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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3 Representatives are pleased to honor Reverend Father
4 Panagiotis K. Malamis, who has lovingly served the Greek
5 Orthodox Church of Saint Demetrios parish for 35 years; he will
6 also commemorate the 40th anniversary of his ordination to the
7 priesthood; and
 
8     WHEREAS, Father Panagiotis Malamis was born in 1935 to
9 Konstantinos and Demetra Malamis and grew up in Sigouni,
10 Kalavryta; later, he was introduced to Presvytera Theodora, who
11 hailed from nearby Tourlada, Kalavryta; he proposed marriage,
12 and soon after she went to Montreal, Canada; and
 
13     WHEREAS, She invited him to join her in 1962 and they
14 married; with great love and pride, he and Presvytera would
15 welcome nine children into the world: three daughters and six
16 sons; and
 
17     WHEREAS, In 1966, he enrolled in the Holy Cross Theological
18 School, and the family moved to Boston; in Connecticut in May
19 1968, he was ordained a deacon by His Grace Bishop Demetrios of
20 Olymbou, who also ordained him into the Holy Priesthood in May
21 1969; by July of 1969, he was assigned to his first parish,
22 Assumption Greek Orthodox Church in Chicago; after two years,

 

 

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1 he was transferred to Saint Demetrios Church in Chicago for a
2 three-year assignment; and
 
3     WHEREAS, In September of 1974, Father Panagiotis would join
4 the parish where he would spend the remainder of his life,
5 Saint Demetrios in Elmhurst; in the early days there was no
6 church or school, the services and afternoon school classes
7 were held in a former junior high school building; as
8 Proistamenos, Father Panagiotis actively led the parish in its
9 efforts to construct a school and community center in 1976, and
10 a church in 1978; and
 
11     WHEREAS, When he celebrated his 25th year in the
12 priesthood, the late Archbishop Iakovos of North and South
13 America granted Father Panagiotis the title, "Protopresbyter,"
14 the highest rank and distinction that a married priest may
15 attain; Father became the first priest in the area to celebrate
16 the 40-day liturgies during the Christmas fast; Father
17 Panagiotis embraced the Epiphany tradition of blessing the
18 parishioners' homes each year, even as the parish grew; today,
19 the church also includes the parochial day school, Pythagoras
20 Children’s Academy, with classes from pre-school through the
21 first grade, the Pythagoras Greek Afternoon School, and two
22 chapels were erected, the Holy Anargyroi Chapel and the Saint
23 John Chapel; and
 

 

 

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1     WHEREAS, Father Panagiotis retired in 2006; among his
2 proudest achievements is seeing his son, Father Sotirios,
3 follow in his footsteps; he currently serves as Assistant
4 Priest at Holy Trinity Church in Chicago; and
 
5     WHEREAS, On November 1, 2009 a celebration will be held
6 honoring Father Panagiotis Malamis for his years of service;
7 therefore, be it
 
8     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
9 NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
10 congratulate Father Panagiotis Malamis and wish him continued
11 good health and happiness; and be it further
 
12     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
13 presented to Father Panagiotis Malamis as a symbol of our
14 respect and esteem.