NEW YORK – The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America on September 5 terminated approximately 28 to 30 of its more than 105 employees.
Included are the staff of its official publication, the Orthodox Observer, which the Archdiocese does not have money to continue operating in print format, planning to continue with a digital version only. Overall, it has made drastic reductions in all of its departments.
Also, financial problems at the Holy Cross Theological School have arisen because the Archdiocese has not sent its monthly installment for the School’s operational expenses for several months.
The National Herald has previously reported that the Archdiocese has entered a de facto bankruptcy stage, with a deficit exceeding $8.5 million. Jerry Dimitriou, who for the last 19 years was in charge of administrative and financial affairs and supervised the building of the new St. Nicholas Shrine at the World Trade Center, has already been dismissed.
TNH, in fact, had recently revealed that Archbishop Demetrios announced to the Holy Eparchial Synod in Constantinople on August 29 of Dimitriou’s pending dismissal and the looming deficit. Dimitriou did not respond to TNH’s request for comment.
Also terminated on September 5 was Elefterios Pisalidis, who served as production manager, editor, and in charge of advertisement at the Observer.
The terminations were announced by Archdiocesan Chancellor, His Grace Bishop Andonios of Phasiane, who called the employees into his office to tell them “I have to let you go because of financial reasons.” Demetrios was nowhere to be found.
Bishop Andonios instructed the heads of the various departments to drastically reduce their budgets, terminate personnel, and reduce expenses to the minimum. The technical (website, etc.) department was one of the first to receive that directive. Andonios did not respond to TNH’s request for comment.
The Archdiocese’s annual $30 million budget is expected to be reduced to $22 million. It has more than doubled during Demetrios’ tenure (it had been $13 million when he became archbishop).
Department heads’ Archdiocese-issued cell phones and credit cards were taken away from them because there was no substantial quality control regarding their use.
TNH has learned that in recent years the Archdiocese faced financial difficulties to the point that it was unable to meet its payroll, which was covered silently by the late philanthropists Michael Jaharis and Nicholas Bouras.
The Theological School’s annual operating expenses are about $12 million, and the combined bodies of the School as well as Holy Cross Hellenic College is approximately 180.
TNH has reported on numerous occasions that the School is oversubscribed in terms of employees, and over $2.5 million to date has been spent on the continuing legal battle with the Maliotis Cultural Center.
The Archdiocese’s dire financial situation is expected to have repercussions on the Metropolises as well because each one is like a “mini-archdiocese” with chancellors, secretaries, deacons, registrars, youth directors, and other employees.
Many parishes are faced with financial problems, as well. Congregations in large communities have sharply decreased in many cases, with some at the point of advanced decay.
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