Clergy, Parish Council & Staff

Father Steven P. Zorzos

Father Steven P. Zorzos is the Presiding Priest of Saint Sophia Cathedral.

Father Steve grew up in the Greek Orthodox Community of the Church of the Archangels, Stamford, Connecticut. After having attended the University of Connecticut for two years, he transferred to Hellenic College, Brookline, Massachusetts, where he received his Bachelor’s degree in Philosophy & Religion. Upon completion of the Master in Theological Studies and Master of Divinity degrees from Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology, Brookline, Massachusetts, Father Steve was ordained to the diaconate and priesthood in 1982, and served the Greek Community of Saint Demetrios Cathedral, Astoria, New York, as assistant priest from 1982-84. From August, 1984 to January, 2011, Father Steve served Saint Sophia Cathedral as assistant priest, and from January, 2011 to the present, as presiding priest.

Father Steve holds a Doctor of Ministry degree from St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary, Yonkers, New York.

Father Dimitrios J. Lee

Father Dimitrios J. Lee is the Assistant Priest of Saint Sophia Cathedral.

Father Dimitrios was born in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, to Robert and Maria Lee. He is a graduate of Hellenic College and Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology, holding the degrees of Bachelor of Arts and Master of Divinity. During his seminary days he participated on two mission trips with OCMC, Orthodox Christian Mission Center. After graduation Father Dimitrios worked for IOCC, International Orthodox Christian Charities, as well as the Annunciation Cathedral in Baltimore, MD.

In September of 2010 he and his wife Andrea moved to Washington, D.C., where he served as Pastoral Assistant and Youth Director of Saint Sophia Cathedral. Father Dimitrios was ordained to the holy diaconate, on Sunday, October 24, 2010, in the Church of Saint Spyridon in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, by His Grace Bishop Savas of Troas. He was then later ordained to the holy priesthood on January 9, 2011, at Saint Sophia Cathedral in Washington, D.C. by His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America and His (then) Grace Bishop Savas of Troas. Father Dimitrios now serves Saint Sophia Cathedral as the associate priest with an emphasis on youth ministry and religious education.

Father John T. Tavlarides

Father John T. Tavlarides is Presiding Priest Emeritus of Saint Sophia Cathedral.

Father John grew up in the Greek Orthodox Community of the Church of the Annunciation, Stamford, Connecticut. He graduated from Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology, Brookline, Massachusetts, in 1953, was ordained to the diaconate and priesthood the same year, and then assigned as assistant priest to the Holy Trinity Cathedral of New York where he served until 1956. During this time, Father John pursued graduate theological studies at the General Theological Seminary of the Episcopal Church, New York.

Father John served Saint Sophia Cathedral as assistant priest from 1956 to 1960, and then as presiding priest from 1960 to 2011. During his early years in Washington, DC, Father John pursued graduate studies at American University, as well as graduate theological studies at both the Wesley Theological Seminary of the United Methodist Church and the Catholic University of America.

Father John holds a Doctor of Ministry degree from St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary, Yonkers, New York.

Georgios Theodorides

Master Chanter (Protopsaltis)
Choir Master & Director of Music Arts

George Theodoridis was born in Böblingen, Germany. After completing his primary and early secondary school education there, he moved to Greece where he graduated from the Ecclesiastical High School of Tinos, and where for the very first time he was exposed to Byzantine music.

In the year 2000, George entered the German Language and Literature Department of the University of Athens. During his early university years, in addition to his linguistic studies, he studied Byzantine music theory and practical chanting under the tutelage of some of Greece’s most renowned teachers and chanters. His involvement in multiple Byzantine choirs afforded him the opportunity to participate in innumerable musical concerts and productions all over Greece. He holds an honors degree in Byzantine Music, as well as the Music Teacher Diploma, from the Conservatory of Egaleo, Athens, Greece.

As choir master George conducted, among others, the Students Byzantine Choir of the Theological College of the Apostolic Diakonia, Church of Greece. This included a multitude of events and holy services, both in Athens and throughout Greece, and even abroad in cities such as: Venice (San Marco), Rome (Parrocchia della Trasfigurazione), the Vatican (San Paolo) and others. In 2006, George conducted the Byzantine Multi Choir of Chantors, who performed a special ceremony before Pope Benedict XVI in the Event Hall of the Vatican Palace, where the Holy Relics of Saint Barbara the Great Martyr were received by a delegation of the Church of Greece.

From 1999 until today, George has practiced the “Art of Damascene” as a solo chanter in the Greek provinces, in several monasteries of Greece and in parishes that include: Saint Demetrios Loumpardiaris, Saint Demetrios Drosia, Saint George Kypseli, Assumption of the Holy Theotokos Nea Ionia and Assumption of the Holy Theotokos Kaisariani.

Between the years 2003-2006, George served as master chanter (protopsaltis) and choir master of the Holy Shrine of Saint Barbara in the municipal suburb of Saint Barbara, Athens, Greece, as well as instructor of Byzantine music to the Students Byzantine choir of the Theological College, Apostolic Diakonia of the Church of Greece.

George presently serves Saint Sophia Cathedral, Washington, DC, as Master Chanter (Protopsaltis), Choir Master & Director of Music Arts.

George is fluent in Greek, German and English.

He proudly holds the rank of Lieutenant in the Greek Army.

Parish Council

The Parish Council of Saint Sophia’s Greek Orthodox Cathedral meets on a monthly basis to guide and manage the cathedral’s affairs.

Cathedral Staff

The cathedral staff are the caretakers and stewards of the Cathedral’s facilities and daily operations.

Director of Internet Ministries and Communications: Pete Panagiotopoulos

Office Administrator: Despina Tsamoudakis

Facility Manager: Oscar Kosmas Monticinos