetown University in Washington, DC, with a Bachelor of Science in the Arabic Language and Literature in May of 1994, and completed the Master of Divinity degree at St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary in Crestwood, NY, in May of 1997.
He married Nadezhda Alexandrovna Smirnova, an elementary school teacher from Dzherzhinsky, Russia (a suburb of Moscow), on February 16th, 2003, and was subsequently ordained to both the Holy Diaconate (9/21/03) and the Holy Priesthood (12/5/04) by His Eminence Metropolitan +PHILIP (Saliba) of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America. Having served briefly as an Associate Pastor at St. Mary Antiochian Orthodox Church in Cambridge, MA, Fr. Peter's first full-time assignment was as Pastor of St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church of El Paso, TX, under His Grace Bishop +BASIL (Essey), from September of 2005 until July of 2006.
Now, after several years serving here in Lubbock on-loan from the Antiochian Archdiocese, Fr. Peter has been incardinated into the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America and is officially the Proistamenos of St. Andrew parish. He and his wife, Prva. Nadia, welcomed baby Lydia Ann DeFonce into their life on June 13th, 2011, and the happy family lives today within walking distance of the church.
-Bio courtesy of St. Andrew Greek Orthodox Church in Lubbock, Texas
He married Nadezhda Alexandrovna Smirnova, an elementary school teacher from Dzherzhinsky, Russia (a suburb of Moscow), on February 16th, 2003, and was subsequently ordained to both the Holy Diaconate (9/21/03) and the Holy Priesthood (12/5/04) by His Eminence Metropolitan +PHILIP (Saliba) of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America. Having served briefly as an Associate Pastor at St. Mary Antiochian Orthodox Church in Cambridge, MA, Fr. Peter's first full-time assignment was as Pastor of St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church of El Paso, TX, under His Grace Bishop +BASIL (Essey), from September of 2005 until July of 2006.
Now, after several years serving here in Lubbock on-loan from the Antiochian Archdiocese, Fr. Peter has been incardinated into the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America and is officially the Proistamenos of St. Andrew parish. He and his wife, Prva. Nadia, welcomed baby Lydia Ann DeFonce into their life on June 13th, 2011, and the happy family lives today within walking distance of the church.
-Bio courtesy of St. Andrew Greek Orthodox Church in Lubbock, Texas
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St. John Prodromos Greek Orthodox Church Amarillo Service Times
Upcoming Services & Events
Saturday, November 11 2023
6 pm Great Vespers w/ Fr Basil
Sunday, November 12 2023
9 am Orthros w/ Fr Basil
10:30 am Divine Liturgy w/ Fr Basil
Friday, November 17 2023
6 pm Great Vespers w/ Fr Peter
Saturday, November 18 2023
9 am Orthros w/ Fr Peter
10:30 am Divine Liturgy w/ Fr Peter
Service Times last updated on the 6th of November, 2023
Saturday, November 11 2023
6 pm Great Vespers w/ Fr Basil
Sunday, November 12 2023
9 am Orthros w/ Fr Basil
10:30 am Divine Liturgy w/ Fr Basil
Friday, November 17 2023
6 pm Great Vespers w/ Fr Peter
Saturday, November 18 2023
9 am Orthros w/ Fr Peter
10:30 am Divine Liturgy w/ Fr Peter
Service Times last updated on the 6th of November, 2023
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St. John Prodromos Greek Orthodox Church Photo Gallery
St. John Prodromos Greek Orthodox Church History
The first Greek immigrant thought to have settled in the Amarillo area was John Yianitsou, who arrived from Borger, Texas around 1924 and established a hardware store. He and his brother, Gus, were eventually the main organizers of the community, and its biggest contributors, along with a few families who came from Thessaloniki., including Peter and George Georgantonis.
As was the practice throughout the United States, the first Greeks who settled here opened restaurants. They formed a community sometime in the mid-1940s and gathered where they could to worship. Fr. Methodios Papappostolou is thought to be the first priest. Since then, many priests have served the parish for brief periods.
By 1949, the small number of families built a small clapboard building near downtown that served as their first house of worship. The building was taken by the state in the mid-1960s under eminent domain for the construction of a segment of Interstate 40.
The church relocated further west, to its present site, a small building with a community hall and a parish house. Over the years, membership has become more diverse. Members' ethnicities other than Greek include Ukrainians, Belorussians, Armenians, Ethiopians, Lebanese, Cossacks, and Arabs.
Source: Orthodox Observer - August 2008
As was the practice throughout the United States, the first Greeks who settled here opened restaurants. They formed a community sometime in the mid-1940s and gathered where they could to worship. Fr. Methodios Papappostolou is thought to be the first priest. Since then, many priests have served the parish for brief periods.
By 1949, the small number of families built a small clapboard building near downtown that served as their first house of worship. The building was taken by the state in the mid-1960s under eminent domain for the construction of a segment of Interstate 40.
The church relocated further west, to its present site, a small building with a community hall and a parish house. Over the years, membership has become more diverse. Members' ethnicities other than Greek include Ukrainians, Belorussians, Armenians, Ethiopians, Lebanese, Cossacks, and Arabs.
Source: Orthodox Observer - August 2008
St. John Prodromos Greek Orthodox Church Historical Photos
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