Father David G. Bissias

 

Personal

In 1967, Father David was born in Chicago, IL, and raised in suburban Elmhurst, IL.   He was baptized and attended the Holy Apostles Church of Westchester, IL, and deeply inspired by the parish priest, Fr. William Chiganos of blessed memory.  In High School, Fr. David met the priest who would become his mentor and spiritual father, Rev. Jon Magoulias.  After graduating seminary, Father David began working for the Metropolis of Chicago even before ordination, and he continued to serve in various capacities as an assistant to Metropolitan Iakovos and served until the arrival of His Eminence Metropolitan Nathanael of Chicago in 2017.  In 1996, Father David arrived as the pastor of our parish family at Saint Demetrios of Hammond.  Father David resides in nearby Munster, IN, and has two adult children: George David and Efthymia. 

Ordinations & Offices

 

Elevation to the Rank of Protopresbyter

At the hand of His Eminence Metropolitan Nathanael of Chicago at the Saint Nectarios Greek Orthodox Church of Palatine, IL, June 10, 2019.

Elevation to the Rank of Economos

At the hand of His Eminence Metropolitan Iakovos of Chicago at the Saint Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church of Hammond, IN, May 17, 2009.

Ordination to the Presbyterate (Priesthood)

At the hand of His Grace Bishop Iakovos of Chicago at the Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church of Palos Hill, IL, May 21, 1994.

Ordination to the Diaconate

At the hand of His Grace Bishop Iakovos of Chicago at the Holy Apostles Greek Orthodox Church of Westchester, IL, February 2, 1994.

Degrees/Education

 

Master of Divinity, With Distinction

Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology Brookline, MA, 1993.

      • Scholarship Award for Excellence in Homiletics, 1993.

Bachelor of Arts

Hellenic College, Brookline, MA, 1989. 

Diploma

York Community High School, Elmhurst, IL, 1985.

Current Professional Positions

Parish Priest

Saint Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church of Hammond , IN, since August 1, 1996.

 

 

Previous Positions/Memberships

 

Special Assistant to the Metropolitan

Metropolis of Chicago, 2004 to 2017.

Member of the Metropolis Council

Metropolis of Chicago, 1998 to 2012 (elected); 2013-2017 (appointed). 

Member of the Bishop's Task Force on AIDS

Metropolis of Chicago, 1997 to 2017.

Member of the North American Patristics Society

2005 to 2014.

Associate Pastor

Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church of Milwaukee, WI, June, 1994—July, 1996

Deacon to the Bishop

Greek Orthodox Diocese of Chicago, 1994

Assistant to the Director

Office of Youth & Young Adult Ministries Greek Orthodox Diocese of Chicago, 1993 to 1994

Member of the Planning Committee of the Annual Jewish-Christian Clergy Retreat of Chicago

October 1998--October 2007.

Diocesan Representative

Chicago Clergy Seminar in Israel, Sponsored by the American Jewish Committee, Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, Israel, July, 1998. 

Secretary

The Orthodox Clergy Fellowship of Wisconsin, August 1994—June 1996.

Administrative and Teaching Assistant

To Dr. John Chirban; at Cambridge Counseling Associates, Cambridge, MA; Northeastern University, Boston, MA; Hellenic College, Brookline, MA; 1989-1991.

Office Manager

Orthodox Christian Association of Medicine, Psychology and Religion, (OCAMPR), Cambridge, MA, 1990—1991. 

Staff Member

Boston Theological Institute, Boston, MA 1988—1989.

Assistant Manager

Holy Cross Seminary Bookstore, Brookline, MA 1986—1991.

 

Speaking Engagements

 

Lecture: "Apocalypse and the Last Things: Preparing for the End of Time"

Saint Demetrios Church of Elmhurst, IL Lenten Seminar, April 17, 2013

Lecture: "Hope & Change: Church, Politics and Society in the 21st Century

Metropolis of Chicago Philoptochos Lenten Retreat, Merrillville, IN, March 14, 2009

Lecture: "Holy Oil and Holy Week: Revisiting an Issue"

Metropolis of Chicago Clergy Syndesmos Retreat, Sheboygan, WI, February 18, 2009

Lecture: "It is Time for the Lord to Act: The Many and the One."

Spiritual Weekend Retreat, Annunciation Church of Dayton, OH, November 1, 2008.

Discussion Panelist: “Mysticism and Popular Spirituality.”

Annual Jewish-Christian Clergy Retreat, Techny, IL, April 2006.

Lecture: “The Evil Eye, Old Wives’ Tales and Superstitions: Are They Harmful?”

Saint Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church of Chicago Religious Education Seminar, March, 2003

Lecture: “Marriage: An Orthodox Christian Perspective in Ecumenical Context.”

Annual Ecumenical Symposium of The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago (at Loyola Univ.)September, 2002

Lecture: “Authority and Freedom in the Eastern Christian Tradition”

Annual Jewish-Christian Clergy Retreat Mundelein, IL, October, 2001.

Lecture: “Toward a Theology of Gender.”

Orthodox Women’s Association of Wisconsin Retreat, Milwaukee, WI, February, 2000.

Lecture: “Evolution from an Orthodox Christian Perspective”

Northwest Indiana Orthodox Christian Clergy Association Lenten Seminars Merrillville, IN; Saint Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church of Chicago Religious Education Seminar; April, 1998.

Lecture: “The Last Times and Thereafter.”

Northwest Indiana Orthodox Christian Clergy Association Lenten Seminars Merrillville, IN April, 1997.

Lecture: “The Last Judgment and Our Response to the Gospel”

The Philoptochos Lenten Retreat Greek Orthodox Diocese of Chicago, Des Plaines, IL, March, 1997.

Lecture: “Orthodox Iconography: Windows Into Heaven”

Saint Mary’s College Wauwautosa, WI, May, 1996.

 

Publications

 

The Mystery of Healing: Oil, Anointing, and the Unity of the Local Church

Rollinsford, NH: Orthodox Research Institute, 2008

**Translated into Romanian as Sfantul Maslu: Taina vindecarii by Dragos Dasca.  Iasi Romania: Doxologia, 2012.

“Marriage: An Orthodox Perspective in Ecumenical Context.”

Ecumenical Trends, Volume 33, Number 11 (December, 2004), pp. 1-4. Published by the Graymoor Ecumenical & Intereligious Institute.