Our Parish History

Saint Katherine held its opening day ceremony on November 28, 1971 with a Divine Liturgy led by Bishop Iakovos. A number of local dignitaries were in attendance, including the Governor of North Carolina. The church expanded in 1991 with the addition of a Fellowship Hall. Approximately 40 families are presently members of the church. Saint Katherine is guided and administered by a presiding priest and the parish council that oversee the affairs of the church. Funds are raised from member contributions and several annual pastry sales and souvlaki dinners that are well attended by the local community. The parish operates a Sunday school, a Greek language school and a Ladies Philoptohos Society. The traditional Byzantine liturgy is supported by a few chanters and, on occasions, a small choir accompanied by an organ.

Since its opening in 1971, Saint Katherine has been served by several priests, mostly on a part time basis. Father Andrew Georgaroudakis was the first to hold church services and was succeeded by several part time priests from nearby cities. In 1978 Father Panagiotis T. Vlahos, a retired priest from Winston-Salem, was appointed by the Archdiocese to serve the parish, and he stayed for 12 years. At his suggestion due to declining health and with the consent of the community his son succeeded him as the parish priest. In 1990 Father George P. Vlahos was ordained to the priesthood and appointed by the Archdiocese to serve on a full time basis. His strong, steady leadership as a presiding priest resulted on April 28, 2007 in the official consecration of the Church by the Archdiocese raising its status from a mission to a regular parish church. He retired as the spiritual leader at Saint Katherine’s in 2019.

Fr. Demetrios Sean Govostes is currently the presiding priest. Fr. Demetrios Sean Govostes was born in Boston, MA of parents Norman, a former Marine, and Patricia, a retired RN. He has two younger siblings who still live in the New England area. Father began his priestly training at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology in 1998. He was ordained to the diaconate on January 26th, 2003, and to the Holy Priesthood a week later on February 2nd, 2003. He has not only served as a parish priest, but also as a chaplain at Johns Hopkins hospital in Baltimore, and as a missionary priest in the Holy Metropolis of Hong Kong. He has been married to his beloved wife for 21 years. Their son was born in 2007. Father, an amateur musician, enjoys listening to and playing music, watching films, and reading books.