St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church sits at 2350 East Dempster Street in Des Plaines, Illinois, a wide brick-and-stone complex that has anchored the northwest suburban Greek Orthodox community since 1959. Conceived by fifteen women who gathered in a Des Plaines living room in 1954, the parish grew into the largest Orthodox church in the area, and today it fills a 5¼-acre campus with a consecrated main church, a newly consecrated Guardian Angel Chapel, an Education and Ministry Building, a community center, and a day school serving preschool through eighth grade. Members come from across Des Plaines, the surrounding suburbs, and nearby Chicago neighborhoods, drawn by a vigorous liturgical life, an acclaimed philanthropy program, and a deeply rooted commitment to Greek language and culture.
A Parish Born from a Living-Room Meeting
The story of St. John begins on a fall day in 1954, when Christine Demmie of Palatine placed a notice in the local newspaper asking Greek Orthodox women of the Northwest Suburbs to meet. Fifteen women answered, gathering on October 7, 1954, in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Gus Georgans of Des Plaines and forming what they called the Northwest Suburban Women's Club. Bishop Ezekiel of Nanzianzus offered his support at the second meeting, telling the founders that they were "embarking on a holy objective of such huge proportions" and that "mothers are the backbone of the community." The two years that followed were devoted to fundraising; by June 1957, the women's club had $6,515.96 in its treasury under the leadership of its second president, attorney Dimi Kay.
On May 23, 1959, thirty-five families purchased the former Good Shepherd Lutheran Church on Prospect and Illinois Street in Des Plaines for $29,500, and the parish received the name St. John the Baptist, honoring a young man, John Karavidas, who had been killed in World War II. The first liturgy was celebrated on August 9, 1959. Within a year the new parish had grown to roughly 150 families, 215 Sunday School students, a Greek School organized by the first pastor, Fr. Philip J. Pekras, and a choir of young mothers led by chanter John Smyros. Constantine Stamis was elected the first parish council president, with John Metropulos, Peter Vourganas, Thomas Armenakis, and others rounding out the original board.
Building the Dempster Street Campus
By the end of 1960, the parish had outgrown its first building. A Site Planning and Building Committee of fifteen men, chaired by Nickolas Anton with architect Louis C. Cordogan, spent the next two years searching for property. In the fall of 1962 the parish purchased a wooded 5¼-acre tract on Dempster Street for $40,000, and construction on an Educational and Cultural Building began on Thanksgiving Day 1963. The first liturgy in the new facilities was celebrated on September 20, 1964, and Bishop Meletios formally dedicated the building in January 1965, congratulating the parish for being "a model for other Greek Orthodox communities."
By 1968, with membership approaching 840 and Sunday School enrollment at 585, planning began for the main church. Construction started in December 1970, Bishop Timotheos officiating at the groundbreaking in November of that year, and the main church was dedicated in November 1971 under the chairmanship of charter member George A. Stryker. The iconography by the Tonelli Studio was completed in time for Christmas 1976, and on October 7, 1979, Metropolitan Iakovos celebrated the formal consecration of the main church building, with more than eighty parishioners participating in the Godparents Program and Michael Bicouvaris receiving the keys on their behalf.
The Education and Ministry Building followed, opening on May 11, 2008, after a groundbreaking in July 2006 and a foundation blessing by Bishop Demetrios of Mokissos. The most recent sanctuary project, the Guardian Angel Chapel, was envisioned in the late 2000s. Iconography was begun by Lawrence Manos in October 2010, the Holy Altar arrived in July 2011, and the chapel was dedicated on March 25, 2010. After ceiling and wall iconography by the Christodoulou Brothers of Thessaloniki was finished in spring 2019, the chapel was formally consecrated on October 26-27, 2019, by His Eminence Metropolitan Nathanael, with the 60th Anniversary Consecration Banquet held at the Westin Chicago North Shore in Wheeling.
The Priests of St. John
The parish's spiritual leadership has passed through a small company of devoted priests. Fr. Philip J. Pekras, the founding pastor, served six years beginning in the summer of 1959. He was followed in the fall of 1965 by Fr. Demetrius N. Treantafeles, who was awarded the title of "Megas Economos" by Archbishop Iakovos in June 1969. The longest-serving pastor in the parish's history, Fr. Emmanuel Manousos Lionikis, was assigned in October 1969; under his leadership the main church was built and consecrated. Ordained in 1945 after graduating from the Greek Theological School in Pomfret, Connecticut, Fr. Emmanuel also held a Master's in Sacred Theology from Seabury-Western Theological Seminary, served parishes in Cheyenne, Waukegan, Racine, Joliet, and Gary, and was an early advocate for clergy medical insurance. He retired in 1996 and continued as Priest Emeritus well into his nineties until his death on June 24, 2016.
Fr. John Rallis was assigned to the parish in February 1996 and served as Proistamenos for thirty years. Born in Athens, Fr. John came to the priesthood as a second profession, graduating from Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology in 1988 after earlier studies in port and shipping administration in England and Wales. He and Presvytera Irene have three daughters and eleven grandchildren. Fr. John retired in July 2026 with the rank of Protopresbyter, and the parish held an Evening of Love and Gratitude on May 17, 2026, in his honor.
Fr. Dimitri Tobias, the current Head Pastor, was assigned to St. John the Baptist in November 2023 and was named Head Pastor in July 2026. A graduate of Hellenic College and Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology, Fr. Dimitri previously served parishes in Sioux City, Iowa, and Chicago. He was ordained to the diaconate in 2012 and to the priesthood in September of that year, has served on the Metropolis Council for several terms, and was appointed Spiritual Advisor to Special Needs Ministries of the Metropolis of Chicago in 2023. He carries the priestly rank of Economos. Joining him in August 2026 is Fr. Nicholas Dahdal as Associate Pastor. Born in Jerusalem and raised in the Palestinian town of Taybeh, Fr. Nicholas was ordained by Patriarch Elias IV of Antioch in 1977, served Saint George Antiochian Orthodox Church in Cicero for thirty-three years, and received the Antonian Gold Medal of the Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese. He has spoken widely on the Middle East and led the painting of an iconographic ceiling program in his former parish.
Sunday Worship and the Cycle of Services
Sunday morning at St. John follows the classic Byzantine order. Orthros (Matins) is prayed from 8:30 to 9:45 a.m., and the Divine Liturgy begins at 9:45 a.m. Great Vespers is celebrated Saturday evenings at 6:00 p.m. The parish is part of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Chicago, one of the regional bodies of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, and worship is primarily in English with Greek liturgical elements retained in the choir's chanting. Services are broadcast online for those unable to attend in person.
The Wednesday cycle includes the Martha and Mary Women's Study Group, which gathers from 9:45 to 11:15 a.m. for Orthodox Christian reading, discussion, and fellowship. Youth ministries fill the week from there: Faith and Joy (grades K-5) meets monthly on Friday evenings from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m., while Jr. GOYA (grades 6-8) and GOYA (grades 9-12) meet every other Tuesday from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. The Young Adult League, for college students and young professionals ages 18 to 35, gathers on the fourth Saturday of each month for Vespers and a discussion on a chosen topic.
Guardian Angel Orthodox Day School and Pythagoras Greek School
Guardian Angel Orthodox Day School is the parish's Pre-K through eighth-grade elementary program, founded in September 1999 as an Orthodox Christian preschool and grown a grade at a time into a full elementary school. The school aims to provide an education that is "academically excellent and rooted in the Orthodox Christian faith," laying a foundation that allows students to reach their full, God-given potential intellectually, socially, physically, and spiritually. The Guardian Angel Preschool welcomes three-, four-, and five-year-olds in a Christ-centered environment that emphasizes self-expression and socialization through music, arts and crafts, stories, fine and gross motor activities, and hands-on manipulatives. Maria Kroll, who joined as Director of Early Childhood Education in 2018 and became Principal in 2022, oversees the program.
The Pythagoras Greek School, founded over fifty-five years ago, has long been a cornerstone of cultural transmission at St. John. The school offers students an enjoyable learning experience that instills understanding, enthusiasm, and appreciation for the Greek language and heritage while providing the highest quality of language instruction. In 2018 the school added an Ellinomatheia preparatory program, a path to internationally recognized certification in Greek language proficiency. Georgia Katsis serves as principal. Pythagoras classes meet Saturdays and a Wednesday Greek Immersion session supplements the program during the week.
Youth Ministries from Infants to Young Adults
St. John's runs one of the more comprehensive youth ministry programs in the Metropolis. HOPE, for infants through preschool, gathers on Sunday mornings at 10:00 a.m., beginning in the gym with fellowship and play before moving to the chapel at 10:15 for prayers, a short lesson, songs, a healthy snack, and a craft. This year's HOPE curriculum walks children through the Old Testament heroes. Katerina Dimas leads the program.
Sunday Church School begins in the elementary years and now includes a special-ed classroom as an extension of TEAM Belong. The Junior Choir, open to students in grades 6 through 12, teaches traditional Byzantine music and chants the Divine Liturgy in the Guardian Angel Chapel every Sunday during the Sunday School year, plus special services during Great Lent. Vacation Church School has been an annual offering since 1997, when it was first established. Beyond parish programming, the GOYA has traveled on domestic mission trips through Young Orthodox Christian American Mission Adventures (YOCAMA), including a journey to Montana to serve Native American communities in poverty.
Two parallel programs serve older teens and young adults. Sisters of Faith, for young women in grades 6 through 12, meets quarterly for activities that have included decorating icons, discussions on media and technology, making artoclasia, book discussions, and panel discussions. The Young Adult League, for college students and professionals ages 18 to 35, combines Vespers with topical discussions and regular social and outreach events; the Metropolis of Chicago YAL supplements the program with wider events.
TEAM Belong and Inclusion
Disability Family Ministry, now called TEAM Belong, invites families with children of all ages - from birth to adulthood - who have disabilities to gather monthly for worship and fellowship accessible for everyone. Volunteers work with children and youth with disabilities, and families can register for the program through online forms. St. John is honored to be among the first cohort of Pilot Parishes in the On Behalf of All program, working with the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese's Fully Human ministry and other Orthodox parishes around the country toward making worship accessible for children with disabilities. The parish first established a ministry for special-needs children in February 2006 as St. Stylianos, which was later renamed; in fall 2023 Sunday Church School added a special-ed classroom as an extension of TEAM Belong.
Improvements to the physical plant have paralleled this commitment. In October 2009, new automated door openers and a ramp in the connecting link between the Community Center and the Main Church improved accessibility throughout the campus.
Philoptochos and the Feed My Neighbor Mission
The Ladies Philoptochos Society of St. John the Baptist, the philanthropic arm of the Greek Orthodox Church, is one of the most active chapters in the Metropolis. Membership is open to all women of the community aged eighteen and over, and the chapter supports a wide range of efforts: parish families in need, women and children in need, the Greek American Rehabilitation and Care Center, Philoxenia House and Ministries, St. Basil's Academy, sponsorship of priests in Central America, aid to Greece and Cyprus, groceries for Des Plaines residents, Project HOPE, Holy Cross Hellenic College, the Orthodox Christian Mission Center (OCMC), the Martha and Mary Maternity Ministry, International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC), the parish's own Guardian Angel Orthodox Day School, Sunday Church School, and Pythagoras Greek School, plus a scholarship program based on financial need. In July 2022, the chapter was honored with the Agape Award for the Metropolis of Chicago and the national Excellence in Unity Award for innovative philanthropic work. Ilioula Karanikolas serves as president.
The Feed My Neighbor program, the parish's signature outreach, began on Thanksgiving Day 2003 and has grown into a citywide ministry. The annual Thanksgiving event serves as many as 650 in-house turkey meals, another 150 take-out meals, and 50 deliveries to homebound neighbors, with guests also receiving a bag of groceries and a winter coat. Roughly 150 volunteers from the parish, other Greek and pan-Orthodox churches, and the wider community make the day possible. A New Year's Day event in honor of St. Basil serves 250 meals annually, and the parish helps sponsor hundreds of meals each year through a rotating Monday-through-Thursday partnership with Des Plaines churches. Since 2021, Feed My Neighbor has also offered Friday meals during the three Lenten periods of the year. In total, the program serves well over a thousand meals annually. St. John the Baptist is the largest single donor to the Des Plaines Self Help Closet and Food Pantry and works with other local charities to reach neighbors facing food insecurity. The parish has helped other Greek Orthodox churches replicate the program in their own communities. Kathy Papaioannou coordinates donations, and Marguerite Gribogiannis organizes volunteers.
Iconography, Music, and the Bookstore
Iconography is a living practice at St. John. The Tonelli Studio completed the original iconography in time for Christmas 1976. Phase II iconography began in the chapel in November 2012, and Phase III was completed by the Christodoulou Brothers of Thessaloniki in April 2019. In summer 2019 the main church received new ceiling iconography in the barrel vaults and pendentives, and by November-December 2021 the main church was adorned with iconography from floor to ceiling. The most recent addition came in June 2024, when icons of the Akathist to the Most Holy Theotokos were placed on the uppermost walls of the chapel. An Iconography Committee, with Maria Karkazis as a contact, continues to coordinate parish education about icons and curates a weekly "Saint of the Week" series.
Music is carried by the Junior Choir during the school year and by adult chanters, including the parish's first chanter, John Smyros. The church bookstore, open whenever the church building is open, stocks Orthodox Christian books, icons, children's books, prayer books, lives of saints, books in Greek, coffee, greeting cards, and Bibles.
Athletics, Stewardship, and Parish Life
The Athletics Ministry oversees the G.O.A.L. Basketball Program and the Metropolis of Chicago Jr. Olympics. The basketball season runs from October through February for athletes in grades 3 through 12, with weekly practices and weekend games. Jr. Olympics offers team and individual competition for athletes ages 7 to 18 during Memorial Day Weekend. Mark Sarantopoulos directs the program.
Stewardship is the parish's annual giving program. The 2026 campaign asks parishioners to renew their commitment at the beginning of the new ecclesiastical year, supported by a series of "60 Seconds for Stewardship" videos and a printed Stewardship Prayer that asks the Lord to help the faithful become "better stewards of all that we have been blessed with." Parishioners may complete pledge cards online or in print, and recurring giving forms are available through the parish office. A Love and Gratitude fund was established to honor the ministry of Fr. John and Presv. Irene Rallis over thirty years of service.
A Future on Dempster Street
In the fall of 2024, the parish launched three capital projects to mark its 65th anniversary: rebuilding the Dempster Street bridge, replacing the fifty-year-old parking lot, and restoring and beautifying the church domes. With schools in session, youth programs underway at every age, a thriving Philoptochos and Feed My Neighbor mission, and an iconography program that continues to fill the chapel walls with images of the saints, St. John the Baptist remains what its founders envisioned in 1954: a gathering place that guides all who follow in Christ's ways, on Dempster Street in Des Plaines.