Early Organization and Founding of the Church

Exactly when the first Orthodox service in San Angelo was held is not known. However, we do know that  Fr. Emmanuel Panos, a Greek Orthodox Priest from San Antonio, participated in the  groundbreaking for the new Emmanuel Episcopal Church building in San Angelo on March 28, 1929.  Fr. Panos was the first pastor of the recently established St. Sophia Greek Orthodox Church in San Antonio at that time.

On November 23, 1929, eight months after Fr. Panos’ visit, a large group of Greek residents met in San Angelo and created the “Hellenic Educational Society ‘The Platon’” It was commonly referred to as “The Platon Society.” This organization was created to establish and support a Greek school to teach the Greek language, and to educate its members about American customs and ideas. It also was intended to promote religious studies meeting the needs of members of the Greek Orthodox faith as fostered by the Ecumenical Patriarch.

Starting in February,1932 the Society began holding meetings in the dance hall above the City Café on Chadbourne Street. That same year (1932) the Society voted to begin buying lots for a “Greek cemetery.” This was the beginning of the establishment of what would come to be known as the “Greek Section” of Fairmount Cemetery.

A little over one month later the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary San Angelo was incorporated on November 28, 1932. The initial directors of the church were George Athanas, Pano Karr (Karavelas), George Pappas, Mike Michalopulos, John Economides, James Kalaitzes and Theodore Alexander.

Stories of Assumption Parish Video

Rev. Fr. Zekakis (1932)

Rev. Fr. John Hadjiantoniou (1933)

Rev. Fr. Daniel Sakellariou (1933-34; 1946-1958)

Rev. Fr. Kyriakos Piliaros, (1932-1935)

Rev. Fr. Methodius Papapapostolou (1936-1946)

Rev. Fr. Spyrdion J. Nicolopoulos (1958-1963)

Rev. Fr. Spyridon Zoys (1958-1988);

Rev. Fr. James Hademenos (1988-2012).

Leasing of the Old Emmanuel Episcopal Church Building

In August of 1933 the Church began renting the old Episcopal Church building which was located at the corner of Randolph and Harris. The rent was $17.50 per month.

This building was already over thirty years old at the time. It was originally designed by Oscar Ruffini in 1887. By 1933 it was no longer a simple one room church as originally designed.  The building had an additional two story frame educational building attached to its east side. This L shaped structure sat immediately to the South of the new (present) Emmanuel Episcopal Church building that was constructed in 1929.

Fire Damages the Building and the Orthodox Obtain a Permanent Home.

Sunday afternoon May 9, 1937  a two alarm fire consumed the 2 story frame building adjoining the old church that housed Assumption of the Virgin Mary Greek Orthodox Church.  The cause of the fire was listed as “bad wiring” and it appears that the two story portion of the structure burned completely to the ground. The old Ruffini church building was damaged but survived.

Shortly after the fire, Assumption decided to buy the fire damaged structure, move it and erect their own church. On August 9, 1937 the Parish purchased two lots at the corner of Avenue G and Sam (now Montecito and Kenwood). The building was moved to the new site in late September or early October. Modifications and repairs to the building were made and the Church was completed within a few months.   That year the parish held Christmas services in their new building.

The San Angelo Morning Times ran this photo of the newly completed church on April 1, 1938 in which it reported that the total cost of the building was $6,000.00 (around $95,000.00 in 2011 dollars).

Since 1937, the church building has been renovated and had two additions - a parish hall was added in 1964 and an additional store room in 2001. 

It was not formally consecrated as a church until some 52 years after it was constructed. Bishop Kallistos of Denver finally performed the service of consecration on March 25, 1990.  Additional clergy who participated in the consecration service were Rev. Nicholas Triantafilou of Houston, Rev. Spyridon Zoys, Rev. James Hademenos, Deacon Nicolas Samaras of Denver and other visiting clergy.