Parish History
For more than 90 years, St. Basil Greek Orthodox Church has been serving the spiritual needs of local Greek Americans and sharing their rich Greek heritage and Orthodox faith with the local community.
Greek Orthodoxy in California Before 1930
In 1864, a small colony of Greek merchants in New Orleans founded the first Greek Orthodox Church in America. However, the firmer establishment of Greek Orthodoxy in America began later in the nineteenth century and with the acceleration of immigration from Greece continued into the 1920’s.
The great wave of immigration at the turn of the century brought Greek immigrants to many cities and towns of America. It also brought some to San Joaquin County. These immigrants, however, were not the first Greeks to reach our county. The 1870 census of San Joaquin County shows that there were Greeks in the county at that time. By the 1920’s there were a number of families established in Stockton. These were young families, and as children were born and grew, there was a deep concern to preserve a spiritual, ethnic, and linguistic identity and heritage, which was precious and dear to our parents and grandparents. This concern, spurred on and encouraged especially by the wives and mothers of these families, gave rise to an organization named the “Adelfotis”, the Hellenic Mutual Society, or Brotherhood.
The Society served all Greek immigrants in the area. Through the efforts of this group priests were brought to Stockton, before the church was built for Easter and Christmas services, for baptisms, weddings and funerals. Two priests who served the Orthodox faithful of Stockton and the surrounding areas during this period were Father Constantine Chapralis from San Francisco, and Father George Sardounis of Sacramento. The earliest baptism in Stockton, recorded in the baptismal records of the Holy Trinity Church in San Francisco, was performed by Father Chapralis. The name of the baptized was Maria Zizonatos, and the date of the baptism was May 18, 1908. The earliest recorded wedding was that of Nicholas Skaftouris and Paraskeve Kardapatis, who were married on August 25, 1910. The Hellenic Mutual Society, or Brotherhood, was replaced by the Order of Ahepa, which was organized in the early part of 1929.
A young Greek immigrant on Ellis Island New York City, late 19th century
The First Church Site: 1930 -1954
The parish of St. Basil, according to the official documents contained in the cornerstones of our two previous houses of worship, was established in a General Assembly meeting of the parishioners and was recognized as a religious organization by the State of California on December 20, 1929. The first site of our church on 248 S. Stanislaus was purchased on March 20, 1930. On October 23, 1930, the parish borrowed $6,500.00 from the Bank of America to finance the building of a church. On October 28th, the parish contracted with T.E. Williamson, a local contractor, who, according to the terms of the contract, agreed to build within the period of 60 working days, a two story brick church building for the sum of $10,400.00. On December 7, 1930, after a blessing of the waters by the Bishop of San Francisco, His Grace Callistos, assisted by Father George Sardounis, the foundation stone of the church edifice was laid and the name of the church was given. Following a drawing of lots, the wife of Emmanuel Xenakis, Stamatina, be came the sponsor and gave the name, “St. Basil”. The congregation was able to celebrate Christmas of 1930 in the new church. In June of 1931 the Iconostasion (Icon Screen) was built and installed.
The first priest to serve the parish on a permanent basis was Father Haralampos Skoufis, who was as signed to the parish in 1931. The first Parish Council consisted of twelve men, who along with many others, labored on behalf of their Church and parish with a great deal of concern and zeal. They were: Peter Bobotas, President; Anthony Caramihos, Vice-President; Nicholas Sperry, Secretary; Peter Fotinos, Treasurer; and members Constantine Mallis, Steve Chiarchianis, Constantine Delegiannis, Alexander Symvoulos, George Valsamis, Emmanuel Xenakis, George Sarris and George Eliopoulos. The newly-established parish was going through growing pains. Those were difficult years, and there were problems created that had to be worked through. The parish suffered its ups and downs internally, but by the grace of God, the Church took root, grew, and the parish worked through its early problems.
The church became the focal point of activity for the Greek community. The lower floor of the church served as the social center. Greek School classes were held, and National Greek, as well as Church holidays were celebrated there. This was the meeting place for the congregation and for the Greek-oriented organizations. Early on, a choir was formed. In 1937, the Philoptochos Society was organized locally, becoming part of the National Philoptochos Society. In 1938 Archimandrite Damaskinos Smyrnopoulos, known as Father Archie, came to serve the parish and did so until the end of 1949. The end of World War II marked the beginning of a new era which saw the children of the first pioneers begin to assume roles of responsibility and leadership within the parish, and continue the work begun by their parents.
The original St. Basil Church first church before completion. 1930.
Fr Smyrnopoulos officiating a baptism in the first church
The Second Church Site: 1954 - 1971
In 1945, seeing the increasing demands of a growing parish, planning for the building of a new and larger church edifice was begun. The second church was built next to the first and was officially opened on December 12, 1948. In 1954, on October 10, the church was consecrated by the late Archbishop Athenagoras Kokkinakis who was then Bishop of our Diocese. Assisting Archbishop Athenagoras were Fathers Phillips and Bithos. Also assisting was Father Homer Demopulos from Los Angeles. Cited at that time for their work on behalf of the parish were the following: Louie Lekakis, George Dremalis, George Sarris, Steve Xanttopoulos, Chris Huntalas, Gust Lekatsas, Emmanuel Dadaos, James Ladas, John Maragos, Nick Seperas, Gus Stavron, Photis Pantelopoulos, George Eliopoulos, and Bill Demotakis. Spearheading the fund raising efforts were the following: Emmanuel Trachiotis, Nick Seperas, James Ladas, Theodore Lourentzos, and Chris Farakos. Instrumental in the efforts to renovate the former church and create a community center were the following: Steve Xanttopoulos, Edmond Stevens, George Dremalis, Chris Farakos, and Frank Vellis. It was in this center that Sunday School and Greek School classes were conducted and where meetings and social functions of the parish were held.
Between 1949 and 1953, the parish was served by Archimandrite Arsenius Pallikaris who served on an interim basis after Father Symrnopoulos left; Father Constantine Kouklakis, who served from 1950 to 1952, and Father Constantine Bithos, who served from 1952 to 1953. It was during Father Bithos’ pastorate that the Sunday School program was organized and began to function. In July 1953, Father Theodore Phillips was ordained a priest at St. Basil’s. He served the parish from 1953 to 1965. Like the priests who preceded him, Father Phillips served the parish faithfully and conscientiously. The Church School program developed and grew. The Mothers’ Club, made up of mothers with children in Church School, was organized and did so much to help and support the Church School.
In 1943 the Modesto Community invited the neighboring communities to participate in a special service. This led to the formation of the Federation of Greek Orthodox Church Choirs of the Western States. The Federation included choirs from as far north as Seattle, Washington, east to Salt Lake City, Utah, and south to San Diego, California. In 1954 St. Basil’s Choir hosted the eleventh annual Choir School and Convention.
In 1960, looking to the future and the growing needs of the parish, the members of St. Basil organized the first Food Festival.
Held at the Civic Auditorium, it was the beginning of many successful festivals which have served as a major fund raising vehicle for the parish. It has also become a community event which the people of Stockton look forward to every year.
The second church exterior
The second church interior
The Current Church Site: 1971 - present
In 1960, steps were taken to purchase land for future expansion. Our present site was purchased in 1961, and soon after began the long process of planning for our present church. In 1965, after interviewing several architects, Roger Ranuio of San Francisco was hired by the parish to design a new church and parish facilities. The Planning Committee, headed by Gus Xanttopulos, and consisting of Robert Henning, Angelo Mitchell, George Marmas, George Besotes, Ernest Sopp, and Peter Spanos, with Dean Trachiotis and Frank Vellis as advisors, was formed to work directly with the architect in the planning and designing of the church. An Executive Committee, headed by Dr. Arthur Chimiklis, was also formed to develop and direct the fund raising drive for the church. That committee was composed of Steve Xanttopou los, Nick Chiarchianis, Emanuel Kokonas, Earl Blincoe, Peter Gaines, and Ernest Marcopulos. George Spanos acted as legal advisor. It was also in September of 1965 that Father Ambrose Giannoukos, who succeeded Father Phillips, came to serve the parish. Father Ambrose served the parish for two years and was succeed ed by Father Constantine Efstathiu who has served the parish since September of 1967.
On December 29, 1968. after much preparation and planning, the parish at a special parish assembly meeting voted unanimously to accept the plans for our church, and the architect was given approval to proceed with the blueprints and detailed drawings. Modern Engineering and Construction was awarded the construction contract. On February 1, 1970, ground was broken after a Blessing of the Waters (Agiasmos) by Bishop Meletios Tripodakis, former Bishop of our Diocese. The last Divine Liturgy in our former church was celebrated on the Feast Day of St. Basil, January 1, 1971, and on January 2, 1971, the official “Thiranixia”. Door Opening, of our present edifice took place, with Bishop Meletios again officiating, assisted by area clergy.
Bishop Meletios Tripodakis during the ground breaking ceremony blessing the grounds at the location where the third church will be built
The third church being built
Interior of the third building as the icons were being made
Clergy wash the altar during the consecration of the church building
In 1995, the St. Basil Preschool was established.
In 2009 St. Basil church received relics of St. Basil from the island of Cyprus.
Today St. Basil Greek Orthodox Church has continued to be a fruitful source of spiritual growth and bringing people together through its services, ministries and Greek Festival, for which it is well-known in the San Joaquin county community.
The third building as it is today.
A Speech on the History of St. Basil
Delivered by Harry Spanos at the 60th Anniversary Dinner of St. Basil Church, April 21, 1990.
“Distinguished Guests, Clergy, Honorees, and Friends:
I have been asked to narrate this documentary episode, supplied with the documented information at my disposal, and I pray that it is as accurate as can be. In the early 1920’s an organization called “Adelfotis” was formed by young families and many single people in order to preserve their spiritual, ethnic and linguistic identity and heritage. The group also started a group health insurance and arranged with a Dr. Vischey to minister to their health needs at reduced prices; he became their primary physician.
Ahepa replaced Adelfotis on March 3, 1929. The charter members totaled 25, of which seven were on the original parish council of 12; this was prior to the construction of the church. There were instrumental in forming the religious charter with the State of California on December 20, 1929. The parish council was as follows: Panagiotis Bobotas, President; Antonios Caramihos, Vice President; Nikolaos Spiropoulos, Secretary; and Panagiotis Fotinopoulos, Treasurer. Board members included Konstantinos Mallis, Stergios Tsiartsianis, Konstantinos Deligianis, Alexandros Simvoulos, Georgios Valsamis, Emmanuel Xenakis, Georgios Sarris, and Georgios Eliopoulos. This group was responsible for having priests visit on Holy Days, weddings, baptisms, and funerals, and they met at St. John Episcopal Church on El Dorado and Miner until the first St. Basil Church at 248 S. Stanislaus was constructed. The site was purchased on March 29, 1930, and on October 23 of that year the council borrowed $6,500 from the Bank of America. On October 28 the contractor agreed to build within 60 working days a two-story brick building for $10,400.
On December 7, 1930, after services, Bishop Callistos drew ticket No. 447 which entitled the holder the right to name the church. The winning sponsors were Emmanuel and Stamatina Xenakis, and they gave the church the name Agios Vasilios, or St. Basil. Records show that on November 29, 1932, the cornerstone, with the church name etched on it, was placed by Konstantinos Mallis.
The first official priest was Father Haralambos Skoufis, and the parish council at that time was Panagiotis Papavasilios, President; Alexandros Simvoulos, Vice President; Konstantinos Deligianis, Secretary; and Panagiotis Fotinopoulos, Treasurer. Those serving on the board included Vasilios Kannellakis, Fotios Pantelopoulos, Nicolaos Canlis, Stergios Tsiartsianis, Stavros Faraos, Nicolaos Galanos, Georgios Dremelas, and Hristos Athanasoulias.
These names were obtained from existing records. However, we must keep in mind that those people would not have succeeded had it not been for the total dedication, desire, and combined efforts of the then existing Hellenes … married, single, grandparents, and youth from the Stockton, Tracy, Manteca, and Lodi areas. It was through all of them that the dream of a house of worship became a reality. It would be impossible to name all these people. Please bear in mind that Hellenes in San Joaquin County are on record from 1870.
Mr. Chairman, thank you for allowing me the opportunity to speak, but, best of all, as a first generation person preparing these notes, it took me back as far as memory and documented information would allow. I saw, once again, the beautiful vision of those who have gone before us, their trials and tribulations, the raising of their children, and their love of church, language, friends, and relatives.
Thanks again.”
Mosaic Icons
Our icons at St. Basil are mosaics which are unique for Orthodox Churches in America today, but deeply rooted in the ancient and timeless Orthodox tradition. They were made by iconographer Robert J. Andrews (1925-2022) who has inspired Orthodox Christians around America for generations with his masterful work. He has produced mosaic icons for more than 25 churches in America, including 60 mosaics for the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in San Francisco.
It has been said that the churches of Western Christianity with their Gothic design try to reach toward heaven while the Byzantine structures of Eastern Christianity attempt to bring a little of Heaven down to earth. The design and traditional adornment of the interior of our Church is based on this concept. The central dome represents God’s Heaven while the Saints of His Church and the Truths of His revelation are depicted all about.
The style of the iconography of our Church follows typical Byzantine tradition. To the eye of Western Christians accustomed to the religious art of the Renaissance, Byzantine Art sometimes appears austere. To the Christians of the Eastern World there is a deep spiritual rationale for the development of this style. Icons are not simply portraits representing people, but graphic presentations of spiritual truths. They remain unmoved, formal, almost unreal, only a hint of emotion appearing on the face of the figures. For icons are not intended to evoke an emotional response so much as understanding and wisdom.
In the Orthodox Church the icon bears witness to the reality of God’s presence with us in the mystery of faith. Icons are not just human pictures or visual aids to contemplation and prayer. They bear witness to the presence of the Kingdom of God among us and the gift of eternal life in Christ. It is the Orthodox Faith that icons are not only permissible, but are spiritually necessary, because “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” (John 1:14) Christ is true God and true man, and as man, truly the “Icon of the invisible God.” (Col. 1:15, I Cor. 11:7, II Cor. 4:4)
“I have been fortunate that since the inception of the initial idea of creating a new St. Basil’s edifice, I was selected as the iconographer of what was to be done iconographically in the ensuing years. Except for final clearances, I was given free rein by Father Constantine, the Parish Council, and the Building Committee to develop an overall scheme that would not only enhance the existing unique structure, but would also in its finality give the appearance of Paradise in which the soul might achieve mystical ecstasy. This was achieved through countless hours of research, designing, painting, and consultations with your priest and committees until finally we have developed a theme in our iconography at St. Basil’s that nourishes the soul through its deep and mysterious powers.
Besides the obvious fact that iconography embellishes the church, the icons are inextricably and necessarily a part of the Orthodox tradition. The liturgical function of the icons and its dogmatic content are inseparable and here is where the iconographer’s role of “preaching through images” must be deeply united with the Church in expressing the one Truth-that the icon is a profound witness to the communion between man and the Trinity.
A vital component of my style through the use of mosaics which decorate the interior of St. Basil’s has been through the use of symbols of a sacred, transcendental world with its focus on the Orthodox religion and to create an atmosphere to the interior of the church that develops the concept that the church possesses a source of light, isolated from the external world and transforming it into a mystical world by the use of glittering mosaics. From the Narthex, to the Iconostas, to the ring of walls surrounding the church, to the majestic size of the Platytera, and finally to the magnificent Pantocrator who always hovers above, the worshipper has continuous and contiguous reminders of a world of which he has inextricably become a part,
My personal thanks go to Father Constantine, the committees with whom I have worked, and to the members of the St. Basil parish in helping me to successfully develop the concepts previously described.”
– Robert J. Andrews, Iconographer
Priests Who Have Served Our Parish
- Fr. Constantine Chapralis* *Served prior to parish establishment
- Fr. Haralampos Skoufis 1931-33; 1934-36
- Fr. George Sardounis 1935-36 (Interim)
- Fr. Damaskinos Smyrnopoulos 1934; 1938-49
- Fr. Ambrose Mandilaris 1937 (Interim)
- Fr. Arsenius Pallikaris 1949-50 (Interim)
- Fr. Constantine Kouklakis 1950-52
- Fr. Constantine Bithos 1952-53
- Fr. Theodore Phillips 1953-65
- Fr. Ambrose Giannoukos 1965-67
- Fr. Constantine Efstathiu 1967-1984
- Fr. Michael Rymer 1984-87
- Fr. Alexander Papagikos 1987-88
- Fr. Philip Armstrong 1988- ?
- Fr. Panagiotis (Pete) – Current
