HONORING PRIEST AND PARISH
By Debbie Hovanasian, Sun Correspondent
Lowell Sun (Massachusetts)
October 20, 2007 Saturday
LOWELL — On Sunday, Oct. 28, the Rev. Leonard Faris will celebrate his
58th birthday surrounded by family and friends. But this celebration
will differ slightly from any he has celebrated in the past.
Faris, pastor of St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church, will be
elevated to Archmandrite, the highest position in the Antiochian
Orthodox Church for a celibate priest below a bishop. It is equivalent
to monsignor in the Catholic Church.
"What better gift than to be elevated on my birthday?" Faris said,
noting that many family members, friends, St. George parishioners and
parishioners from his former assignments in Canada and Rhode Island
will there to support him.
Also arriving for the service will be Metropolitan Philip, Primate
of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America
and Canada. The bishop has not visited the small Lebanese/Syrian
church community in 15 years, and there is much excitement about it,
said Faris.
John Maria, co-chairman with Nicole Skaff of the banquet being held in
honor of the bishop on Saturday, Oct. 27, agrees. "We’re a very small,
close-knit parish, so this is a big thing for us and quite an honor,"
he said.
The bishop’s visit and his own elevation to Archmandrite are also an
honor for Faris, primarily because the people of his parish wrote to
the bishop requesting the elevation, he said.
"I’m touched and humbled," said Faris, who was ordained in 1995 and
has been the pastor at St. George for six years. "This is an honor
for the entire parish, because the people sent the letter in — and
the bishop agreed with them. It’s a true blessing upon our community."
Maria says that the elevation service is expected to draw an "overflow
crowd. I think he’ll (Faris) be very touched. For us, it’s nice to see
him recognized and elevated to a higher level. He is a great spiritual
leader and he’s been instrumental in keeping the church up-to-date."
Faris’ path to spiritual leader was unconventional. In fact, he did
not enroll in the seminary until the age of 42. But the young altar
boy who "always loved being in church" and grew into an adult who
taught religious education, sang in the choir and volunteered many
hours to his church community, often thought about being a priest. He
just wasn’t sure he was worthy, he said.
Others around him felt otherwise. While he was an employee of the
IRS for 14 years, co-workers would often come to him just to talk.
"People would tell me that I’m always so compassionate, like a priest,"
said Faris, a graduate of Central Catholic High School and Merrimack
College.
When he decided enter the seminary — forgoing a lucrative career
that came with several weeks’ vacation — his managers knew right
away. "They both started to cry and said, ‘We know what you are going
to tell us …"
Faris began his studies at the Orthodox Christ the Savior Seminary
in Pennsylvania and finished at Holy Cross Orthodox Seminary in
Brookline. Though raised Catholic in Lawrence by his parents, the late
George Faris and Elsie (Mansor) Faris, the young Faris was introduced
to the Orthodox church by his maternal grandmother, an Orthodox
Christian who always wanted her grandson to be a priest, he said.
"I used to go to church with her on Sunday and I loved the Byzantine
liturgy and the traditions of the Eastern Church," he explained.
Faris also lived near the Holy Cross Armenian Orthodox Church in
Lawrence. One day, he walked by, heard the beautiful choir, "and I
just went in," he said. Faris attended the Orthodox services at the
church for eight years.
Now an Orthodox priest for 12 years, Faris says, "I love every minute
of every day that I serve God and his church."
As for the celebration next weekend, Faris admits to getting "a little
— no, a lot nervous," he says. "You want everything to be so nice
and that the bishop is pleased."
The St. George community has been working hard to make sure that
happens, including renovating their small, yet beautiful sanctua we
have worked toward — together," he says, pointing out the restored
hardwood floors, mosaic tiles and other improvements. "I’m so blessed
to have this wonderful community and I just hope that I’m a blessing
in their lives as well."
The elevation service on Sunday, Oct. 28, begins at 10 a.m. All are
welcome. St. George Antiochian Church, 44 Bowers St., Lowell, (978)
452-4816, .