Father Evaggelos was born on May 12, 1970 in the City of Havana, and later moved with his parents Edel and Maria Salomé to a city called Bauta, where he studied economics, and specialized in Human Resources. He worked in the latter field until he became acquainted with Orthodoxy, which first came to Cuba in 2002. Father Evaggelos converted from Roman Catholic (the majority religion in his country), and he began to work as vicarial secretary of the Church in Cuba, belonging to the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople (New Calendar). The following year (2011) he was ordained deacon in the Cathedral of St. Nicholas of Mira in Havana.
During this time, through his studies of the Faith, he came across references to the Old Calendarists and the Genuine Orthodox Christians, a subject which was deliberately hidden from him on the part of the superiors of his Church. This did not stop him in trying to know more of the truth, until about 4 years ago he came across the Holy Metropolis of America online. He tried to contact the Metropolis by email, which was answered by Father Maximus, the Dean of Latin America. From there, contact was maintained, until Father Evaggelos acknowledged that the pure Truth was on the side of the Genuine Orthodox Christians, and he made the decision to rectify his Faith and expressed his desire to adhere to it. For this reason he was immediately suspended from his diaconal duties by his superiors in Cuba, where he had already submitted his resignation.
At this time, he travelled to Greece to learn the Greek Language, graduating from the Modern Greek school belonging to the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. He then returned to Cuba and received an invitation to travel to the United States from Bishop Demetrios. Upon his arrival, he was baptized by Father Maximus in Holy Ascension Monastery (he had been received from Roman Catholicism by chrismation only, since the New Calendar priest had told him that Roman Catholic sacraments are valid.) The next day he was ordained Deacon by his Eminence Metropolitan Demetrios in the Monastery of St. John of San Francisco.
On Sunday, June 18, Fr Evangelos was ordained to the priesthood at St Markella Cathedral, Astoria, NY.
Father Evaggelos is a married priest and has four children. On his return from Greece he formed a small group of faithful in Cuba, who have accepted the True Orthodoxy for greater glory of God. He will serve the Church in Havana, the capital of Cuba.
For more photos, see http://www.capturethefaith.com/Events/06v15A17-Ordination-of-Frf-Evang/
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