New York - His Eminence Archbishop Spyridon announced today that the new Chancellor of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America will be the Reverend Protopresbyter George Passias.

Father Passias graduated from the University of Illinois where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Structural Mechanical Engineering and in Mathematics (1973) and a Master's degree on Bio-Mechanics (1975).

Upon completing these degrees and being active in his home parish, St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church in Des Plaines, IL Father Passias entered and graduated from the Holy Cross School of Theology in Brookline, MA with a Master of Divinity degree (1979).

After ordination, Father Passias was assigned as assistant priest at the Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church in Flushing, NY and then was elevated as proistamenos (pastor) of the same parish. Father Passias has served the Saint Nicholas parish for 19 years and will begin his new responsibilities at the Archdiocese on June 1, 1997.

Fr. George and Presbytera Mary have four children: Eleni, Peter, Costa and Katherine.