Tasha Fotopoulos was among the dozens of Greek Orthodox faithful standing in front of St. Iakovos on Saturday waiting for the Thyranoixia, or open the door ceremony.
“It’s something we’ve been waiting for, for some time,” Fotopoulos said.
The Valparaiso mom of Lia, 3, is expecting her second baby, a boy, in the next few months and already plans to baptize him in the newly completed church.
She, her husband, Paul, and other family members have been attending services at the temporary building, just south of the new church near Valparaiso, since 2012.
Fotopoulos, whose St. Iakovos church roots go back to when it was housed in a former church school, said she likes the parish because of what she termed “small family vibes.”
The parish, at 36 West County Road 700 North, is home to about 140-150 families, according to the Rev. James Greanias, priest at St. Iakovos.
“It feels like home. It literally includes our family and church family,” Fotopoulos said.
His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros, head of the Greek Orthodox Church of North America, began the door-opening ceremony by telling those in attendance:
“You have labored long and hard to build this spiritual home inspired by the words of the prophet and King Solomon who said I have built the exalted house, a place to dwell forever,” Elpidophoros said.
Elpidophoros used his staff to knock on the sanctuary’s outer door asking to be let in.
He blessed the congregants with holy water before chanting in Greek, quoting Psalms, “Lift up the gates, O you rulers, and be lifted up, you everlasting doors, and the king of glory shall enter.”
From inside the church came this question: “Who is the king of glory?”
“The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord powerful in battle. Lift up the gates, O you rulers, and be lifted up, you everlasting doors, and the King of glory shall enter,” Elpidophoros answered.
Greanias called the opening of St. Iakovos Greek Orthodox Church on Sunday a “culmination of our founding families original dreams and goals.”
“It’s the hard work and sacrifice and prayers of so many throughout the years and some very major donors who helped make it happen. The church is a result of everyone’s hard work, prayers and giving,” Greanias said.
The newly completed church is a 32,000-square-foot brick Basilica-style building.
The Thyranoixia celebration was followed by Hierarchical Great Vespers as parishioners entered the church after first kissing the Iakovos church icon and making the sign of the cross.
Paul Spanopoulos came to church with his wife, Denise, to view first-hand the opening of the church that many of his family members, many deceased, had had a hand in founding.
“They are here in spirit…This was the work of many Orthodox parishioners and others and it’s a very spiritual feeling and both heartwarming and heartfelt to see this happen,” Spanopoulos said.
Services continued on Sunday with Orthros beginning at 8:30 a.m. followed by the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy.
Also taking part in the two-day services were His Eminence Metropolitan Nathanael of Chicago, along with His Grace Bishop Timothy Hexamilion.
The congregation, which began celebrating services in 1981 at a former Methodist Church near Valparaiso University, moved temporarily in 2007 to the old St. Paul’s School gymnasium.
The congregation has been at the present building, located south of the new church, since 2012.
Greanias said he was assigned 26 years ago by His Eminence to get ready to build the new church.
“I was able to fulfill my marching orders,” Greanias said.
He also finds it personally satisfying to note that his late father, the Rev. Louis Greanias, also was responsible for opening St. Demetrios Orthodox Church in Hammond in the 1950s.
“Two Father Greanias opened two churches: St. Demetrios and St. Iakovos,” he said.
Deborah Laverty is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
